WildSafe BC reminding residents of safe spring and summer hiking practices

KAMLOOPS — As hikers begin planning for spring and summer treks, WildSafe BC is reminding people of basic safety habits they should get into.

Easy to remember, and effective – bring bear spray, and make noise on the trails.

“If bears and other animals know that you’re in the area, tendency is that they’re going to leave you alone,” explains WildSafe BC Program Manager Vanessa Isnardy, “But do bring some bear spray with you. It’s like having a seat belt. You may never need it and you may never be in an accident, but when things go wrong at least you’ll have it there as protection.”

Isnardy says they have a free online course to teach people how to safely store, and deploy bear spray. However, that knowledge won’t be as useful if the canister has expired, so she advises checking the date before heading out.

“It’s the propellent that loses force over time. So the active ingredient is still there and you’ll want to dispose of it safely. But that propellent will not push that spray out, and it will just kind of dribble out and not be effective.”

Bears are far from the only wildlife people may come into contact with throughout the warm weather months. WildSafe notes that deer, and coyotes are common in the region.

“So coyotes for example, we’ve been in the thick of mating season and now those coyotes are going to have pups and they may have dens, so be super cautious with your dog,” Isnardy explains. “Most conflicts occur between coyotes and dogs, and the pet owners are trying to intervene and help their dogs out. So keep your pet on a leash if you’re on trails that you’re not familiar with and you don’t know where the dens are.”

According to Isnardy, the chance of coming across a snake depends a lot on where you’re hiking. But the hot and dry conditions in the summer make Kamloops an ideal place for snakes to live.

“Rattlesnakes are really non-aggressive and they are a species at risk, so it is illegal to harm them or kill them intentionally. They’re just doing their thing. So just try to give them space and not approach them.”

Many of these animals have different times of the year when they’re more visible to humans, and some – like cougars – are present year-round.

“(They can be found in) any part of the community, especially when you go on the north shore – Battle Bluff area and those areas,” notes Isnardy, “So again, bear spray is a nice thing to have with you anytime of the year because it also works on cougars as well.”

If you’re unsure about what to be on the look out for, or how to prepare, WildSafe BC has plenty of up-to-date videos, tips, and educational resources online.