[Animals] Here's what to do for B.C. wild animals during extreme heat

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With the constant heat wave, not only are people looking for ways to get out of the heat, but the local wildlife is doing their best to stay cool.

“Just like us, animals need to stay hydrated and need to find shelter so they can stay out of the scorching heat of the sun,” says Andrea Wallace, director of wildlife care at BC SPCA. "There are a lot of people they can do in their own yards."

How do you water the wildlife?

The most people can do right away is set up a birdbath. It can be a shallow dish that allows small animals to get a quick drink and dive without worrying about drowning. She adds that something with slowly sloping sides is best, and adding rocks to the dish to perch, so the animals can climb out, is best.

WildSafeBC Regional Coordinator Vanessa Isnardi agrees with the birdbath idea, but adds that putting up anything bigger is not a good idea. I noticed that many animals are opportunistic when searching for food and water.

 

"Animals may appear in places where we would not expect them to appear," she says. Wallace agrees, noting that all animals need water right now and will keep an eye on it.

Most large mammals know where the bodies of water are and will go to them. Creating larger artificial water sources may conflict with humans.

“It's not something we want to encourage,” Isnardi says, noting that attracting predators to areas with lots of humans is a bad idea.

To this end, anyone who has water in their backyard, such as an aquarium or children's pool, should check before heading out, lest they be surprised by a furry visitor.

"Before you send out the kids, check to see if the animals are in your backyard," she says.

Isnardi adds that in addition to larger, potentially dangerous animals, the water supply may also drive out pest animals, such as mice.

She also noted that the smallest of creatures can also use their hand in the heat, and making sure your birdbath is insect-friendly can greatly help bees and the like. Adding some stones that protrude above the surface allows it to sink in, absorb some of the water, and then continue.

For those who have set up a bird bath, Wallace suggests washing it every other day to help prevent the spread of disease.

Shady plants for everyone

While people can't necessarily do it today, Wallace points out that creating a shaded area for the animals is another good idea if you want to help the animals during hot days.

Creating shaded areas with leafy plants, watering them frequently and adding mulch around the base will provide much appreciated shelter.

"Having lots of plants, shrubs, and trees can provide that essential shade for animals," Wallace says. "Even tall grass and uncultivated grass can provide shelter for young animals."

If shade from plants is not available, animals, such as skunks, may seek protection from the sun under porches or other human structures.

Tips for getting out in the wild

If you're entering animal homes, also known as nature, Isnardy has a few suggestions.

“In terms of helping wildlife, the most important thing to do is keep your pets on a leash,” she says.

It's common advice, but more important than the fact that wildlife will be more stressed than usual now, and may be in more vulnerable situations. Isnardi was outside recently when she came across a small crowd of people watching a crow behaving strangely on the ground. I defined the behavior as a circular flutter.

"She was just trying to stay calm, but she was also a bit more vulnerable," she says.

Since water is a major attraction for animals at the moment, anyone who is close to running water (such as a creek) should be aware that the animal may not hear you coming and could be surprised by a single human from the bush along the bank. Using your voice will alert the animals in front of you that something is coming.

"It's always better to tell them we're in the zone," Isnardi says.

recent confrontations

This may all sound somewhat theoretical, but the British Columbia Conservation Officials Service (BC COS) reported three bear accidents this weekend in the metro Vancouver area.

Sgt. Simon Gravel says incidents have been reported in West Vancouver, North Vancouver and Coquitlam where bears have entered homes. They all managed to enter the houses because the doors were left open and the bear was able to open or break the glass doors.

"During these heat waves, consider wildlife and mitigate your access points, or if that's not possible, keep them closed," he says.

One of the bears was captured and euthanized. In other incidents, the traps had to be removed because they were deemed inhumane due to the heat.

He adds that any bear that finds a food reward in a household learns that this is easier than hunting.

"We know, through experience, that any bear like this that gets rewarded is like repeating behaviors and teaching cubs the behavior," he adds.

Therefore, making sure that bears cannot enter the house means less dangerous encounters with people.