Here are some tips on how to help bears, birds, and Vancouver Island's other native wildlife this year.

Most human conflicts with black bears are due to garbage and other human-caused attractants. Bears can receive as many calories from our garbage in 10 minutes as from foraging in the forest all day. 

To prevent bears from being labelled as nuisances and at threat of being killed: Only put your garbage and green bin out on the morning of pick-up, not the night before. Feed pets indoors, and donB次元官网网址檛 leave pet food outside. If you have a backyard compost, maintain it properly. DonB次元官网网址檛 add meat, fish, dairy, bones or fatty foods to it. Clean your barbecue by burning off the grill, cleaning out the grease trap, and storing it covered and in a locked shed.

Please do not throw litter out of your car window. It can attract wildlife to the road edge, where they can be injured or killed. Take a container with you to hold your scraps and garbage to be disposed of properly later.

Keep pet cats inside to help protect our native birds. On average, cats kill more than 100 million birds each year in Canada. If a bird isnB次元官网网址檛 killed outright in a cat attack, bacteria in the saliva and mouth of the cat can cause swift and fatal infection. If you feel itB次元官网网址檚 cruel to keep your pet inside, ask someone handy to build an outdoor enclosure fit for a feline king or queen. That way, your pet can enjoy the outdoors without harming birds.

ItB次元官网网址檚 important to keep bird feeders and bird baths clean to prevent the spread of diseases among our feathered friends. At least once a month, take down your bird feeders and soak them in a 10% bleach solution.  Rinse thoroughly and dry the feeders before refilling them. Discard old seeds and remove all seeds from the ground. Consider taking down bird feeders during the summer months. Bird baths should also be cleaned as frequently as possible.

Sadly, window strikes happen quite frequently for our native birds. Birds see the window reflection as a continuation of their environment. You can lessen the chance of window strikes by applying UV-reflecting decals or dots or hanging streamers on the outside of the window. There are many helpful options available.

Thank you for caring about our wildlife!

NIWRA, a non-profit organization, is situated in Errington. We are open to the public daily for viewing of non-releasable animals. Please visit our website at www.niwra.org to learn more about our programs, read stories about our animals, and learn how you can help care for wildlife.