A federal report on Greater VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 migratory bird sanctuaries says dogs pose the biggest risk to the safety and well-being of shorebirds and calls on governments, landowners, environmentalists and stakeholders to collectively prioritize the conservation of migratory species.

The 174-page report, initiated in 2019 and recently released to Black Press Media, thoroughly addresses interactions between dogs and migratory birds on each beach in the 1,700-hectare Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary. Some environmental advocates are calling the report, which was conducted by Environment and Climate Change CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Pacific wildlife service, a miracle.

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B次元官网网址淢any of the (migratory bird sanctuary) visitors bring their dogs, which provides benefits to both the dogs and their owners, but can also have significant negative consequences on wildlife, in particular on shoreline-associated migratory bird species,B次元官网网址� the report concluded.

It added that dogs present the greatest source of disturbance for shore-based birds, with varying levels of dogs off-leash and chasing migratory birds occurring in all 28 study areas of the three sanctuaries. Affected birds falling under the Species at Risk Act include the great blue heron, red knot and lesser yellowlegs, and the report addresses 59 birds in detail.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 evidence that these birds are being disturbed by dogs off-leash,B次元官网网址� said Ken Brock, protected areas and stewardship manager for the Canadian Wildlife ServiceB次元官网网址檚 Pacific region.

Brock said additional concerns about boats disturbing migratory birds fall under the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and provincial land use laws but added that regulations are less clear for boats.

B次元官网网址淲e want to be very clear whatB次元官网网址檚 allowed, when itB次元官网网址檚 allowed, where itB次元官网网址檚 allowed and where itB次元官网网址檚 not.B次元官网网址�

He said Environment and Climate Change Canada is working with municipalities to implement clearer signage, with some municipalities already changing dog bylaws. Still, Brock acknowledged that B次元官网网址渙ne can always get more dataB次元官网网址� following the release of the federal report.

A public survey sent out for the report received a quarter of its responses (125 respondents) for Cadboro-Gyro Park.

Here, as well as at Willows Beach, great blue herons were the type of bird reportedly most disturbed by dogs. At Cattle Point, it was shorebirds and gulls. For Clover Point and Gonzales Beach, it was shorebirds specifically, although dogs were also noted to disturb passerines at Clover Point and even a moulting northern elephant seal at Gonzales Beach.

For Willows Beach, almost three in four respondents indicated 50 to 99 per cent of the dogs they saw there were off-leash, while entries from McNeill Bay reported more than 75 per cent of dogs observed on the beach were off-leash. More than half of respondents for Clover Point reported 75 per cent of dogs to be off-leash along the coastline.

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The report noted the public expressed confusion about differentiating between federal regulations and municipal bylaws that permit off-leash dogs.

B次元官网网址淭he status of our beaches isnB次元官网网址檛 necessarily that clear, legally speaking,B次元官网网址� said Jacques Sirois, a local biologist and restoration specialist who said the sanctuaries are most used by wintering birds and see the greatest diversity of birds from October to April.

Sirois, who provided the federal government with photos of at-risk species, deemed the report B次元官网网址渘othing short of a miracleB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址渁 step in the right direction that shows due diligenceB次元官网网址� as the Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary reaches its centennial milestone in 2023.

With the report also addressing plants, mammals, molluscs and fish, he noted itB次元官网网址檚 about far more than just birds.

He said the report is B次元官网网址渇orcing a conversation to happenB次元官网网址� and he hopes to see harmonization between municipal and federal laws in the sanctuaries and the opening of more dog parks, despite what he described as a lack of resources to enforce federal regulations.

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Jerry Donaldson, a community dog-walker whoB次元官网网址檚 frequented Cadboro-Gyro Park for 32 years, said a compromise between environmental advocates and dog owners is also needed.

B次元官网网址淭here are times when dogs could play in the water without doing any harm at all,B次元官网网址� Donaldson said.

Still, he said he supports the on-leash legislation B次元官网网址渂ecause it is the law,B次元官网网址� adding the human side of the issue must be resolved before the policy side can be.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e seen some very ugly interactions on the beach.B次元官网网址�

The report ended by saying collaboration between municipalities, provincial government, First Nations, private landowners, stewardship groups and stakeholders is needed to ensure B次元官网网址渕eaningful conservation outcomes for migratory birdsB次元官网网址� in the sanctuaries.

Do you have a story tip? Email: evert.lindquist@blackpress.ca.

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