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Bears, birds & other wildlife, Vancouver
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All about Vancouver: Vancouver Warnings or Dangers: Bears, birds & other wildlife tips posted by real travelers and Vancouver locals. • 13 Photos
• 15 Reviews |
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 | Vancouver Bears, birds & other wildlife Reviews | 1 - 10 of 15 |  |
While many people hold notions of Canada being the land of overabundant wilderness... let's be real folks.
Bears do not stalk around the city streets. You won't see moose in Vancouver, or anywhere near the city for hundreds of miles. (They live in flat swamp land, not in the mountains!) Cariboo? They live in the arctic. Whales? Several miles out in the Strait of Georgia.
Nevertheless, there is quite a bit of urban wildlife to keep your eyes out for.
Raccoons are a common occurance, especially at Stanley Park's Prospect Point. Please don't feed them or pet them. They're quite vicious and can bite.
Squirrels are as common in the parks as pigeons are at London's Trafalgar Square. They're cute.
Bats come out at dusk and they eat insects. They have amazing radar systems and are smarter than to get stuck in your hair. Don't fear them.
Canada geese are literally everywhere there is abundant green grass. Seagulls and crows live everywhere. Don't feed them because they poo over everything.
Harbour seals may pop their heads up from the salt water if you're near a beach. Keep an eye out for a puppy-looking creature far in the water. It's likely a harbour seal!
Even though the bald eagle is the national bird of the USA, there are more bald eagles living in British Columbia than anywhere else in the world. Chances are, if you look up at the right tree, you'll see a couple or two. They are gigantic birds with white heads, and they're hard to miss when they're soaring high above.
Coyotes are rare, but they do live in Vancouver. They look like straggly dogs. Do not feed them. Once you feed them, they lose their fear of humans and will approach humans. This is bad because, they'll usually approach children, and parents will want the coyote gone. Once the coyotes are deemed "too friendly" they are usually shot on the spot. It's like shooting a dog. Not pretty, and not what you want.
So appreciate the wildlife... photograph the wildlife, but please don't feed the wildlife!
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You would think that in the city there wouldn't be any wildlife, but in Vancouver you might find some. Especially when you visit Stanley Park or the local mountains.
In Stanley Park you will most likely see Racoons, they can be very cute and very sweet! But be aware that they can also be viscious, especially a mother with her young racoons. So, watch out that they don't bite or attack you if you get too close!
You'll also find lots of squirrels and skunk now and then. Other wildlife is not found in the city, but once you hit the North Shore Mountains there is existance of black bears, not that common though, but just keep an eye on it. Leave a Comment
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This is a danger that you should be aware of, but one not to obsess over. That's because the likelyhood of seeing a bear while in Greater Vancouver is pretty slim. However, bear precautions are necessary if you were to go hiking out into the forests in the local mountains (Cypress, Seymour, etc), but even then they're a rare sighting.
Black bears are the only bears that live around Vancouver. They're smaller than the grizzly bear (which you will *not* see near Vancouver). Black bears have a tendency to graze for berries along the side of mountain roads and clearings. This is likely where you'd spot one - driving along a mountain highway, or driving up a mountain to go hiking. Occasionally you might spot one while hiking.
Bears are unpredictable. They are also more rare than most tourists assume (which often ends up in disappointment). A common misconception that visitors have to Vancouver (and Canada in general) is that bears are commonly seen, and that there are known bear habitats where you can guarantee seeing a bear. This isn't the case. Bears have a natural fear of humans, so upon hearing one, will normally head off in another direction. This is another reason why it makes it hard to guarantee seeing one - it's really a hit and miss affair. They travel long distances in remote areas, and geneally stay away from human activity.
Most parks will have signs posted alerting you about bear activity, and will close trails if necessary. Some provide brochures or posters informing you what to do if you see one. Read them and observe them.
Also, never feed wild bears. They'll lose their instinct to fear humans, which will likely end up with the loss of their life. That's because they become reliant upon approaching humans for food, and thus become threats.
If you're lucky enough to see a bear from your car, stay within the car. Take pictures from *within* the car, but stay a far distance away. Do *not* provoke it. Consider yourself extremely lucky for having the opportunity to see such an amazing creature. Leave a Comment
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Although Vancouver is a fairly large city it is also very close to nature and therefore in some parts of the city you are likely to come across black bear or even cougar! Normally the bear sitings are usually at the very northern most part of the city ie West or North Vancouver and fortunately cougar sitings are very rare. Heed warnings if posted at places such as Lynn Canyon. Leave a Comment
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The only thing that I could warn you about is the deer are very tame and think nothing of running infront of cars, the raccoons will eat you garbage if you let them, and their are cougars, but they wouldn't go through your yard. So if you stay in a well lit area and don't go wondering into the trees alone you will be fine. Leave a Comment
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If you go hiking in BC, please be aware of the wild life; during our month's stay, my family and myself spotted 6 bears, of which 3 unexpectedly from up close (within 100 meters). Be carefull; they are very fast and can get nasty! Leave a Comment
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When driving through the mountains,take every precaution to avoid skunks.
A guy hit one while we were there and he spent a whole week with his car covered in tomato ketchup to beat the smell.
Don't know if it worked though. Leave a Comment
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