| National parks and wildlife within these | | | | |
| parks may sometimes be an exhilarating | | | | Leave these animals to fend for themselves. |
| experience but, from a timid deer to an | | | | Take a picture from afar. It may save you a |
| aggressive bear, wildlife should be dealt | | | | few broken bones and bruises when you leave |
| with caution and care. | | | | these Canadian national parks. |
| | | | |
| These animals are called "wild" life for a | | | | Keep children and pets close by. National |
| reason. While spotting a wild animal within | | | | parks and wildlife can sometimes seem like |
| the parks may not happen every time you | | | | play things to kids. There are many places |
| visit, the sightings do happen, and it's a | | | | for young ones and pets to disappear in dense |
| good idea to know the safety tips should you | | | | cover. |
| happen upon any wildlife. | | | | |
| | | | Also, even if you have an eye on them, keep |
| In any Canadian national park or national | | | | them within grabbing distance. To some |
| parks and wildlife reserves, a creature as | | | | wildlife, small children and pets are the |
| benign as a deer may cross your path. This | | | | size of their prey. Even something as |
| passiveness can sometimes be mistaken for | | | | harmless as a chipmunk may suddenly become |
| friendliness. | | | | violent and bite. |
| | | | |
| All it takes is one sudden movement and you | | | | Canadian national parks and forests are wild |
| will be defending yourself from a frightened | | | | habitats and should never be considered |
| animal protecting itself on instinct. An | | | | substitute playgrounds for children. |
| angry or frightened deer can be just as | | | | |
| dangerous as a charging bear. A human can't | | | | Treat all wildlife with respect. Whether this |
| out run an animal and has fewer defenses when | | | | means giving them their space or putting away |
| it comes to dealing with claws, teeth and | | | | all garbage so you leave no damage to their |
| antlers. | | | | habitats, wild animals deserve this courtesy. |
| | | | |
| These few tips about national parks and | | | | You wouldn't like a stranger to come into |
| wildlife may help you have a safer trip. | | | | your place, flop on your couch, and take |
| | | | pictures while throwing empty wrappers on the |
| Do not feed the animals. You may see signs | | | | floor, would you? Neither do the animals in |
| with these words in any national parks and | | | | our national parks and forests. |
| forests. This is not because the park rangers | | | | |
| want the animals to die of famine. This tip | | | | Interfering with their instinctual needs can |
| is as much as protection for the animals as | | | | threaten their natural development. Canadian |
| it is for people. | | | | national parks are these animals' homes. We |
| | | | are simply their guests. |
| Wild animals have found food on their own | | | | |
| before humanity created a sanctuary for them, | | | | For more safety tips, you can visit any |
| they will find food long after. If you | | | | national parks and wildlife websites or |
| approach a deer or elk with some food, if you | | | | contact your local national parks. Before you |
| manage to get close enough for it to eat out | | | | head out into the wilderness, inform yourself |
| of your hand, this may seem like a pristine | | | | on the type of animals you may have sightings |
| photo opportunity. | | | | of and learn about their typical defensive |
| | | | behavior. |
| However, this innocent situation could turn | | | | |
| ugly. One flash from the camera could cause | | | | Learn the animals' habits, what they eat, |
| the animal to lash out with its hooves or | | | | when they sleep or where they hunt. The more |
| horns. Also, as these animals become more and | | | | you know, the better your chances are of |
| more habituated to human interaction, they | | | | having a harmless encounter. Better safe than |
| may start begging for handouts and may even | | | | sorry! |
| get aggressive if they don't receive any. | | | | |