WildSafeBC Nanaimo

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WildSafeBC Nanaimo

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08/07/2026

– What Does Habituated Mean? 🐻

You’ve probably heard the term “habituated” used when talking about wildlife, but what does it actually mean?

👉 A habituated animal is one that has lost its natural fear of humans, usually because of repeated exposure to people and, more often, access to human food sources like garbage, pet food, or fallen fruit.

At first, this might seem harmless - or even cute - but habituation is one of the most dangerous things that can happen to wildlife.

⚠️ Why it matters:
• Habituated animals are more likely to approach homes or people
• They may become aggressive when food is expected but not found
• Relocation is rarely effective
• Sadly, many habituated animals are destroyed to protect public safety

💚 The good news? Habituation is preventable.
Here’s how YOU can help:
• Secure your garbage and compost
• Pick fruit and clean up windfall
• Feed pets indoors
• Never feed wildlife, intentionally or unintentionally

Every time we remove an attractant, we help keep wildlife wild and communities safe.

07/31/2026

🔥 Fun Fact Friday: Wildlife Can Sense Fire Before We Can 🐾

Did you know that many wild animals can detect wildfire long before we see smoke or flames?

🐻 Deer, bears, and other mammals can sense subtle changes in temperature, smoke particles, and even shifts in wind.
🦅 Some birds, like hawks and kestrels, will follow the smoke, using it as a hunting opportunity as small animals flee the flames.

This incredible survival instinct helps wildlife escape danger, but it also means displaced animals often end up in unfamiliar areas, including neighbourhoods and urban green spaces.

💡 What can you do?
• Be alert for increased wildlife activity during wildfire season
• Secure attractants like garbage, compost, pet food, and fallen fruit
• Give animals space. They may be stressed, disoriented, or dehydrated
• Never feed wildlife or leave out water "to help" as this encourages dependency

Let’s respect their instinct and help them stay wild.

07/29/2026

🐻🌿 You'll find me at the Island Roots Farmers' Market every Wednesday!

If you're stopping by the market this week, come say hello at the WildSafeBC Nanaimo booth. Whether you have questions about bears, cougars, deer, raccoons, or any of our other wild neighbours, I'm always happy to chat.

Stop by to:
🐾 Explore wildlife artifacts
📚 Pick up free educational resources
🏡 Learn how to reduce wildlife attractants around your home
❓ Get answers to your wildlife questions
👋 Share your recent wildlife sightings from around Nanaimo

I'm at Beban Park every Wednesday from 3–6 PM and would love to meet you!

See you at the market! 💚

07/27/2026

What Does Habituated Mean? 🐻

You’ve probably heard the term “habituated” used when talking about wildlife, but what does it actually mean?

👉 A habituated animal is one that has lost its natural fear of humans, usually because of repeated exposure to people and, more often, access to human food sources like garbage, pet food, or fallen fruit.

At first, this might seem harmless - or even cute - but habituation is one of the most dangerous things that can happen to wildlife.

⚠️ Why it matters:
• Habituated animals are more likely to approach homes or people
• They may become aggressive when food is expected but not found
• Relocation is rarely effective
• Sadly, many habituated animals are destroyed to protect public safety

💚 The good news? Habituation is preventable.
Here’s how YOU can help:
• Secure your garbage and compost
• Pick fruit and clean up windfall
• Feed pets indoors
• Never feed wildlife, intentionally or unintentionally

Every time we remove an attractant, we help keep wildlife wild and communities safe.

07/24/2026

🦷 Fun Fact Friday!

Have you ever wondered why a bear skull looks so different from a cougar skull?

One of the answers is in their teeth!

🐻 Black bears are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals. Their broad, flat molars are perfect for grinding berries, nuts, grasses, and roots, while their sharp canine teeth can still tear into insects, fish, or carrion when the opportunity arises.

🐱 Cougars, on the other hand, are true carnivores. Their teeth are built almost entirely for catching and eating meat. They have long, sharp canine teeth for gripping prey and blade-like molars called carnassials that work like scissors to slice through meat and hide.

Even though both species have impressive teeth, they're designed for very different jobs.

Next time you visit a WildSafeBC booth, take a close look at our bear and cougar skulls and see if you can spot the difference! 🐾

07/20/2026

🍏 Got Fruit Trees? Let's Work Together to Keep Wildlife Safe! 🐻

WildSafeBC is proud to partner with the Nanaimo Gleaning Program again to help reduce one of the most common bear attractants in our neighbourhoods: unpicked or fallen fruit.

When fruit is left to ripen and drop, it becomes a powerful food source for wildlife. This can lead to property damage, food conditioning, and, in the worst cases, the destruction of wildlife.

✅ The Gleaning Program connects fruit tree owners with volunteers who will harvest the excess fruit for FREE and ensure it’s shared with local food banks, farmers, community kitchens, and families in need.
It’s a win-win: reduce waste, support your community, and help keep wildlife wild.

🌿 Learn more about the program or register your fruit tree here:
🔗 https://nanaimocommunitygardens.ca/gleaning/

Together, we can reduce human-wildlife conflict, support local food access, and protect the bears we all care about. 💚

07/17/2026

🦝 🐾

Did you know raccoons are sometimes called “nature’s little detectives”?

Raccoons have incredibly sensitive front paws that help them explore and identify objects, even in the dark! Unlike many animals, they don’t rely only on sight when searching for food; their paws help them gather information about the world around them.

They also have a powerful sense of smell, which helps them locate food sources that may be hidden from view. Combined with their intelligence and problem-solving skills, raccoons are experts at finding meals wherever they can!

Unfortunately, these amazing adaptations can also lead them to human-made food sources like unsecured garbage, compost, pet food, and intentional feeding sites.

While feeding raccoons may seem like a kind gesture, it can cause unintended problems. Wildlife that becomes accustomed to human-provided food may lose their natural fear of people, become dependent on these food sources, and be more likely to approach homes and people.

It can also attract other wildlife, including black bears. A food source meant for a raccoon can accidentally invite a much larger visitor.

The best way to help wildlife is to keep them wild: never feed wildlife, and secure garbage, compost, pet food, and other attractants.

07/16/2026

🌙✨ Thursday nights are for the Commercial Street Night Market!

If you're enjoying the market this summer, be sure to stop by and say hello! I'll be there every Thursday from 5-9 PM, sharing wildlife safety tips, answering questions, and chatting about the amazing wild neighbours we share Nanaimo with.

This year, you'll find me bouncing between the Parks, Recreation & Culture and the Public Works booths each week, so keep an eye out!

Stop by to:
🐻 Ask your wildlife questions
🦝 Check out real wildlife artifacts
📚 Pick up free educational resources
🏡 Learn how to help keep wildlife wild by reducing attractants around your home
👋 Share your recent wildlife sightings from around Nanaimo

Whether you're a longtime wildlife enthusiast or simply curious about living alongside wildlife, I'd love to meet you.

See you tonight! 💚

07/10/2026

🦅🌿 Fun Fact Friday: July is a big month for young bald eagles!

If you spot a bald eagle around Vancouver Island this month, take a closer look. You might be looking at a young eagle getting ready for its first big adventure!

By July, bald eagle chicks have grown from tiny nestlings into nearly adult-sized birds. But before they take their first flight, they go through an important practice stage called branching.

🌳 Branching: Young eagles leave the safety of the nest bowl and hop onto nearby branches, flapping their huge wings and practicing the strength and balance they’ll need to fly.

🦅 First flights: Eventually, these young eagles take the leap! While their parents continue to provide guidance and food, the fledglings begin learning the skills they need to survive on their own.

👀 Don’t be fooled by their appearance! Juvenile bald eagles don’t have the famous white head and tail yet. Instead, they have dark brown feathers with lighter mottling. It can take 4-5 years for them to develop the iconic adult colouring.

So if you see a "bald eagle" that looks a little different this summer, you may be watching a young bird taking its first steps toward independence.

07/06/2026

What is an Attractant? 🍎👃

When talking about wildlife safety, an attractant is anything that draws an animal into an area. This could be a natural attractant, such as berry bushes, or an unnatural one, like unsecured garbage.

When animals are drawn into communities by attractants, they can lose their natural fear of humans or become reliant on people for food. This often leads to property damage and dangerous encounters.

What can you do to reduce attractants around your home?
• Store garbage and green waste bins securely until collection day.
• Freeze especially smelly waste until pickup.
• Pick fruit as it ripens and promptly clean up fallen fruit.
• Remove bird feeders during bear season (April–November).
• Clean BBQs thoroughly after each use.

Together, we can keep wildlife wild and communities safe. 🐻💚

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Nanaimo, BC

Telephone

+12262364264

Website

https://wildsafebc.com/

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