Recent human encounters with wildlife venturing into populated areas in the Mountain View region have spurred District Fish and Wildlife to urge the public to exercise caution when encountering wildlife, specifically ungulates ñ hoofed mammals like deer, moose, and elk.Sundre mayor Annette Clews received minor scratches and scrapes to her arms and legs after jumping into some bushes with her dog Charlie to protect herself when a doe and its fawn charged at her on a pathway near Alder Close in northeast Sundre on Sunday, Sept. 25, Clews told the Sundre Round Up.Clews had been letting her chocolate Lab take a swim in the river, and suspects the deer's bizarre response to her presence in the woods had something to do with the dog's smell.Clews defended herself with a stick, waving it at the deer as she backed away from it.Adam Mirus, the District Fish and Wildlife Officer, said wildlife typically view communities as grazing ground and a safe haven from predators, such as wolves and coyotes.ìThey'll come into communities to feed on gardens, flowers, and ornamental trees people have in their yards,î Mirus said.With the daily sightings of ungulates in the Sundre area, Mirus says the public needs to be reminded to take precautions that will keep them safe.ìGive the animal its space. They're no different than anything else ñ when they're surprised, they get scared.îHe advises pedestrians to avoid surprising an animal by speaking loudly or bring noise-making objects when walking trails, so as not to scare them, said Mirus.A statement from the Fish and Wildlife Office of Alberta Sustainable Resource Development warned that deer, moose and elk are capable of inflicting serious injuries.The statement advised people who encounter an ungulate to walk away slowly, and to get behind a solid object like a vehicle or tree, should the animal charge.The conflict begins when an unsupervised child or an unleashed dog decides to chase the animal, which provokes it to protect itself or its young, said Mirus.A moose was also recently spotted roaming amongst the houses and nearby fields of West Highland Place in Carstairs on Wednesday, Sept 21.ìI have always had to watch out for cars and dogs off their leash with my children when they are playing where we live, but I have never thought to worry about a moose,î said Carstairs resident Lori Callaghan.In other wildlife news, a cougar was spotted north of Water Valley on Sept 23.If an ungulate or other wildlife is a public safety concern, call 310-0000 (toll-free) to contact the nearest Fish and Wildlife Office of Alberta Sustainable Resource Development. For more information on ungulates or other wildlife in Alberta visit srd.alberta.ca.ñWith files from Dan Singleton and Shannon McDowell
