Living in the foothills, encounters with wildlife are to be expected.
That's part of the reason why many people choose to live out here.
Whether someone wants to photograph animals in the wild or simply catch the odd glimpse when that person looks out his or her window, a town like Sundre is a great place to be for anyone who wants to be closer to nature.
But there is a price to pay. We have to exercise due caution and be sure to leave wildlife plenty of room or be prepared to face the potential consequences. This is, after all, just as much their habitat as it is ours.
Bears, coyotes, cougars, deer, moose, elk ó they are all driven by natural instincts and impulses. Unlike domesticated animals, wild creatures are much less predictable.
One thing is for sure ó they are not pets.
Everyone's heard stories of people, usually but not always tourists, getting out of their vehicles to snap some pictures of bears or other animals prowling along near a road. Some will even venture to get as close as possible, no doubt going after a prized selfie, seemingly completely oblivious to the fact the wild animal could seriously harm if not outright kill them at any moment.
Unfortunately, some of these people have children, who in turn come to see wildlife as nothing more than cute little harmless furry animals there for nothing more than our viewing pleasure.
Children, especially those who live so close to nature, should be taught to maintain a healthy respect for wild animals and the space they should be granted.
It would be a potentially fatal mistake to assume a creature like a moose is benign.
Yet district Fish and Wildlife officers have actually received occasional calls from concerned residents who reported seeing youth taunt moose by throwing rocks at them. In other cases, there have been reports of children trying to get close enough to pet them, said Adam Mirus, district Fish and Wildlife officer.
"They're wildlife ó they don't want to be pet, they need to have their distance. If they're feeding, give them space," he said.
We teach kids basic safety lessons like looking both ways before crossing the street and not going along with strangers. It probably couldn't hurt to also mention how potentially dangerous an otherwise friendly looking creature like a moose can be, especially if provoked.
It truly is a privilege to live so close to nature, but we should not take for granted the responsibility that comes with it.
