Despite the coldest April in history, spring has returned to the earth, and everything has recovered, and it has appeared in Vancouver... In addition to the cherry blossom tulip bloom, the "animal world" is also back.
First, let's talk about an anecdote that happened last week in the Saleh Sea around Vancouver: killer whales vs humpback whales.
Whale watching season is generally from May to October, and the waters around Vancouver are rarely seen in April, let alone a swarm of whales fighting together. On April 12, a whale watching scientist who set out with tourists was stunned by what he saw:
A humpback whale is facing a swarm of killer whales! Olivia Esqueda, a scientist who has seen many of the world's many worlds and has extensive experience in whale watching, shouts Live Kumi:
"I've been watching whales for 22 years, and I've never seen a clash between a group of killer whales and a humpback whale at this time in this area."
A closer look reveals scars on the humpback whale's fins, apparently having clashed with killer whales. On the whale watching boat at that time, people watched with relish. Previously, it was not known that killer whales and humpback whales were "contradictory", but Olivia explains:
In March, killer whales also attacked humpback whales in the waters near Tofino, and in recent years, there have been only more than 100 reported killer whale humpback whale conflicts around the world, and most of them are in the open sea, and it is much more difficult to see the aurora in Vancouver than in Vancouver.
Brian, the captain of the whale watching ship San Juan at the time, also said: "It is no exaggeration to say that in my sailing experience, I have not seen this picture around Vancouver. ”
Since last year, whale populations have rebounded dramatically
There are many species on Earth that are becoming less and less abundant, but whales are an exception. Since the second half of 2021, a record number of humpback whales have been detected in the waters around Vancouver.
Last fall, researchers found a full 21 humpback whales in Vancouver's Salech Sea, twice as many as last year. Humpback whales were endangered decades ago, but under the protection of researchers, there has been a marked rebound.
However, no one will know why humpback whales prefer Vancouver's waters so much, possibly because of the abundance of water and food. From an ecological point of view, it is good to see more and more whales around Vancouver, and it is even more self-evident from the perspective of whale watching experience.
It's cold, but black bears are already haunted
Bears usually end their hibernation in April, and although April this year is cold, there are already black bears in The Greater Warmlands. On April 18, when I was climbing Mount Bennabi, I saw a black bear foraging on the hillside. The appearance of the bear indicates that spring has really come.
Last week, the even more ironic bear haunting occurred in Coquitlam: two black bears actually ran into the backyard of a family and fought on a trampoline!
The video was filmed by Rose Waldron, a Coquitlam resident, where two little black bears wrestle on a trampoline next to no one, like professional wrestlers, and are very athletic.
In response, the Coquitlam resident said: "Obviously, black bears can come and go as they please, and it doesn't affect us, so let them play happily..."
Moreover, after the black bear left, Rose found that although the combined weight of the two bears may exceed 600 pounds, the trampoline was not damaged, but the support rod was somewhat broken, or relatively strong.
Unlike some residents who tried to avoid black bears, Rose's approach was to open the backyard door and let the bears walk in with a big wave, anyway, there were no children or pets in the house, and there was no need to worry about being attacked by bears.
In previous years, Rose's family had been visited by black bears many times, and she was confident because "every time a black bear saw us in the yard, it would turn around and leave." ”
In the coming month, residents of Greater Vancouver will have to prepare for the black bear patronage
Vanessa Isnardy, project manager at WildSafe BC, recently reminded the public: "Black bears have gradually ended hibernating, and in the next month, residents of Greater Vancouver must be prepared, especially those living in the mountains, rivers and lakes." ”
Vanessa points out that if a black bear breaks into your backyard, the practice of hiding in your home like Rose to shoot videos is worth advocating, never drive away the black bear, don't make the black bear aware of your presence.
In addition, leftover food is best stored in the garage after being thrown into the trash can, rather than having the bear open the outside of the trash can. Black bears are chores that eat everything, including spoiled food.
Unless humans affect the safety of bears, or if bears have not found food for a long time, according to the habits of black bears, they will never take the initiative to attack people, and everyone does not have to be afraid.
Hares, which have "occupied" Vancouver Beach
After whales and black bears, let's talk about one of the cute creatures in Vancouver's spring animal world: the hare. Hares are generally found in Richmond, but the Vancouver Parks Board recently found that hares were found in large numbers on beaches such as Jericho Beach, and even "occupied" the park's meadows.
Although the hares look harmless to humans and animals, the Park Bureau reminds the public to appreciate the rabbits at a safe distance, not to get close, and not to feed them, they are wild animals and should not be disturbed by humans.
Having said that, many tourists find that someone brought carrots and celery for the hare to eat when they played on the beach, and some hares have become accustomed to waiting next to humans, waiting to be fed... This is not a good phenomenon and will make the hare incapable of living independently.
If these hares are fed too well, the population becomes larger and larger, which will only lead to hares becoming "invasive species" and disrupt the ecological balance. All in all, every time you encounter wildlife in Vancouver, no matter what kind of wildlife, you need to keep enough distance.