Elk Island National Park of Canada

How to View Wildlife

Viewing Wildlife

Elk Island National Park offers wonderful opportunities to observe wild animals in their natural surroundings. Visitors must remember that these animals are wild and hence should be treated with respect and great caution. The general rules of thumb when approaching wildlife are outlined below.

Keep wildlife safe and healthy

• Do not feed wildlife.
  Feeding wildlife actually puts animals at risk. First, human food may be difficult for the animal to digest. Second, they may become conditioned to being fed and lose the ability to fend for themselves.

• Minimize wildlife harassment.
  Calling or enticing animals puts you and the animals at risk. Activities such as elk bugling, game calling, and coyote howling are considered wildlife harassment and are prohibited in the Park. The animals reaction to the call may cause the animal to spend much-needed energy on fleeing or approaching the sound.

• Refrain from handling wildlife.
  Handling wildlife can be dangerous. Your body odour or chemicals on your skin could cause harm to the animal. For example, insect repellent on your skin can be absorbed through the skin of frogs and toads, eventually killing them.

• Keep a safe distance from wildlife.
  Never approach nesting colonies, dens, lairs, beaver houses, dams and especially never approach an animal with young. Keep 100 metres (three bus lengths) away from large mammals. Remember, the animals have to be here. Your presence puts wildlife under strain and you in potential danger, so keep distance between you and wildlife.

• Keep pets on a leash.
  Unrestrained pets can endanger you and your pet. Deer, porcupine and coyotes have been known to attack pets; pets may provoke a bison or moose to attack people.

• Stay on existing roads, trails, and pathways.

• Remain in your vehicle when viewing wildlife from the road.

• Avoid trampling or otherwise disturbing habitat.

• Leave habitat as you find it.
  Respect the privacy and property of other visitors.

• Practice common courtesy in your contacts with other visitors whether on the trails or in our facilities.

• Learn about wildlife.
  Your visit will be much more enjoyable if you learn a little about the wildlife in the Park. Take the time to become familiar with wildlife behaviour or any special rules, regulations, or conduct appropriate to view wildlife in the area you want to visit.