A wild animal is an animal that lives in the wild and survives on its own, without the help of humans.
In order to better coexist, the environment team invites you to discover different tips and tricks and to learn more about:
BEAVERS
Responsibilities of shorelines property owners
MRC des Collines-de-l'Outaouais is responsible for ensuring the free flow of rivers within its boundaries. Under MRC by-law 152-10, property owners are responsible for the free flow of watercourses crossing their property. This flow can be modified or slowed down by the beaver's work, so it is important to properly monitor and implement control methods when necessary.
You can consult by-law 152-10 as well as the Guide pratique du libre écoulement des eaux des cours d’eau of the MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais, which explains the responsibilities of property owners as well as the permitted control methods, by clicking here..
Tips and tricks
Plant only indigenous species that beavers do not like to consume:
- Sweet gale (Myrica gale)
- Bog-rosemary (Andromeda glaucophylla)
- Bog Labrador Tea (Ledum groenlandicum)
- Sweet fern (Comptonia peregrina)
- Large flowered Spirea (Spirea grandifolia)
- Juniper (Larix laricina)
- Cedar (Thuja occidentalis)
- Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)
- Balsam fir (Abies balsamea)
- Spruce sp. (Picea sp.)
- Pine sp. (Pinus sp.)
- Canadian yew (Taxus canadensis)
- Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides)
- Willow sp. (Salix sp.)
- Alder sp. (Alnus sp.)
- Roses, cherries, dogwood, serviceberry, rowan, etc. (fruit shrubs)
By adding vegetation to your shoreline, you make the beavers’ access points less inviting and harder to navigate. The beaver will have to work harder to slide tree trunks through brush than on a groomed lawn.
Install galvanized metal wire mesh (max. 5 cm mesh size). The wire mesh should be at least 1 meter high to prevent beavers from damaging your tree above your fencing.
The beaver (Canadensis beaver) is the largest rodent in North America, reaching lengths of up to 1.3 meters and weighing up to 45 kg.
Beavers are real engineers. They build dams and lodges (dens) by cutting trees near the water bodies where they live. Beaver dams create fairly deep ponds that do not freeze, allowing the animals to continue their activities during the winter season. The lodge includes a rest area, a feeding area, a fresh air intake, and generally two exits.
Beavers build up reserves of woody material (branches, barks) that enable them to feed throughout the winter. These rodents also eat roots, thick stems of aquatic plants, and herbaceous plants during the summer.
Beavers are monogamous (together for life) and usually mate in January/February. The babies are born after 100 days of gestation, in May/June. Young ones stay with their parents until they are between 2 and 3 years of age and then migrate along the river or over land to find a suitable partner and habitat to build their own lodges and dams.
BLACK BEARS
Did you know that:
- Some human activities attract bears and may influence their coming out of the forest?
- Bears have the memory of an elephant regarding the location of food sources?
- In general, the bear fears human presence, and only in rare occasion will be aggressive and dangerous?
General information
Bears need a large volume of food during the summer in order to build fat reserves to help them easily go through the five winter months of dozing inside their den.
Food scraps and full bird feeders are a concentrated and energetic food source for the bear. The bear uses his developed sense of smell to find food and spends as less energy as possible in doing so. If the food is easy to obtain, the bear will develop a taste for it, without any thoughts for his safety or the safety of humans, aggravated by its presence. This is when the problems begin.
Tips and suggestions if you notice the regular presence of a bear on your property
If this is the case, you can put a small quantity of dolomitic lime in your bags and containers and wash them frequently. It is also strongly recommended to put your garbage outdoors only on the day of the pick-up. In the meantime, you can store them in bear-proof containers or in an enclosed area.
If this is the case, you can move your bird feeders to an inaccessible area (e.g., hanging in a tree). You can substitute the feeders for water baths and a variety of flowers, which are as effective for attracting birds to your backyard. Please note that it is preferable not to feed birds between the months of April and November to avoid problems.
Barbecue grills should be cleaned periodically in order to limit the odour spreading and the food, placed in the bottom, should be cooked thoroughly. The barbecue should be placed in an area sheltered from the wind and stored under a cover or in the shed.
A well-done compost should not have any odours. Whole fruits should not be placed in your compost if you live in a problematic zone. Also, if you have fruit trees, fruits should be harvested at their maturity and those on the ground, picked up. Finally, your pet food should be placed in an area inaccessible to the bear.
If you notice a bear hanging around the area in spite of the application of these recommendations, particular measures, such as placing a cage to relocate the bear in a new territory may be considered. A wildlife management conservation agent could also evaluate the best alternatives for your situation.
A threatening bear or one that causes damages to a property cannot be killed unless all the measures to scare it away or prevent damages have been taken (Sections 67 and 68 of the Loi sur la conservation et la mise en valeur de la faune).
Need more information?
Consult the website of the Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs (MFFP) of Québec (Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks) or their info sheet on the Black bear (French only).
In case of an emergency, contact:
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S.O.S. Braconnage: 1-800-463-2191 (open day and night)
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Protection de la Faune (MFFP): 819-246-1910 (weekdays)
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National Capital Commission (NCC): 819-239-5353, if the bear is located inside Gatineau Park.
THE DEER TICK
The deer tick (Ixodes scapularis) is an insect found in the Outaouais region. It can bite warm-blooded animals (e. g. humans) and transmit certain diseases and infections such as Lyme disease.
Several ticks in Chelsea have been analyzed and confirmed as carriers of this disease, so it is important to learn to recognize the deer tick, take certain precautions before and after your activities in nature and know the procedure in case of a bite.
Recognize the deer tick
The deer tick is an insect that can be recognized by its black head and legs, as well as by its back and russeted abdomen. It measures between 1 and 3 mm and females can triple in volume when they are gorged with blood. When they do, they also turn a bluish grey tint and are easier to spot.
- Wear a hat, long, light-coloured clothing and closed shoes when going out in nature;
- Put your sweater in your pants and the bottom of your pants in your socks or boots;
- Apply insect repellent containing DEET;
- Inspect your body, your children's bodies and pets when you return from a field trip.
- Examine your equipment to avoid introducing ticks into your home;
- Put your clothes in the washer (hot water, at least 40 minutes) and/or dryer (high temperature, at least 60 minutes) to remove ticks.
- Take a shower and examine her body.
- Remove the tick according to the protocol proposed by the CISSS de l'Outaouais.
- Place the tick in an airtight container.
- Make a note of the date and place where the tick bit you.
- Consult Info-Santé at 811
- Consult a doctor or clinic if you have symptoms of Lyme disease within 3 to 30 days of the injection.
Consult the list of symptoms of the CISSS de l'Outaouais
To transmit the disease, the tick must be infected with the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria. The risk of catching the disease is very low if the tick remains attached to the skin for less than 24 hours, but this risk increases if the tick remains attached for longer. It is therefore important to remove the tick from the skin as soon as possible.
For information
Environment Department
