Increase in dog-bighorn conflicts and start of sheep traffic fatalities in Radium
By Steve Hubrecht
The fall rut has started for bighorn sheep in Radium Hot Springs, and local wildlife enthusiasts are asking the public to keep their dogs on leash, and to slow down when driving in and around the village.
The rut has started, and “there is chasing (between rams and ewes) going on,” Radium outdoorsman, Kent Kebe, told the Pioneer on Wednesday, Nov. 24.
The fall rut (during which the breeding-focused sheep may be less acutely attentive to their surroundings than normal) often sees a spike in the number of traffic-related bighorn fatalities, and one has already occurred this year. In addition, a new trend — an increase in the number of dog-bighorn conflicts — has emerged during this rut.
Kebe explained that the traffic fatality was a class-one bighorn ram that had been hit on Highway 93/95 near the second viewpoint on the hill just south of the village, and noted that speed was likely a factor, since the ram died instantly and since there were quite a few vehicles parts at the scene. Speeding means less time for drivers to react if a bighorn steps into their vehicle’s path, as well as higher impacts when bighorns do get hit.
“So it’s starting,” said Kebe, noting there were plenty of bighorn traffic fatalities during the fall rut last year.
Of the dog-bighorn conflicts, Kebe outlined that there has been a “huge change” in Radium over the past year in the number of people taking their dogs to open spaces (such as golf courses) that are not official off-leash dog parks and letting their dogs run off-leash regardless.
“Obviously this is absolutely disruptive to the sheep, during what for the sheep is a sensitive time,” said Kebe, adding there have so far been two “touch” conflicts between dogs and bighorns — one ‘stomping’ and one ‘horning’ — and several incidences of sheep chasing dogs.
“People need to realize that sheep are wild animals, and you need to give them a wide berth. That includes dogs. Please keep dogs on leash at all times, unless you are in a designated off-leash dog park. We do have an excellent off-leash dog-park in Radium, at Sinclair Creek, and one of the reasons that spot was chosen as an off-leash park was because the bighorns don’t often go there,” said Kebe.
Through conversations with the valley’s WildSafe coordinators and local conservation officers, Kebe has learned that there’s been a dramatic increase in the number of dog-wildlife incidences not just in Radium but also in Fairmont Hot Springs, Columere Park and Invermere.
“It is a very apparent trend. We’re not sure what’s driving it, whether more longtime residents have decided to get pets as companions during the (COVID-19) pandemic, or whether it’s that a lot more people have decided to move to the Columbia Valley during the pandemic because they can work remotely, and they’re bringing their dogs with them, or whether it’s some other factor. Whatever it is, there are a lot more dogs in the valley, it seems,” said Kebe. “There’s nothing wrong with having dogs. They’re great. But please keep your dog on-leash in places where you are supposed to. It is having an effect on the sheep.”
Not long after the fall run started, on Saturday, Nov. 20, Kebe and other Radium wildlife enthusiasts conducted a bighorn count, tallying 110 sheep around the village. The number was a bit low — the Radium herd is estimated at 140 to 150 sheep — but Kebe said that counters likely missed a good many sheep as the bighorns were quite spread out that day.
“It was a good count even though we missed some. There are some days you do the count, and you see them all, because they are all together. And there are other times you only get three quarters of them because they are scattered,” he said. “This was one of the times the sheep are spread out. They were up by the hot springs, in north Radium, on the Radium hill, at the golf course, by the river, everywhere.”
