Early spring means early start to tick and bear season
An early start to the spring weather has also meant an early start to tick sightings in the Ottawa region.
As Erin Seller walked her dog Tuca on a Stittsville trail Thursday, she was keeping an eye out for anything that jumps.
“Just yesterday, there were two ticks on Tuca,” she said. “Certainly it’s scary when you go to take a walk in the woods.”
Pam McKay has recently taken her pup Maya to the vet to be treated against ticks more than a month ahead of the usual time.
“They stated that this year, you should be getting that done now instead of towards the end of April,” she said.
According to University of Ottawa Biology Professor Jeremy Kerr, ticks are emerging sooner and in greater numbers after one of the warmest recorded winters in Ottawa’s history.
“We are still on that long-term climate change track and we will not be getting rid of blacklegged ticks from the regions of Canada they have arrived in any time soon,” he said.
Blacklegged ticks are the main contributors to Lyme disease cases in Canada.
“Lyme disease can be a very serious health problem for people and continues to be quite difficult to diagnose,” said Kerr.
“Even for myself I’m concerned about ticks coming onto my body,” said Seller. “I’ve got two young kids so it’s a whole family affair.”
While ticks re-emerge, Ottawa Public Health has some recommended steps for residents to take when heading out on walks:
- Applying an approved insect repellent containing DEET or icaridin
- Doing a tick check on yourself, your children, and pets
- Checking your pet daily for ticks, especially if it spends time in wooded or overgrown areas
- Removing ticks as soon as possible. If you find a tick on your body, using fine-pointed tweezers, grasp the tick’s head as close to the skin as possible and pull slowly until the tick is removed. Do not twist or rotate the tick. Do not use a match, lotion or anything else on the tick.
Meanwhile, black bear sightings have also begun early. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry warns that, at this time of year, there is little natural food for bears coming out of hibernation and they may turn to trash bins and bird feeders.
The Ministry is urging residents to take measures to prevent bears from migrating into neighbourhoods.
It recommends:
- Storing garbage in waste containers with tight-fitting lids (indoors if possible)
- Waiting until pickup day to put out garbage
- Taking away bird feeders for the spring and summer (you can offer birds natural alternatives, such as flowers, nesting boxes and fresh water)
- Cleaning food residue and grease from outdoor barbecue grills – including grease traps – after each use
- Keeping pet food indoors
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