TWIN FALLS, Idaho — The beginning of Spring is a time when outdoor recreation kicks up, as the weather gets warmer and days last longer.
Idaho offers a massive landscape for outdoor recreation with its many lakes, rivers, and hiking trails. But staying safe while doing so is important.
Idahoans share this large space with many kinds of wildlife, and that can result in potential negative altercations if you're not careful.
Recently Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) was made aware of two non-fatal incidents in the Magic Valley involving coyotes and off-leash dogs. This prompted IDFG to remind people that it is mating season for these animals and to be aware of their surroundings when enjoying the great outdoors.
“Wildlife has only one way to tell you you’re too close, and that is through some type of aggression or something that we would perceive as aggression,” said Terry Thompson, IDFG. “There are a lot of different urban wildlife species, and it doesn’t matter if it’s in city or out of city, you still have to be aware.”
Most common incidents take place when pets are off-leash. Making sure to find a safe place for your pet to run is important to the safety of your animal and wildlife. Education on this topic is important, especially with the high number of new people moving into Idaho.
“We’re kind of moving into their house. I think to be responsible pet owners and to be respectful of the wildlife and those open spaces, it's a really important thing that we all need to take into consideration,” said Wendy Davis, Director of Parks and Recreation for the city of Twin Falls.
Idaho is full of great outdoor recreational opportunities, and knowing about wildlife and the area we live in is key to keeping both people and animals safe in the Gem State.
“It’s also some personal responsibility. You live in Idaho. We have wildlife across the landscape so it's understanding that you can encounter wildlife pretty much anywhere you go,” said Thompson.
For more information on safety tips, click here.
