wildlife Archives — Thrifty Mommas Tips

Essential Guide to Camping Food Safety from Animals

Paula — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 14:29:00 +0000

How do you keep animals away from food while camping? Let’s face it – having your food decimated by critters when you camp is no fun. It’s not something you want to have to deal with when you are out with your family having a fun time exploring nature. Animals are just as interested in getting an easy meal as you or I. When camping, it can be a challenge to prevent the critters from helping themselves to our dinner. If you are basecamping, metal containers may be provided, or your car is a relatively safe cache. But what should you do if you are backpacking away from a vehicle? “Bear,” probably raises the most anxiety when thinking about losing food to an animal. But chipmunks and squirrels can cause complete devastation of food supplies. Mice pollute and ruin foods. Even insects or slugs can create problems if food is handled improperly. But the worst of all are raccoons, which will scavenge your sight for crumbs and wreak havoc. Reading about strategies to prevent animals from sneaking your food is wise. Do this before you begin your wilderness lifestyle adventure. How to Keep Animals Away From Food Here are a few basic tips: Never keep food in your tent at night. Never leave food open and unprotected for extended periods of time. Try to cook a significant distance from your tent. There are different styles of camping. In some areas you will be required to camp in designated locations. These more traditional family campgrounds may have greater animal problems than where dispersed camping is allowed. Animals will have identified those established campsites as prime food collection areas. In some areas, such as the eastern Adirondacks, the bears simply come through every day and take what they want. Some have been observed opening “bear-proof” canisters. Recently, we’ve all seen those posts about bears trashing cars to get food. Don’t Let Critters Ruin Your Trip Here are five tips to minimize the chances that you will need to cut your trip short because some small or large beast has enjoyed a free meal at your expense. Out of Sight… Hang your food, toothpaste, lotions, etc. from a high branch or bear pole in order to keep animals away from food while camping. Line your food bag with a plastic bag. Animals can still smell it, but not from as far away. The plastic will also protect it from rain and heavy dew. There are several methods of roping a cache bag over a high branch out of the reach of animals. To be bear safe, the bag must be 12 feet off the ground and at least 3 feet from the trunk of any nearby tree. In areas where bears are “savvy,” you can not simply loop the rope over a branch and tie it off; the bear will know enough to slash the rope. Research alternate roping methods. Bear Canisters Consider a bear canister. These canisters have smooth sides with nothing for an animal with paws to hold on to. The disadvantage is that they are too small for extended trips, and they are expensive. The kind that open by using a tool or coin to unscrew the lid are more secure. Tough Materials The Ursack is a bag woven of bullet-proof material that a bear or other animal can not bite through. It packs better than a canister, but is also too small for extended trips. Dispersed Camping If dispersed camping is allowed, this will reduce the likelihood of animal encounters. Dispersed camping allows you to create a small, low-impact campsite anywhere you like. Usually, there are restrictions on distance from waterways, trails, and roads. The local wildlife has not had the chance to learn that people and their foods will be in that location, so animals stay away from your food. Time Your Meals Cook your hot meal at noon. Cooking odors can easily transfer to fabrics. If you cook during the day your tent will have few odors attached. If you must cook in the evening, do so 300 feet and upwind from your tent. Try to keep cooking smells from drifting on the wind toward the place where you will be sleeping. Clean Up Leaving food out is a sure way to attract slugs in damp climates. Even a cup with a bit of leftover drink can attract them. Keep a clean camp and your will have fewer problems with pests of any kind. Don’t feed anything but your family. Don’t Be Part of the Problem You don’t need to be a camper that contributes to the problems of wildlife/ human encounters over food. And you don’t want your trip spoiled. Keep animals away from food while camping by being clean and keeping food secure. Keep Animals Away from Food When Camping Did you know that animals which become a dangerous nuisance often end up needing to be destroyed. Instead, secure any items which may be attractive, minimize odours, and be clean. You and the animals will both be happier in the long run.

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How to Avoid Skunks When Camping

Paula — Sat, 13 Apr 2019 13:06:46 +0000

Last year we discovered that we love camping. You might recall that we took an RV Trip which was amazing! We were new to camping. For sure we had done camping many times and stayed in a yurt before too. Because we were newbies we did some research on wildlife and camping tips and tricks. One of the things we read about was avoiding bears when camping in Ontario’s Parks and what to do if you encounter one. And, of course, we also read about how to avoid skunks. If you are camping around forests, wooded areas, rivers or streams, in Ontario Parks or National Parks it is likely that you will come across skunks at some point during your trip as these are the types of habitats in which they live. Obviously everyone knows not to mess with bears and even novice campers know keep the food secured, but what about skunks? Avoid Smelly Critters When Camping One of the reasons people go camping is to get close to nature, and destress, but unexpected and unpleasant wildlife encounters can put a kink in your plans if you aren’t careful. You probably don’t want a skunk hanging around your campsite. However, avoiding an unwanted visit from a skunk is not as difficult as you might expect. Here are some tips on how you can avoid or repel skunks while on a camping trip. Use dog and cat repellent The same products that work to repel cats and dogs also work on skunks. Many people buy these products to stop other people’s pets from fouling up their gardens. Cat and dog repellents can easily be bought in pet stores and taken with you on a camping trip to deter skunks. Get rid of your rubbish Skunks are attracted by the food that many campers leave outside their tents. It is an easy meal for them. One of the best ways to avoid a visit from a skunk is to get rid of any food waste, both inside and outside your tent. This will make the skunk less interested in your camp in the first place and more inclined to find food elsewhere. Use vinegar as a repellent The noxious smell of vinegar has been known to deter skunks. This is a cheap way of avoiding skunks coming near your tent. Simply soak some old rags in vinegar and spread them around the outside of your tent. This should warn the skunks away. Light Because they are nocturnal animals, skunks prefer to stay away from well lit areas. By keeping the area around your camp well lit, you should also avoid the problem of a late night visit from a skunk. One word of warning though, avoid using lights with naked flames on overnight as these are a fire hazard. Instead, look for battery operated lights. Home-made repellent It is also possible to make your own skunk repellent without having to go to the expense of buying one. Add half a jalapeno pepper and two tablespoons of cayenne pepper to one quart of water. Boil the mixture for about twenty minutes, before removing the jalapeno pepper and adding the mixture to a spray bottle. This can then be used to spray directly at any skunks who come near your tent in the night. Pitch a Tent Not a Fit Camping is meant to be enjoyable. With a few easy habits and tricks you can avoid unwanted encounters with skunks and other critters.

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Tracking the White Rhinoceros – A Safari Adventure in Zambia

Paula — Tue, 06 Dec 2016 12:43:16 +0000

Even now, our safari adventure in Zambia seems surreal. Moments ago, we met a truck full of Zambian security employees armed with guns inside a reserve and sanctuary. Now the group of us walk single file on foot behind an armed escort tracking a white rhinoceros. This field, this sanctuary, is silent but for the sound of us walking and the occasional comment from our leader. Stick together, never run, follow instructions and you will be okay. Sun Setting The sun begins a slow surrender into the horizon, casting an incredible glow on this safari adventure. It is our last night in Zambia. We are on safari in SubSaharan Africa and that alone is magical and unexpected. We have been here visiting and working, interviewing staff, volunteers, and Moms across Zambia about their struggles to access health care, particularly lifesaving vaccines, for children. Why I am Here Our days have been long, scorching, educational and emotional too. We are here with the UN Foundation’s Shot at Life advocacy group. Together we are searching out and sharing the stories we find regarding Moms and their supernatural efforts to get their children what they need. Many of these Zambian Moms will walk as far as 20 kms to get their children lifesaving vaccines, or health care. We have heard many stories about innovation and success and the strength of women. The Last Night Here Tonight we anticipated going back to our rooms to pack, followed by a farewell dinner. But this is Zambia, in Southern Africa. Packing and rest can wait. When one of our members asked if there was anything uniquely local to see our driver advised us that we should go see the rare white rhinoceros. Why not? Together we are each expecting to take a few pictures of rhinos and drive back to the hotel. But, then we are greeted with a safari jeep and an actual safari tour at sunset. Our grins are enormous when we realize we are getting so much more than we thought. The Zambians have over delivered yet again. Just like most everything we have seen and done here we are amazed and surprised at the hospitality. We are treated brilliantly and made to feel at home. Zambians are kind and friendly and we are overwhelmed by our visit here. In Livingstone We venture through the reserve near our resort in Livingstone and scour the bushes for signs of wildlife. Then we turn a corner and three African male bull elephants are right straight in front of us. In a field to the right are bush bucks (they look like impalas) and dozens of zebras again. I will never tire of seeing zebras. They are so peculiar and exotic. Where else on earth would you find a creature so brightly adorned with stripes? Each time I spy a zebra I am overwhelmed with the desire to FaceTime my kids and show them what I am seeing but the time change makes that impossible. We’ve seen elephants and bush bucks and monkeys and giraffes up close. A trio of bull elephants stood directly in front of our jeep as the driver and guide cut the engine and we sat, like sitting ducks taking pictures. Elephants can and will charge you but our guide explains that as long as we show them our presence here is not a threat and we leave them to graze we should be fine. So we do just that snapping pictures, admiring this encounter and revelling in a once in a lifetime adventure. Our guide hands us each a leaf from a tree nearby and tells us we can eat it. Elephants eat this plant all the time, he says. It has a citrus-y flavour with a mint tone. We each try a bit. Monkeys and Babies Monkeys and their babies scamper out of the way of the jeep, hiding from cameras, and the sun slides lower in the sky. Then eventually we come to a guarded gate and a guide with a gun hops into our jeep. We are cleared to proceed, just as another jeep full of British tourists returns with great smiles on their faces. Our respective drivers trade tips – Find the bull elephants on the side road right now, our driver says. White Rhinos The white rhinoceros is another thing entirely. The crash of white rhinoceros is obviously highly guarded and protected. White rhinos have often been targeted by poachers, who will kill them only for their horns. This has happened before and entire herds have been slaughtered. Now the government supports wildlife conservation and takes preservation of these rhinos very seriously. Tracking White Rhinos We walk a short distance and the tracker, guide finds rhino scat. He scrutinizes the dry plants for signs too. They are nearby, but we will have to walk a bit further. This is definitely not something we were expecting. On foot we each follow single file until he stops and points. We walk around the first mother and daughter pair, taking pictures. About 30 feet away from us they are grazing. Other than the rhinos, and the guide, this savannah stretches as far as the eye can see, stopping only at the horizon. White rhinos are the only grazers of all the rhinoceros species. Are White Rhinos Actually White? I am thinking maybe they are extremely dirty white rhinoceros, but they are definitely not white. The guide must be used to this question because he explains: they were actually named wide rhinos by the Dutch but the locals at the time heard white rhinos. The Dutch word for wide sounds a lot like white. Regardless of the name white rhinos are unique and were nearly extinct in the 1900s. Now they are classified as near threatened. White rhinos are the second largest land mammals after the elephant. Sunset on Zambia The other guide spots another crash of rhinos but this time they are right side our jeep. We pause keeping the jeep between us and the magnificent mammals. It’s time to move on, back through the gates leaving these remarkable creatures behind. Before we finish for the day our driver stops along the banks of the Zambezi as we take some photos of the last Zambian sunset we will see. Our time in Zambia draws to a close, but what a way to end an amazing week. I was in Zambia doing a fellowship recently with the UN Foundation’s Shot at Life global vaccination program. If you would like to read more about that see this Shot at Life post.

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