The Cochrane Ecological Institute (CEI) is inviting the community to a family-focused wildlife awareness event on Sunday, Aug. 17, at Mitford Park.
This casual drop-in event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will offer plenty of information.
Held in partnership with the Alberta Wilderness Association (AWA), the event aims to educate residents about the important wildlife corridor that runs through Cochrane and the surrounding area, as well as the local and migratory species that inhabit it.
CEI education coordinator Ali Morrison said the event will feature interactive activities for children, including colouring, quizzes, and a take-home scavenger hunt with prizes. Attendees can learn about bears, bats, smaller mammals, coyotes, cougars, birds of prey, and the wetlands critical to the region’s ecosystem.
“The goal is to help newcomers and longtime residents alike understand the wildlife around us and how to coexist safely,” Morrison said.
Presentations on wildlife topics will run throughout the morning and early afternoon every 15 to 30 minutes, allowing visitors to drop in and out as they please.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to try out bear spray safely and learn best practices to reduce negative interactions between humans and wildlife.
Not directly related to CEI, Ruiping Luo, AWA’s head biologist, will discuss recent changes in hunting regulations and their impacts on local wildlife.
The event is free and open to the public. It promises to be an engaging and educational day for families and individuals interested in learning more about the natural world in Cochrane’s backyard.