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.
- Sign up now for daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
"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
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Princess Anne to take part in B.C. ceremony bringing new ship into Pacific fleet
Canada's first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel will officially be brought into the Pacific fleet today and Princess Anne, the sister of King Charles, is scheduled to take part in its commissioning ceremony.
How falling for a stranger she met on a beach led this woman to ditch the U.S. for the French Riviera
Niki Benjamin, from the U.S., had travelled to a paradise island to do some soul searching, and her life ended up going in a very different direction when her dog ran up to a stranger.
NEW Biscuits with possible plastic pieces, metal found in ground pork: Here are the recalls for this week
Here are the latest recalls Canadians should watch out for, according to Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Police move in to clear NYU encampment, U.S. campus arrests grow to 2,200 in pro-Palestinian protests
Police moved in to clear an encampment at New York University on Friday at the request of school officials, a move that follows weeks of pro-Palestinian protests at college campuses nationwide that have resulted in nearly 2,200 arrests by police.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
More than half of Canadians say freedom of speech is under threat, new poll suggests
A new poll suggests a majority of Canadians feel their right to freedom of speech is in danger.
Feds giving Toronto more than $104M to host 2026 FIFA World Cup
The federal government will provide Toronto just over $104 million in funding to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Wally, the emotional support alligator once denied entry to a baseball game, is missing
Emotional support animal registrations in the United States reached 115,832 last year, by an industry group’s count. But in the eyes of reptile rescuer Joie Henney, there’s only one: 'Wally Gator.'
Parents of infant who died in wrong-way crash on Ontario's Hwy. 401 were in same vehicle
Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit has released new details about a wrong-way collision in Whitby on Monday night that claimed the lives of four people.