Driving through Riding Mountain National Park can be an absolute treat. From the rolling hills to the trees and everything in between, it can make a great escape.
Many times when driving through the park, you will notice wildlife, and in many cases, people stop to take photos because who doesn't love to see wildlife from afar. And while snapping some photos of any wildlife you see in the park is okay, getting out of your vehicle to do so is not.
RMNP has activated their 'Restricted Activity - Wildlife viewing practices'. This includes;
- No person shall willfully approach, remain, view, or engage in any activity within
- 50 meters of any bear or moose, except when completely inside a legally positioned motor vehicle,
- Any distance that displaces or interferes with the free, unimpeded movement of wildlife,
- Any distance that creates or contributes to a potentially hazardous condition or situation
- No person shall remain within prescribed distances during inadvertent, accidental, or surprise encounters with wildlife
These were put in place to reduce the likelihood of motor vehicle collisions, ensure visitor safety during wildlife viewing, and protect the wildlife from disturbance and stress.
Another no-no while driving through the park is feeding any of the wildlife. Feeding wildlife can make the animals become more dependent on human food and that can increase the likelihood of wildlife approaching you which could have a very bad ending.
"We don't want wildlife looking for human food, that can end very poorly," said Tim Sallows, resource conservation officer. "Their natural food is dandelions in this summer of the year in the ditches, they don't need human food."
If you are caught breaking any of the rules stated above, you could be fined up to $25,000 under the Canada National Parks Act.
