I can’t say I was the kid who was never afraid of insects or big animals. I was the one who would cry and scream until a spider was escorted out of my bedroom, bolted at a snake moving through the grass next to the pool, or froze up in terror at the sight of a bear. Like many people, my responses to unfamiliar wildlife was fear, which took a long time for me to unlearn. But the more I learned about each of these species, the more I understood their behaviour, the more predictable they became. And the more I was able to appreciate them. The spiders began to get rides outside on my open palm, the snakes were cooed at like a puppy or kitten, and I knew that the bears didn’t want to see me as much as I didn’t want to see them. This is the power of education, something that can bring understanding, respect, and appreciation to some of society’s most feared species.
The Young Leaders in Conservation Program hosted by the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society of BC (CPAWS-BC) gave me an opportunity to further develop the advocacy skills that have become central to my career. Fresh out of university, the program offered a chance to engage with the people making conservation decisions in our province and advocate for the protection of some of British Columbia’s most imperiled ecosystems. At the same time, it provided an opportunity to bring conservation closer to home and make a difference within my own community. When I was considering what I wanted to do for my summer project which the program supports, I fairly quickly landed on what is now Weird and Wonderful BC.
Many of British Columbia’s native species are misunderstood. How often have you seen a social media post about a snake being killed in someone’s yard, a bear getting into someone’s garbage, or a spider being swiftly squished after a photo was taken? Wildlife such as rattlesnakes, bats, coyotes, vultures, and spiders are often viewed negatively because of myths, misconceptions, or a simple lack of familiarity. Yet each of these species plays an important role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Predators help regulate prey populations, scavengers reduce the spread of disease, and insect-eating species contribute to natural pest control.
The goal of Weird and Wonderful BC was simple; highlight species that are often feared or considered pests and tell a different story about them. Through a nine-week public education campaign in the Merritt Herald and social media, each week features a different species found in the BC Interior. By combining science-based information with fun facts, the campaign hopes to reduce fear and encourage coexistence. At its core, Weird and Wonderful BC is about sharing a lesson that took me years to learn myself, that the species that initially make us uncomfortable are often some of the most fascinating. Sometimes all it takes is a little knowledge to transform fear into curiosity, and curiosity into stewardship. For conservation to succeed, people must note only protect wildlife but also understand and value it.
If you’re interested, you can follow along online on Facebook, at Weird and Wonderful BC. Learn more, fear less, and coexist better.
– Siya Markel
