PARKSVILLE — Allowing exhausted migrating geese room to recuperate is behind an annual advisory banning dogs from Oceanside area beaches.
In Parksville, Rathrevor Beach is closed between Saturday, Feb 15 and April 30 to dogs, while the same restriction is in place for Parksville Bay Beach from March 1 to April 30.
Restrictions of dogs on beaches apply within the vast Parksville-Qualicum beach Wildlife Management Area.
Dog owners are asked to watch for warning signs on other local beaches for possible restrictions.
Dogs in particular pose a threat to Brant Geese, which present similarly to predatory arctic foxes scouring breeding grounds in Alaska.
“Disturbance caused by something as simple as a child or dog running on the beach can have drastic effects on the geese while feeding. For this reason, Parksville beaches are closed to dogs on-leash and off-leash during the same time each year,” notes a City of Parksville news release.
Brant geese are native to California and Mexico.
The birds make a non-stop flight seasonally to Oceanside area beaches prior to completing the second leg of their migratory journey to Arctic breeding grounds in early May.
The annual Brant Wildlife Festival this year takes place between April 4 and 7.
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