Brant Geese Info & Viewing in Parksville Qualicum Beach
Black Brant (Branta bernicla) is a small sea goose that breeds in the Arctic and primarily winters in Baja California, Mexico.
Each spring thousands of Brant fly non-stop from Mexico to the Strait of Georgia where they have a short time to feed on eelgrass, green algae and herring roe in order to regain their weight and strength before making another non-stop flight to the Alaska Peninsula and then to their nesting grounds in Alaska, the Canadian Arctic, and beyond.
One can easily observe Brant as they feed among the local bays and sheltered beaches, but be sure to watch for and obey regulatory signs that restrict walking your dog on the beach and even prohibit people from walking near feeding Black Brant. The restrictions are essential because dogs and humans in proximity cause the Brant to take flight, preventing them from feeding or resting.
A disturbance caused by something as simple as a child running on the beach can have drastic effects on the geese while feeding. For this reason, Parksville beaches allow dogs both on-leash and off-leash for a period each year.
Please note that the Parksville-Qualicum Beach Wildlife Management Area has regulations in place requiring dogs to be leashed at all times within the wildlife management area. Information about PQBWMA may be found here. In addition, Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park has regulations that prohibit pets in the day-use beach areas of the park and allow them on the beach adjacent to the campground between May 1 and February 14, provided they are on a leash. Information about Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park may be found here.
Questions should be directed to the RAPP line (Report All Poachers and Polluters) at 1-877-952-7277, #7277 on the Telus Mobility network, or online.
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