The Ministry of Environment works with other agencies to conserve species and habitats and reduce the risks to wildlife from humans. For example:

* The Habitat Conservation Trust Fund gives more than $5 million a year to fish and wildlife conservation projects. Most of its funds come from surcharges on angling, hunting, trapping and guide-outfitting licence fees. Hunting is a way of life for many British Columbians. Our strict hunting regulations help to conserve wildlife species and habitats;
* The Conservation Data Centre (CDC), Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management, identifies “at risk” species and habitats and produces information for scientists, naturalists and the general public. ( See our new Endangered Species and Ecosystems in British Columbia website);
* The Canadian Wildlife Service (part of Environment Canada) handles federal wildlife matters, and, with the provincial ministry, co-manages migratory birds;
* Organizations like the BC Wildlife Federation and the Federation of BC Naturalists help conserve British Columbia’s fish, wildlife, park and outdoor recreational resources.

So you’ve just finished Uni, got your degree and are now planning your career as the next big thing. But aren’t you just a little burnt out and study shocked? Why not take a gap year to catch your breath before the next stage of your life? Taking a wildlife conservation holiday will not only give you a great excuse not to go into battle in the job-market, but you will also learn some valuable skills along the way. Who knows, you may decide on a whole new career path!

Well come on now, lets face it. Feeding an obsession with Facebook and Twitter for sixteen hours a day dissecting your social life, is way less interesting than spending a few weeks in an African game park dissecting the social life of a lion. Paint yourself a picture. Winter in the city, waking to the screech of an over cheery breakfast DJ, then fighting for elbow-room at the rain lashed bus stop waiting for the bus that didn’t come. Or waking to a glorious African sunrise with the enchanting sound of the bush echoing in your ears, then heading out in an open-topped vehicle to spend the day working on a wildlife conservation project.

If you’ve had a hard year or two and you can barely tell the difference between Thursday and Sunday; if your best friend ran off with the love of your life; if you look in the mirror and you don’t recognise the worn-out frazzled face that’s staring back; or if you just can’t tame that ‘monkey-mind’ and need to spend a few weeks reflecting on life, the universe and everything – a wildlife conservation holiday could help put everything back in perspective for you. Spending some quality time with the wonderful wildlife of Africa and contributing to a worthwhile project, could help you redefine your priorities and bring you back to Planet.

The whole attracting plan would be a success because you know what you need to target. You must know that not all the native wildlife species are good. There are also bad ones. You should never attract the bad ones because you are only going to have trouble with them. Those that are interested to attract and care for the native animals, some of these animals may come out at night and have slept the rest of the daytime.

Once you have carefully devised your plan of action, it will be easier to carry it out. If you have a wide lawn space, you can use that to attract native wildlife. Just make sure that you see most of the space from your house so that you can monitor the animals lurking in your area. If your spaces don’t have any plants, make sure that you plant trees or even shrubs. You should also provide food and water.

If you have a space that is much larger, a good idea is to put a fish pond. The trees and shrubs will then serve as the cover and somehow they would feel protected and which is why they will not hesitate to go to your lawn. Aside from landscaping, you will need to put watering holes or a bath. You could even use throwing disks and then put some little stones in it. Smaller creatures will surely visit your yard. Put the different feeders in the area and put food in it too.