Dog owners are being asked not to bring their canine companion to Combers Beach on Vancouver Island or they could face a fine.
The popular beach area in Pacific Rim National Park is home to shorebirds that use the beaches during spring and fall migration.
Parks Canada said the closure is due to the fact that dogs disturb the birds as they spend too much time fleeing and do not have enough time to properly migrate or breed.
“You don’t see an impact right away,” Yuri Zharikov, monitoring ecologist with Parks Canada told Global News.
“There’s no blood or feathers flying around, and nothing dies immediately but over the time and the level of population, years start having this knock-on effect on the population and most of North American shorebird populations are in decline .”
Dogs are now banned between Sandhill Creek and Green Point Rocks from April 14 until Oct. 1.
It is a trial, Parks Canada said, and the area will be patrolled by staff and law enforcement.
Dog owners who violate the ban could face a $58 fine and repeat offenders could see fines of up to $25,000.
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