Avoiding Wildlife Encounters and Habituation

at Work and at Home

Introduction

• No matter if you’re in Canada’s boreal forest, offshore, or in the desert, you’re bound to
see a few creatures while working for Suncor or spending time in natural areas.
• We work alongside many amazing species throughout Suncor’s projects including
black bears, grey wolves, orca whales, bald eagles, scorpions, and poisonous snakes.
• Many of our work sites and preferred recreation spots are located in proximity to
forests, that are natural feeding, breeding and denning sites for numerous birds and
wildlife. Spring is an active period for these animals as black bears emerge from
hibernation, migratory birds are arriving and nesting, and mammals are calving.
• To protect both our workers and wildlife we all need to be vigilant to reduce the risk of
human-wildlife encounters and in preventing habituation to our presence and food
waste.

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Opportunity

Preventing Wildlife Encounters

• Worker safety is Suncor’s number one priority, but the wellbeing of wildlife is also
important.
• At our work sites and homes we can all do our part in reducing the habituation and
need to trap, relocate and/or destroy wildlife by implementing the following:
– Ensure ALL outdoor household waste containers are wildlife-proof
– Ensure waste containers are used appropriately, i.e. closed at all times
– Ensure waste containers are emptied regularly and prior to them overflowing
– Ensure no household waste (food, wrappers, coffee cups, etc.) are placed in
construction waste bins that are not wildlife-proof, in truck boxes, on the ground, etc.

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Action

• Ensure you understand the wildlife management risks and processes for the area you are
working.
• If you are visiting any of our sites in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo
(RMWB) area, you must ensure you have wildlife awareness training, it is
mandatory.
• Additional training may be required based on your scope of work and as determined
based on the project level risk assessment (PLRA).

•  While enjoying the wilderness away from work:

• Watch for signs of wildlife activity;
• Stay in groups, make plenty of noise; and
• Pack out all your garbage in air tight containers.

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Recommendations

Know what to do when you see or encounter wildlife

1. Inform your co-workers and supervisor
2. Do not engage the animal, this will avoid the habituation of wildlife to human
presence
3. Report wildlife sightings via the process for your area

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References

• RMWB Wildlife Awareness on the Core

http://thecore.network.lan/en/depts/os/ehs/Pages/Wildlife-Reporting-and-Monitoring-.aspx
• Ontario government Wildlife and Nature https://www.ontario.ca/page/wildlife-and-nature
• Alberta Bear Smart http://aep.alberta.ca/recreation-public-use/alberta-bear-smart/default.aspx
• WildsafeBC https://wildsafebc.com/