Photo Credit: Ema Peter
Assiniboine Park is a beautiful space to explore and be in nature every day of the year. What you might not know is that at night, around dusk in the cooler months of the year, the Park is a buzzing place for the wildlife that call our green space home.
Here are just some of the activities happening in the Park come nightfall:
- The young owls are going out into the world from their home nesting territories. The Great Horned Owls are more active and vocal around this time of year.
- Did you know that wildlife such as deer, skunks, and raccoons are crepuscular? This means that they are most active at dawn and dusk. During this cooler season, they will be exploring and getting ready for the winter months ahead.
- If you can’t make it out of the city, Assiniboine Park is a great space to go stargazing! You can see the moon in all its phases, as well as constellations such as Cassiopeia, the Big Dipper, and the late summer-fall constellation Cygnus. You might even see the Northern Lights!
If you're out exploring at night, regardless of whether you're in Assiniboine Park or elsewhere, it's important to be safe and take precautions to ensure you have a delightful time:
- Keep an eye out for those more active animals at night. It’s essential to keep the wildlife wild, so please ensure you’re not in their way.
- Please do not feed the wildlife.
- Enjoy the outdoors with a group of people and stay around well-lit areas.
- Wear reflective and light-coloured clothes.
- Be mindful of roadways and bikes – just because you see them, doesn’t mean they see you.
If you ever feel uncomfortable in the Park and need assistance, please call our Security Team at 204-927-8000. They are available 24/7 and are happy to help.
