The world has changed almost beyond recognition for human beings due to COVID-19, but for animals the routine is still very much the same. Sometimes, that routine will bring them into contact with people, especially this time of year. 

Conservation officers are reminding people not to interact with wild animals if at all possible. As animals move around after a long winter, and people do more or less the same, the odds of them crossing paths go up. 

"Animals definitely don't know anything about it (COVID-19)," said conservation officer Lindsey Leko. "In the springtime, they're just going to be naturally moving around, especially if there are wildlife corridors, and Estevan is definitely one with the Souris River, they tend to be moving around."

Leko said this is the time of year where mothers might kick their young out of the nest or den to fend for themselves. He hasn't seen an increase in calls over other years, but this year isn't lagging behind either. 

"One of the big things we always preach this time of year is leave the animals alone," he said. "We've got to coexist with them. If you're seeing the young ones, you want to make sure you're leaving those alone because that's part of nature itself. A lot of times the moms will actually leave the animals alone and abandon them for a little while when they go off to rest or get food."

These aren't encounters to worry about only if you're out in the bushes either. Animals wandering into human spaces happens every year, from moose roaming into backyards to, just last year, sightings of a black bear near Carlyle. 

"Is there a possibility that we could have coyotes or a bear or some other large hoofed animal like a moose or a deer in the city? Absolutely," said Leko. "We've kind of moved into their habitat. We're trying to share it with them and a lot of times they don't know where they're going. They try out best to avoid us at all costs."

Leko added the most important thing is to make sure wild animals aren't being fed, because that will bring more of them into the city, which is a dangerous environment for them. He said the best thing when confronted with a wild animal is to back away slowly, never taking your eyes off the animal while doing so.