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Wild Animals Just Want To Be UBC And SFU Students, Too (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

Wild Animals Just Want To Be University Students, Too

It seems as though two Vancouver Lower Mainland universities have some new mascots.

A couple of wild animals have been spotted roaming around the University of British Columbia (UBC)’s Vancouver Point Grey campus and Simon Fraser University (SFU)’s Burnaby campus.

At SFU, a black bear was spotted wandering around the school earlier in the week.

Meanwhile at UBC, there has been a coyote lurking around campus for a couple of weeks, according to The Province.

Nicknamed Carter, the coyote may be the most popular student at the school. Carter has already racked up over 5,400 fans on Facebook since the creation of a fan page on Saturday, and also has an Instagram account.

I'm just a normal UBC student trying to fit in.

A photo posted by @ubccoyote on

Carter seems to be pretty relaxed around the staff and students, which may not be such a good thing.

There isn't much scope in between letting a coyote alone and destroying it,” Dan Straker, an urban wildlife programs co-ordinator with the Stanley Park Ecology Society, told The Province. “We’d prefer Carter was scared of people and not get cornered into a situation where she might have to act defensively.”

UBC Security posted an article online letting students know that anyone caught feeding a coyote may face a $345 fine. If caught face-to-face with an aggressive coyote, the notice advises humans be loud and not to run away. The same goes for bears, according to BC Parks: hold your ground and make a lot of noise.

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