Ft. St. John, B.C.-  It’s  time to  take  a walk on the wild side,  and  keep count.

B.C.’s  Ministry of the Environment is looking for some volunteers  in  the Peace Region who  would like to  take part in the seventh annual  public winter wildlife count.

Anyone can take part, you just need  to have an interest in  wildlife  and  be willing to  spend  some time on  the weekend of January 18th and 19th  looking for specific  animals.

The count occurs in areas around the communities of Fort St. John, Chetwynd, Dawson Creek, Tumbler Ridge and Hudson's Hope.

Areas are divided into 25-square-kilometre geographic blocks which volunteers then search, recording any wildlife they spot during that time. Searches can be conducted in a variety of ways, including driving, snowmobile, ATV, cross-country skiing, and walking.

The count is focused on ungulates, but provincial biologists are also interested in any predators that may be spotted. Sharp-tailed grouse are a focal point as well, as information about their winter distribution will help inform future management. Volunteers will also be asked to record if they see any obviously unhealthy or diseased animals.

To sign up for the wildlife count, contact FrontCounter BC in Fort St. John at 250 787-3415 or contact Julie Kline directly at 250 787-3294 or by email at: Julie.Kline@gov.bc.ca

Please submit your name by Jan. 10, 2014, to allow ministry staff time to co-ordinate the count. Last year's Winter Wildlife Count had 48 participants who surveyed 87 blocks, counting a total of 1,097 ungulates and 34 predators.