Conservation

A black bear seen at a resident’s bird feeder by the Rotary Trail along the Vedder River in Chilliwack on Oct. 7, 2020. (William Snow photo)

WildSafeBC campaign looking to reduce wildlife conflicts in Fraser Valley

The bears are out and so is the new community co-ordinator going door-to-door, tagging garbage bags

  • Jun 30, 2021

 

Gates Creek, 274-acres of land now in trust with the Nature Conservancy of Canada. (Nature Conservancy)

New conservancy will protect 274-acre corridor B.C. grizzly bears use to meet, mingle

Maintaining connectivity between Stein-Nahatlatch and South Chilcotin grizzly populations essential for species’ survival

 

New research suggests wolves can be steered away from the endangered caribou herds they prey on by making the man-made trails they use to hunt harder to move along. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Culling cutlines, not B.C. wolves, key to preserving caribou herds: researcher

The government has turned to killing hundreds of wolves in an effort to keep caribou around

 

The B.C. Conservation Officer Service set up a live trap on Ben McGuffie’s property on Quadra Island. Photo courtesy Ben McGuffie

B.C. winery operator throws rock to protect his goats from menacing grizzly

The big bears are rare for Quadra Island, especially in the populated areas

The B.C. Conservation Officer Service set up a live trap on Ben McGuffie’s property on Quadra Island. Photo courtesy Ben McGuffie
A group of Coquitlam golfers was interrupted on Tuesday, May 25, 2021, by a black bear who bit a player's ball and tossed it back towards the group. (Screen grab/Mark Pettie)

VIDEO: ‘Seriously annoyed’ black bear tosses ball, interrupts B.C. golfers

‘If the bears are chasing golf balls at least they are not chasing golfers,’ says Sgt. Todd Hunter, a B.C. conservation officer

A group of Coquitlam golfers was interrupted on Tuesday, May 25, 2021, by a black bear who bit a player's ball and tossed it back towards the group. (Screen grab/Mark Pettie)
Brandi Hansen said she was disheartened to find dozens of severed, declawed bear paws dumped in a culvert alongside a North Shuswap road on Sunday, May 23, 2021. (Contributed)

B.C. First Nations condemn those responsible for bear paws dumped near Shuswap Lake

Union of BC Indian Chiefs says poachers likely responsible

Brandi Hansen said she was disheartened to find dozens of severed, declawed bear paws dumped in a culvert alongside a North Shuswap road on Sunday, May 23, 2021. (Contributed)
A black bear, dubbed Huckleberry by Deep Cove, B.C., residents died on July 31, 2020, after becoming conditioned to food and humans. (North Shore Black Bear Society photo)

Fewer dead bears, more fines: Advocates call for B.C. conservation officer reform

B.C. Bear Alliance wants to see body cameras on conservation officers after more than 600 black bears were killed this past year

A black bear, dubbed Huckleberry by Deep Cove, B.C., residents died on July 31, 2020, after becoming conditioned to food and humans. (North Shore Black Bear Society photo)
These black bears were spotted on May 4, climbing a backyard tree to get into some bird seed. All photos from Facebook.

PHOTOS: Mission’s black bears awake from winter snooze, B.C. Conservation officer urges responsibility

Hungry bears are looking for food, don’t make it easy, officer says

These black bears were spotted on May 4, climbing a backyard tree to get into some bird seed. All photos from Facebook.
Oregon spotted frog egg masses near Agassiz. (Fraser Valley Conservancy)

Jumping for joy over Oregon spotted frog discovery near Agassiz

Finding six egg masses could be step toward recovery of Canada’s most endangered amphibian

Oregon spotted frog egg masses near Agassiz. (Fraser Valley Conservancy)
Two conservation projects in the Abbotsford area have received provincial funding, including for a fish habitat survey through the Lower Fraser Fisheries Alliance.

Provincial funding supports two Abbotsford-area conservation projects

Nature stewards and fish habitat survey among 60 projects funded across B.C.

Two conservation projects in the Abbotsford area have received provincial funding, including for a fish habitat survey through the Lower Fraser Fisheries Alliance.
Contents from a tailings pond is pictured going down the Hazeltine Creek into Quesnel Lake near the town of Likely, B.C. on Aug. 5, 2014. (Photo by Jonathan Hayward)

New map details potential environmental threats from B.C. mines

Map editors pressure province to move faster on regulation reforms

Contents from a tailings pond is pictured going down the Hazeltine Creek into Quesnel Lake near the town of Likely, B.C. on Aug. 5, 2014. (Photo by Jonathan Hayward)
A Pacific great blue heron preys on a juvenile salmon in Cowichan Bay. A new study out of UBC suggests the birds removed between three and six per cent of the young fish every year from the Salish Sea region. (Photo supplied by Robert Stenseth)

Blue herons identified as a significant predator of B.C.’s juvenile salmon

Surprising UBC findings may actually be beneficial to stability of salmon populations

A Pacific great blue heron preys on a juvenile salmon in Cowichan Bay. A new study out of UBC suggests the birds removed between three and six per cent of the young fish every year from the Salish Sea region. (Photo supplied by Robert Stenseth)
Raisin, the terrier pictured in this photo posted on Twitter, was reportedly attacked by a coyote in Stanley Park Saturday, March 9. (Twitter/Alan Tudyk)

Hollywood actor’s dog nabbed in Vancouver by wily coyote at Stanley Park

Resident Alien star Alan Tudyk is the latest to warn the public about unprovoked attacks occurring

Raisin, the terrier pictured in this photo posted on Twitter, was reportedly attacked by a coyote in Stanley Park Saturday, March 9. (Twitter/Alan Tudyk)
Lower Mainland teens with Ocean Wise’s YouthToSea program have launched an initiative called Clean Coastal, Eat Local, through which they’re offering restaurant gift cards to individuals or households that organize a coastal cleanup in the month of March. (Photo supplied by Ocean Wise)

Teens challenge Lower Mainlanders to clean up their act

YouthToSea offers restaurant gift cards in exchange for a cleaner coastline

Lower Mainland teens with Ocean Wise’s YouthToSea program have launched an initiative called Clean Coastal, Eat Local, through which they’re offering restaurant gift cards to individuals or households that organize a coastal cleanup in the month of March. (Photo supplied by Ocean Wise)
Black bear cubs Athena and Jordan look on from their enclosure at the North Island Wildlife Recovery Association in Errington, B.C., on July 8, 2015. Conservation Officer Bryce Casavant won the hearts of animal lovers when he opted not to shoot the baby bears in July after their mother was destroyed for repeatedly raiding homes near Port Hardy, B.C. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

B.C. conservation officer who refused to kill 2 bear cubs still fighting to return to work

‘This is way beyond two bear cubs at this time.’

Black bear cubs Athena and Jordan look on from their enclosure at the North Island Wildlife Recovery Association in Errington, B.C., on July 8, 2015. Conservation Officer Bryce Casavant won the hearts of animal lovers when he opted not to shoot the baby bears in July after their mother was destroyed for repeatedly raiding homes near Port Hardy, B.C. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
A pair of cheetahs from the facility are settling in well after recently making the multi-day journey from Quebec’s Parc Safari to the Imire wildlife sanctuary in Zimbabwe. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

‘Already starting to act like wild cheetahs’: Canadian-born pair to be released in Zimbabwe wilderness

A rare ‘rewilding’ project has conservationists hoping for the future of the cheetah species

A pair of cheetahs from the facility are settling in well after recently making the multi-day journey from Quebec’s Parc Safari to the Imire wildlife sanctuary in Zimbabwe. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
An elk got his antlers caught up in a zip line in Youbou over the weekend. (Conservation Officer Service Photo)

Elk rescued from zip line in Youbou on Vancouver Island

Officials urge people to manage items on their property that can hurt animals

  • Jan 18, 2021
An elk got his antlers caught up in a zip line in Youbou over the weekend. (Conservation Officer Service Photo)
Jackie Hildering, whale researcher with the Marine Education and Research Society, and Nanaimo Area Land Trust will present the Return of Giants, a webinar about the humpback whales’ return from the brink of extinction and how boaters can help protect them. (Jackie Hildering/MERS photo taken under Marine Mammal License MML-42)

‘Return of the Giants:’ B.C. getting 2nd chance to coexist with humpback whales

‘Marine Detective’ partners with Nanaimo stewardship group on webinar

Jackie Hildering, whale researcher with the Marine Education and Research Society, and Nanaimo Area Land Trust will present the Return of Giants, a webinar about the humpback whales’ return from the brink of extinction and how boaters can help protect them. (Jackie Hildering/MERS photo taken under Marine Mammal License MML-42)
Ducks Unlimited Canada biologist Megan Winand uses a real-time kinematic position tool – which is used to track and process all available global navigation satellite system signals monitoring elevation – for a study on invasive cattails. (Ducks Unlimited Canada photo)

District of Mission buys 4.7-acre property for wetland conservation, future park space

Land purchased for $860,000 from district’s Parkland Acquisition Reserve

Ducks Unlimited Canada biologist Megan Winand uses a real-time kinematic position tool – which is used to track and process all available global navigation satellite system signals monitoring elevation – for a study on invasive cattails. (Ducks Unlimited Canada photo)
A new database from UBC researchers is offering a window into the diets and lives of North Pacific salmonas they travel thousands of kilometres through different ecosystems and conditions. (Photo courtesy Kenny Regan)

Research tool offers glimpse into the deep-sea lives of salmon

Scientific database fills knowledge gaps of fishes’ diet

A new database from UBC researchers is offering a window into the diets and lives of North Pacific salmonas they travel thousands of kilometres through different ecosystems and conditions. (Photo courtesy Kenny Regan)