Animals

Camas, a Vancouver Island marmot, was discovered in a backyard in Errington after surviving a daunting – for a marmot – 30-kilometre journey from Green Mountain, southeast of Nanaimo. (Sandra Gray photo)

Nanaimo News Bulletin’s most-memorable animal stories of 2023

A story about a marmot looking for love topped this year’s list

 

(Black Press Media Creative)

Rare ‘dancing lemur’ baby born at UK zoo is doing well and delighting keepers and visitors

Chester Zoo has released the first video of a critically endangered Coquerel’s…

 

After six years working with the Cranbrook and Kimberley RCMP, West the trauma dog will hung up his emotional support vest. He retired to a life of leisure and luxury back in September 2023. (Cranbrook RCMP photo)

Bears and pigs and goats, oh my: B.C.’s top animal stories of 2023

From a seal joining rowers to flying ants in search of mates and a marmot looking for love

 

We’ve seen traffic passing on the wrong side of the road but this is ridiculous. This is Larry Pynn’s view from his car as traffic came to a slowdown heading toward Chemainus Tuesday afternoon. (Photo by Larry Pynn)

Updated – One cow killed after being struck on highway

Multi-vehicle accident results after a motorist tries to avoid it

We’ve seen traffic passing on the wrong side of the road but this is ridiculous. This is Larry Pynn’s view from his car as traffic came to a slowdown heading toward Chemainus Tuesday afternoon. (Photo by Larry Pynn)
Frank The Tank, a sulcata tortoise found wandering in a Richmond field, has left the Maple Ridge branch of the BC SPCA for his forever home. (Mark Vosper/Special to The News)

VIDEO: Wandering B.C. tortoise Frank the Tank finds his forever home

African tortoise found in Richmond field of bok choy gets backyard big enough for his personality

Frank The Tank, a sulcata tortoise found wandering in a Richmond field, has left the Maple Ridge branch of the BC SPCA for his forever home. (Mark Vosper/Special to The News)
A Coombs family says their French Bulldog, Ocean, was killed by a wolf-dog hybrid at Coombs Country Campground. (Photo courtesy Vancouver Island Internet Television)

Family says wolf-dog hybrid killed puppy at Coombs campground

Animal has evaded traps for months; reports of several pet attacks

A Coombs family says their French Bulldog, Ocean, was killed by a wolf-dog hybrid at Coombs Country Campground. (Photo courtesy Vancouver Island Internet Television)
Cats left in crates on side of Vernon road. (OHS)

3 cats abandoned on Vernon road side now in care of Okanagan rescue

The three cats were left inside three crates on the side of a road in Vernon

Cats left in crates on side of Vernon road. (OHS)
A still image taken from cellphone video footage shows a sea lion tossing an octopus in Stuart Channel south of Nanaimo on Thursday, Nov. 16. (Image courtesy Lindsay Bryant)

Sea lion-versus-octopus battle filmed in waters south of Nanaimo

Woman preparing to go for swim captures circle-of-life moment

A still image taken from cellphone video footage shows a sea lion tossing an octopus in Stuart Channel south of Nanaimo on Thursday, Nov. 16. (Image courtesy Lindsay Bryant)
A wolf-hybrid dog is on the loose outside of Parksville. (Photo courtesy Vaughan Roberts)

Volunteers ask people not to feed wolf-dog on loose near Parksville

Animal not yet hungry enough to enter baited trap

A wolf-hybrid dog is on the loose outside of Parksville. (Photo courtesy Vaughan Roberts)
Victoria ranked as the seventh ‘rattiest’ city in Canada in 2023. (Black Press Media file photo)

Victoria squeaks its way to 4th ‘rattiest’ city in B.C., 7th in Canada

B.C. communities dominate national list

Victoria ranked as the seventh ‘rattiest’ city in Canada in 2023. (Black Press Media file photo)
A wolf-dog hyrid is on the loose outside of Parksville. (Photo courtesy Vaughan Roberts)

Efforts underway to humanely trap wolf-dog hybrid loose near Parksville

Animal control assessing potential trap locations on private land

A wolf-dog hyrid is on the loose outside of Parksville. (Photo courtesy Vaughan Roberts)
A wolf-dog hybrid has been reported on the loose outside of Parksville. (Photo courtesy Vaughan Roberts)

‘Aggressive’ wolf-dog hybrid reported on the loose outside of Parksville

B.C. Conservation Service aware of animal released by an owner

A wolf-dog hybrid has been reported on the loose outside of Parksville. (Photo courtesy Vaughan Roberts)
BC Community Bat Program is encouraging people to get involved this coming Bat Week. (Courtesy of Osoyoos Desert Centre)

Victoria Bat Week a fang-tastic time to learn about the only flying mammals

The BC Community Bat Program has a variety of ways to contribute during the week

BC Community Bat Program is encouraging people to get involved this coming Bat Week. (Courtesy of Osoyoos Desert Centre)
Eddie the alpaca was saved by The Llama Sanctuary as he suffered under an overgrown fleece. (The Llama Sanctuary/Facebook)

Overgrown alpaca recovering at Shuswap sanctuary

Eddie was rescued after receiving negligent care, suffering a matted fleece and crooked toes

Eddie the alpaca was saved by The Llama Sanctuary as he suffered under an overgrown fleece. (The Llama Sanctuary/Facebook)
Nanaimo CatNap Society volunteer Kathi Baart helped find a cat that was lost while its owner was visiting from Ontario last month. (Photo submitted)

Cat lost during visit to Nanaimo safe and on its way back to Ontario

Senior slept in car, fell on her face while searching downtown last month

Nanaimo CatNap Society volunteer Kathi Baart helped find a cat that was lost while its owner was visiting from Ontario last month. (Photo submitted)
Sharon Rubin of the Itty Bitty Kitty Committee nurses Carlos, one of the many kittens she has helped in her decade of cat rescue. (Courtesy of Sharon Rubin)

Non-profit hosting low-income cat spay and neuter clinic in Saanich

Itty Bitty Kitty Committee is piloting the event this weekend, hopes to repeat every three months

Sharon Rubin of the Itty Bitty Kitty Committee nurses Carlos, one of the many kittens she has helped in her decade of cat rescue. (Courtesy of Sharon Rubin)
Giant panda Xiao Qi Ji plays at his enclosure at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Pandas could be gone from America’s zoos by the end of next year

Wearing an “I Love Pandas” T-shirt and clutching a panda-covered diary, Kelsey…

Giant panda Xiao Qi Ji plays at his enclosure at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Adam Walker is grateful to medical staff at Oceanside Health Centre who patched him up after he was battered by a large buck’s horns while rescuing his dog from a scary situation. (Facebook photo)

PQB MLA recovering after saving family dog from angry deer attack

Walker says struggle with buck ‘probably the scariest moment’ of his life

Adam Walker is grateful to medical staff at Oceanside Health Centre who patched him up after he was battered by a large buck’s horns while rescuing his dog from a scary situation. (Facebook photo)
Hundreds of winged smaller yellow ants (Lasius claviger) are ready to take off for their nuptial flight. (Photo courtesy of Aaron Fairweather)

Love is in the air: Flying ants meet to mate on Vancouver Island

For a few hours, millions of ants simultaneously swarmed the region for their yearly mating ritual

Hundreds of winged smaller yellow ants (Lasius claviger) are ready to take off for their nuptial flight. (Photo courtesy of Aaron Fairweather)
Diesel the lab, left, and at right with his pal Charlie. (Submitted photos)

WOLF: Loss of a treasured family pet is never easy for anyone

COLUMN: Like humans, animals left behind can often mourn their pals

Diesel the lab, left, and at right with his pal Charlie. (Submitted photos)