Endangered Species

The Greater Victoria Green Team members volunteer their time to clean up the environment. (Courtesy of Greater Victoria Green Team)

‘Green, clean, invasive plant-removal teams’: Victoria Green Team’s history

‘The idea is that change can’t happen without people caring,’ said project manager Kaitlin Warren

 

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)

Vancouver Island marmot makes marathon journey looking for love

Camas the marmot makes 30-kilometre trek from Nanaimo Lakes to Errington

 

Western Brook Lamprey Morrison Creek population– “silver form” (top) and non-silver, traditional looking Western Brook Lamprey. Photo by Jay Wade

Community effort protects rare fish species found only in Vancouver Island watershed

Morrison Creek Headwaters, home of the western brook lamprey, now a protected area

 

(Photo - Conservation Officer Service - Facebook)

B.C. woman fined for possession and sale of endangered turtle

An undercover operation intercepted the sale of the Western Painted Turtle named Michelangelo

(Photo - Conservation Officer Service - Facebook)
Following an assessment of three bat species in Canada, one of North America’s leading experts says hoary bats could see their populations cut in half by 2028. A young Hoary Bat in care of Bat World Sanctuary, a conservation facility in Texas. (Contributed photo by the World Bat Sanctuary)

‘Not looking good’: Wind turbines a threat to Canadian bat populations

Expert notes population of hoary bats could be cut in half by 2028

Following an assessment of three bat species in Canada, one of North America’s leading experts says hoary bats could see their populations cut in half by 2028. A young Hoary Bat in care of Bat World Sanctuary, a conservation facility in Texas. (Contributed photo by the World Bat Sanctuary)
A Little Brown Bat is shown in a handout photo. A disease that has been nearly wiping out bat populations in eastern Canada and the U.S. has made its first appearance in Alberta. White Nose Syndrome, a fungus that starves bats to death by interrupting their winter hibernation, was identified in several locations in the province last year. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Cory Olson, WCS Canada

Bat fungus that causes fatal White-Nose Syndrome makes first appearances in Alberta

‘It’s not a lot of bats that can survive this disease.’

A Little Brown Bat is shown in a handout photo. A disease that has been nearly wiping out bat populations in eastern Canada and the U.S. has made its first appearance in Alberta. White Nose Syndrome, a fungus that starves bats to death by interrupting their winter hibernation, was identified in several locations in the province last year. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Cory Olson, WCS Canada
Baby humpback whale playing just west of Portland Island in Juneau in 2021. (Credit: Kristin Stekoll)

Endangered wildlife committee keeps B.C’s humpback whales on the list

Population has grown, but risk remains

  • Dec 19, 2022
Baby humpback whale playing just west of Portland Island in Juneau in 2021. (Credit: Kristin Stekoll)
Montreal mayor Valerie Plante delivers remarks during the opening ceremony of the COP15 UN conference on biodiversity in Montreal on Tuesday, December 6, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

Big cities have a major role to play in protecting biodiversity, experts say

Increasing native plants and animals and decreasing contaminants, among actions cities can take

Montreal mayor Valerie Plante delivers remarks during the opening ceremony of the COP15 UN conference on biodiversity in Montreal on Tuesday, December 6, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
Conservation groups want the federal government to preserve fin whales’ threatened status and act on outstanding measures to protect them. (Photo by Jackie Hildering / Marine Education and Research Society)

At-risk fin whales are in hot water with protection downgrade, LNG, and climate change

Shipping traffic set to increase in 2025

  • Nov 14, 2022
Conservation groups want the federal government to preserve fin whales’ threatened status and act on outstanding measures to protect them. (Photo by Jackie Hildering / Marine Education and Research Society)
A response vessel with a vacuum truck on board is shown off San Juan Island, Washington, in this recent handout photo. The United States Coast Guard says commercial divers are assessing a sunken fishing boat that went down Saturday in waters on the U.S. side of Haro Strait and is leaking fuel not far from southern Vancouver Island. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - U.S. Coast Guard

Fear for B.C.’s endangered orcas after U.S. boat sinks with 10,000 litres of fuel near Victoria

There are only 74 southern resident killer whales remaining

A response vessel with a vacuum truck on board is shown off San Juan Island, Washington, in this recent handout photo. The United States Coast Guard says commercial divers are assessing a sunken fishing boat that went down Saturday in waters on the U.S. side of Haro Strait and is leaking fuel not far from southern Vancouver Island. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - U.S. Coast Guard
Friends of Uplands Park Society volunteers are pictured pulling invasive carpet burweed at Cattle Point, an area with unique biodiversity that vice-president and botanist Wylie Thomas says is being negatively affected by increased foot traffic. (Courtesy of Wylie Thomas)

Volunteers advocate for sustainable infrastructure at Oak Bay’s Cattle Point

Boardwalk design for protecting biodiversity will be presented to council

Friends of Uplands Park Society volunteers are pictured pulling invasive carpet burweed at Cattle Point, an area with unique biodiversity that vice-president and botanist Wylie Thomas says is being negatively affected by increased foot traffic. (Courtesy of Wylie Thomas)
Passersby have been able to enjoy a full view of the ocean and coast from the McNeill Bay bluff, thanks to major progress on the restoration of the shoreline. In March, Sirois and Gauthier transitioned from clearing invasive species along the bluff to “indefinitely” maintaining the area and its various native trees and shrubs. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)

Heavy lifting done for McNeill Bay bluff restoration

Lead volunteer wants Garry oaks, berries for birds and indefinite shoreline maintenance

Passersby have been able to enjoy a full view of the ocean and coast from the McNeill Bay bluff, thanks to major progress on the restoration of the shoreline. In March, Sirois and Gauthier transitioned from clearing invasive species along the bluff to “indefinitely” maintaining the area and its various native trees and shrubs. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)
Avid volunteers and individual landowners can support efforts to protect and monitor the province’s 15 bat species by downloading the 2022 Bat Count data form and recording and submitting their summer tallies. (Courtesy of the Sunshine Coast Wildlife Project)

Volunteers called up to bat for BC Annual Bat Count

Help needed tallying roosting bats to support protection of species populations

Avid volunteers and individual landowners can support efforts to protect and monitor the province’s 15 bat species by downloading the 2022 Bat Count data form and recording and submitting their summer tallies. (Courtesy of the Sunshine Coast Wildlife Project)
A rare American badger with young kits is living on a lot in a Cariboo neighbourhood. (Ruth Lloyd photo - Williams Lake Tribune)

Endangered badger raising family of 3 in developing Cariboo neighbourhood

Rare sighting for the area delights residents as young begin to emerge from the den

A rare American badger with young kits is living on a lot in a Cariboo neighbourhood. (Ruth Lloyd photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
A screenshot from a YouTube video shot by John Goodell appears to show a very young calf (second from left) swimming alongside members of the southern resident killer whale’s K-pod. (John Goodell/YouTube)

VIDEO: First calf in a decade spotted swimming with K-pod off Oregon coast

YouTube video shows young calf swimming alongside southern resident killer whales

A screenshot from a YouTube video shot by John Goodell appears to show a very young calf (second from left) swimming alongside members of the southern resident killer whale’s K-pod. (John Goodell/YouTube)
The central meadow in Uplands Park is closed to walkers for the fourth consecutive year in order to protect at-risk plants. (Wylie Thomas photo)

Oak Bay asks Uplands visitors to stick to trails, stay out of central meadow

It’s up to guests to protect Garry oak meadow at risk

The central meadow in Uplands Park is closed to walkers for the fourth consecutive year in order to protect at-risk plants. (Wylie Thomas photo)
An adult Vancouver Island marmot and her pup at one of the new colonies discovered this summer. Photo courtesy Kevin Gourlay.

Reseachers find three new Vancouver Island Marmot colonies this summer

Two colonies found in Strathcona Park, where recovery has been a “struggle”

An adult Vancouver Island marmot and her pup at one of the new colonies discovered this summer. Photo courtesy Kevin Gourlay.
Halfpipe with his mother Split Fluke in 2019. Photo courtesy Kaitlin Paquette.

Death of young humpback shows tragic impact of ship collisions, 2 experts say

Two-year-old ‘Halfpipe’ found dead July 8

Halfpipe with his mother Split Fluke in 2019. Photo courtesy Kaitlin Paquette.
A trail camera photo of a wolverine in B.C.’s Shuswap region. (Photo courtesy Grant Hiebert)

Researchers puncture the myth of the Vancouver Island wolverine

VIU team shows Island wolverines largely indistinct from mainland counterparts

A trail camera photo of a wolverine in B.C.’s Shuswap region. (Photo courtesy Grant Hiebert)
Staff and students try to improve the coastal bluff habitat on Hornby Island for creatures such as birds, bees, and butterflies including the rare Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly. (Photo submitted)

Islands Trust Conservancy gets funding for protection of at-risk species

Conservancy manages habitat for more than 25 plant and animal species at risk

Staff and students try to improve the coastal bluff habitat on Hornby Island for creatures such as birds, bees, and butterflies including the rare Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly. (Photo submitted)