Wildlife

A hummingbird sits on a tree branch near Oliver, B.C., on Monday June 14, 2010. The cold snap in B.C. is posing significant issues for wildlife across the province as freezing temperatures deplete reliable food sources for animals, experts say. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Extreme cold weather causes detrimental impacts on birds in B.C.: Wildlife experts

Risk of frostbite, dehydration and getting stuck to frozen metal contribute to survival crisis

A hummingbird sits on a tree branch near Oliver, B.C., on Monday June 14, 2010. The cold snap in B.C. is posing significant issues for wildlife across the province as freezing temperatures deplete reliable food sources for animals, experts say. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
A Salmon Arm artist worked with talented local fabricators to create an enormous set of steel bighorn sheep horns to greet visitors to Radium Hot Springs. (Village of Radium Hot Springs image)

Radium collisions causing dwindling bighorn sheep population; overpass urged by expert

The Radium herd has been declining for years, and was reduced by 19 just from traffic last year

A Salmon Arm artist worked with talented local fabricators to create an enormous set of steel bighorn sheep horns to greet visitors to Radium Hot Springs. (Village of Radium Hot Springs image)
A person kneels down to grab a photo of the fox in downtown Quesnel on Tuesday, Dec. 28. (Rebecca Dyok photo)

PHOTOS: Curious fox captivates attention in downtown Quesnel, B.C.

Convenience store staff asking people to not feed the red-tailed visitor

A person kneels down to grab a photo of the fox in downtown Quesnel on Tuesday, Dec. 28. (Rebecca Dyok photo)
A small, orphaned black bear cub in Gold River has been rescued. Photo courtesy Kim Sevinski.

Wildlife advocates work together to rescue orphaned bear cub on Vancouver Island

Underweight bear was alone for days in Vancouver Island community, now in rehabilitation centre

A small, orphaned black bear cub in Gold River has been rescued. Photo courtesy Kim Sevinski.
A husky charged at a cougar in Saanich on Dec. 21 before the dog quickly turned back. The cougar then left the property. (Photo courtesy of Saanich police)

VIDEO: Alarmed B.C. pet owner stops husky from charging cougar in his driveway

Encounter was a reminder that the large animals live nearby, local police say

A husky charged at a cougar in Saanich on Dec. 21 before the dog quickly turned back. The cougar then left the property. (Photo courtesy of Saanich police)
(Westerly file photo)

Bear deaths in Tofino-Ucluelet draw anger throughout province

District offices in Tofino and Ucluelet working on new wildlife attractant bylaws

(Westerly file photo)
Outrigger canoe paddlers glide toward one of two humpback whales observed in the waters off Ogden Point in Victoria on Saturday (Nov. 27). (Photo by Amanda Jean Carl)

‘Experience of a lifetime:’ Career oceanographer’s humpback sighting off Victoria

Water surprisingly calm when whales surfaced near Ogden Point, paddler says

Outrigger canoe paddlers glide toward one of two humpback whales observed in the waters off Ogden Point in Victoria on Saturday (Nov. 27). (Photo by Amanda Jean Carl)
A female raccoon dragging a leg trap is sedated for examination at the Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre in Metchosin. It was later put down. (Courtesy Wild ARC)

Raccoon drags leg trap around for days, dies at B.C. wild animal rehab centre

Animal had crushed front leg, was beyond rehabilitation

A female raccoon dragging a leg trap is sedated for examination at the Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre in Metchosin. It was later put down. (Courtesy Wild ARC)
Rodenticide-laced grain, coloured so humans can tell the difference, was found scattered underneath a rodent bait box at a Ministry of Environment office near where a great horned owl was found dead. (Photo courtesy of Deanna Pfeifer)

Advocate wants rodenticide ban after dead bird found outside Victoria MOE office

Raptors continue to be poisoned by consuming rodents that have eaten poison-laced bait

Rodenticide-laced grain, coloured so humans can tell the difference, was found scattered underneath a rodent bait box at a Ministry of Environment office near where a great horned owl was found dead. (Photo courtesy of Deanna Pfeifer)
Ucluelet Aquarium crewmembers Emma Brisebois, Laura Griffith Cochrane and Alana Carswell smile around a tank full of baby skates, which have become one of the facility’s most popular attractions. (Andrew Bailey photo)

Ucluelet Aquarium invites sealife lovers to annual release day event

Thousands of animals are ready to head home

Ucluelet Aquarium crewmembers Emma Brisebois, Laura Griffith Cochrane and Alana Carswell smile around a tank full of baby skates, which have become one of the facility’s most popular attractions. (Andrew Bailey photo)
A wild caribou roams the tundra near The Meadowbank Gold Mine located in the Nunavut Territory of Canada on March 25, 2009. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Quebec builds fences around caribou as experts decry lack of habitat protection

Biologist said enclosing animals, killing predators is a last ditch attempt to save species

A wild caribou roams the tundra near The Meadowbank Gold Mine located in the Nunavut Territory of Canada on March 25, 2009. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
A Steller’s sea eagle is shown in this recent handout photo taken through a telescope near Falmouth, N.S. A rare eagle that is a long, long way from home in Nova Scotia has birdwatchers in this part of the world both flummoxed and spellbound. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Phil Taylor

Rare eagle sighting in Atlantic Canada like palm tree in the tundra, expert says

The Steller’s sea eagle is classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature

A Steller’s sea eagle is shown in this recent handout photo taken through a telescope near Falmouth, N.S. A rare eagle that is a long, long way from home in Nova Scotia has birdwatchers in this part of the world both flummoxed and spellbound. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Phil Taylor
The fawn mule deer that was injured by an unleashed dog in Kuiper’s Peak Mountain Park on Nov. 7. (Contributed)

Unleashed dog attack on deer in Kelowna park leads to charges against owner

Conservation officers had to euthanize the injured deer

The fawn mule deer that was injured by an unleashed dog in Kuiper’s Peak Mountain Park on Nov. 7. (Contributed)
Three dead mule deer were found near Castlegar. Black Press file photo
Three dead mule deer were found near Castlegar. Black Press file photo
FILE - This May 20, 2019, file photo shows a Mexican gray wolf. Research by scientists, to be showcased Friday in a CBC documentary, explores how the pandemic has affected the behaviour of wolves and several other animals. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)

Canadian doc ‘Nature’s Big Year’ shows how wildlife has adapted during the pandemic

Documentary exposes new animal behaviour sparked by changes in human behaviour

FILE - This May 20, 2019, file photo shows a Mexican gray wolf. Research by scientists, to be showcased Friday in a CBC documentary, explores how the pandemic has affected the behaviour of wolves and several other animals. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)
An Anna’s hummingbird in care at the Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre in Metchosin this spring. (Courtesy Wild ARC)

If the feeder’s out, you’re committed: hummingbird care in a B.C. winter

B.C. biologist floats tips to keeping hummingbirds fed, safe this season

An Anna’s hummingbird in care at the Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre in Metchosin this spring. (Courtesy Wild ARC)
Westerly file photo

POLL: Would you like to see more fines issued for unsecured wildlife attractants?

Deadly year for Black Bears in Tofino and Ucluelet

  • Nov 7, 2021
Westerly file photo
A Washington State Department of Agriculture worker holds two of the dozens of Asian giant hornets vacuumed from a tree in Blaine, Wash., on October 24, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Elaine Thompson

B.C. murder hornet remains believed connected with recent Washington infestation

Expert: good chance specimen related to previous find, meaning reduced cause for concern

A Washington State Department of Agriculture worker holds two of the dozens of Asian giant hornets vacuumed from a tree in Blaine, Wash., on October 24, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Elaine Thompson
An adult male black bear was killed after breaking into a garage in Ucluelet on Monday, Oct. 25. (Westerly file photo)

Another bear killed in Ucluelet as ‘horrible year’ continues

11 bears killed in Tofino-Ucluelet region so far this year

An adult male black bear was killed after breaking into a garage in Ucluelet on Monday, Oct. 25. (Westerly file photo)
A pair of Great Horn owlets pose majestically on their way to a rehabilitation centre outside the Boundary. Photo: Submitted

Man fined for keeping baby owls in his B.C. home

Investigating Conservation Officer says the man had the birds for two months

A pair of Great Horn owlets pose majestically on their way to a rehabilitation centre outside the Boundary. Photo: Submitted