Category Archives: Animals

Animals

Celebrating Women in Science: Laurel Bohart

Originally published by the Beaty Biodiversity Museum, University of British Columbia

By Ildiko Szabo

On February 11th, UN International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the Beaty Biodiversity Museum is honouring Laurel Bohart (Née Dick).

A graduate of the University of British Columbia with a BSc in Zoology (1977), Laurel went on to earn a Master’s degree in Museum Science, with a minor in Ornithology, from Texas Tech University (1980). Through her work as a taxidermist and science educator, she has played an important role in preserving scientific knowledge and making it accessible to diverse audiences.

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Animals, Rivers & Oceans

Social smarts help BC humpbacks adapt as oceans change

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Whale researcher Janie Wray vividly remembers the first time she saw humpbacks bubble-net feeding on the northern BC coast more than 20 years ago.

First, the mournful calls begin at depth, followed by a perfect ring of bubbles rising through the water. Moments later, herring scatter and flash as they leap from the ocean as up to a dozen humpbacks surge upwards in unison, breaking the surface with their maws agape.

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Animals

Campbell River among BC’s worst communities for putting down black bears in 2025

Campbell River had one of the province’s worst records for putting down black bears in 2025. The BC Conservation Officer Service (COS) dispatched 13 black bears in the village of Ucluelet, but the city of Campbell River and District of Sechelt tied for second place at 7 kills each. This puts them ahead of larger city’s like Prince George (5 kills), Kamloops (4 kills) and Kelowna (2), as well as every other community in British Columbia.

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Animals

Annual Christmas Bird Count 2025: interview with George Sirk

One of Cortes Island’s longstanding traditions is the Christmas Bird Count; for almost 25 years, local residents have volunteered in a coordinated week-long audit of the island’s bird life. For many years this effort has been coordinated in the field by longtime islander George Sirk, host of CKTZ’s ‘Nature Boy‘ which kicks off a new season at 9:30 AM on Wednesday, January 7, 2026.

Roy Hales interviewed George about this year’s bird count.

Golden-crowned Sparrow
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Animals

Canadian and US regulations are at odds in the Salish Sea, and whales are caught in the middle

Editor’s note: The Orcas that visit Cortes, Quadra and the Redonda Islands are mostly members of the northern resident pod, but there also get visitors from the southern pod.

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Salish Sea is one ecosystem but Canada and the US are playing by different rules when it comes to protecting threatened whales, experts warn. 

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