Category Archives: Animals

Animals, Environment

Stop Recreational Boaters From Polluting Cortes Islands Protected Areas

There are good reasons that boaters are not allowed to dump chemicals, sewage and other debris in Carrington Bay, Cortes Bay, Gorge Harbour, Squirrel Cove, or Manson’s Landing. “[Cortes Island] has the best oysters in the area, [possibly] because it is supposed to have such pristine clean water,” says Julia Rendall, President of the 13 member Bee Islets Growers Corporation. She explained that violations “could close us down and if we are closed down I think we have to have three tests, three weeks in a row, clear. So it could, in theory, close you down for about a month.” Cortes Island’s unique environmental features resulted in the creation of  several marine parks. Contamination is a concern for all islanders, whether they are shellfish harvesters or not. These areas are currently designated as “No Discharge Zones” under federal regulations. Never-the-less, violations periodically do occur and a recent incident illustrates the difficulties of trying to stop recreational boaters from polluting Cortes Islands protected areas.

Continue reading Stop Recreational Boaters From Polluting Cortes Islands Protected Areas →
Animals, Environment, History

How People’s Attitudes Towards Nature Changed

1 Comment

What was life like in the era before cell phones, computers and televisions. Did British Columbians feel closer to nature when they worked outside in the elements rather than within the artificial confines of a building? In this mornings program I ask Mike Manson, a descendant of one of Cortes Island’s oldest European families, and Mike Moore, one of our better known eco-tour guides, how public attitudes towards nature changed since the first settlers arrived.

Continue reading How People’s Attitudes Towards Nature Changed →
Animals

One Man’s Experience Of The Changing Antarctic

By Roy L Hales

Mike Moore spends six weeks in the Antarctic most winters. Since 2001, he has worked as  a zodiac driver, naturalist and lecturer for 14 seasons. Up until five years ago, he found it really hard to tell how the climate was changing. Since then, the public has been barred from visiting some glaciers because of crevices. In other areas, bare rock stands where there was once ice. The once clear deep Antarctic waters have become murky. New species have moved into the area and old ones are disappearing. In this morning’s program, Moore describes one man’s experience of the changing Antarctic

Continue reading One Man’s Experience Of The Changing Antarctic →
Animals, Indigenous Nations History

Humpbacks Return To Cortes Island

2 Comments

Humpback whales were passing through our area long before Europeans arrived. The first colonial settlement was named Whalteown and Whaletown Road run across the island to Squirrel Cove. There is also a “Whaling Station Bay,” on Hornby Island and “Blubber Bay,” on Texada Island. However up until a few years ago, there have been no humpback whale sightings since 1871. This morning’s broadcast consists of a series of interviews about the humpbacks return to Cortes Island.

Continue reading Humpbacks Return To Cortes Island →
Animals

Who Speaks For Brother Wolf?

Originally broadcast in Season One of the Deep Roots Initiative, Cortes Radio, CKTZ, 89.5 FM

Western culture paints wolves with a dark brush as evil characters in myths and fairytales, but perhaps that’s because they’re more like us than we care to admit. Natalia Auger Nybida takes a deep look at the essential role wolves play in our ecosystem.

Continue reading Who Speaks For Brother Wolf? →