Critics are blasting the province’s upcoming herring fishery, saying B.C. is the only jurisdiction on North America to allow herring to be harvested on the Pacific coast. Linda Aylesworth reports.
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How do you connect to the cycle of life? 🐟️🌲
When salmon return to the earth, they provide nutrients to the forests and streams of British Columbia. When you return to earth, just like a salmon, you can leave a gift for the wild places you love. We’ve partnered with Epilogue, an online wills platform founded by experienced estate planning lawyers to help you get the will you need and create the conservation legacy you want to leave behind. Pacific Wild relies on gifts in wills to ensure we can continue the important work we do– A gift in your will to our registered charity can make a difference long after you are gone, and provide tax advantages for your estate.
With Epilogue, you can complete your will in as little as 20 minutes and from the comfort of your own home. Canadian supporters of Pacific Wild can enjoy 20% off any Epilogue package, by clicking on the link in our bio.
Consider supporting us here at Pacific Wild so we can continue furthering our conservation work! No matter the size of your gift, your legacy can help preserve the natural beauty we all cherish. Learn more and start your journey towards making a difference— link in bio! 💙 #Will #Give #Charity
Results are in! Some wins, Some Losses this Herring Spawn Season
Don’t want to read dense government reports but want to see what’s up with herring? Go to the link in our bio to read our new blog for a summary from the 2024 Pacific Herring Preliminary Data Summary in the Strait of Georgia (the Salish Sea).
📸: @iantmcallister
#foragefish #pacificherring #herring #biglittlefish #protectpacificherring
Notes from the field:
We clenched our teeth as our vehicles strained up a steep logging road towards our goal: a B.C. Timber Sales site containing a Priority Old Forest Deferral Area. What we found there took our breath away.
Shafts of sunlight sunk deep into the moss. When we stepped off the road and into the trees of the ravine, we noticed the difference in sound and atmosphere. It was muted, soft. As we clambered through the criss-crossing branches and ferns we noticed something white gleaming in the green maze. A jaw bone over here, ribs and spine over there, and hip bones covered by pieces of fur lay a few paces away. Finally we found a skull propped up on a boulder, which gave us the final clues to help identify our find. A few months ago this patch of forest had provided a soft bed to a wolf in its’ final moments. This was an incredibly rare find. Hundreds of wolves are killed each year in B.C. by hunters, trappers and government contractors, but few are found like this: quietly decomposing in an old growth forest.
We found no evidence of human intervention on the scene. Instead we saw the forest reclaiming its kin. Mushrooms processing decay, slugs eating mushrooms (among other delicious treats), the cycle repeating itself. Nearby, a large douglas fir revealed a perfectly V shaped nook at its base. Perhaps this had once been a temporary den site for the wandering wolf, now vacant and ready for a new guest.
Healthy forests are more than a collection of trees– they’re a web of life. They are the birth and final resting places of their inhabitants, a network of nutrients cycling through all plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria that call these places home.
Speak up to protect B.C. wolves and these incredible ecosystems we all rely on for survival. Send a letter at the link in bio.
Photos by Natasha Wehn
#fieldnotes #expedition #oldgrowth #SaveBCWolves
Who Lurks in the Kelp? 🦀
From playful harbour seals to stealthy kelp crabs, many fascinating creatures play a vital role in the thriving ecosystems within B.C.’s kelp forests. Every species, big or small, contributes to the delicate balance of life beneath the waves. Many little guys on or near the bottom like kelp crabs are herbivores, dining mainly on the kelp itself, while seals cruising through the kelp are top predators in these forest ecosystems. Protecting these underwater worlds means safeguarding the rich biodiversity that calls them home. 🌊💙
#Conservation #KelpCrab #SeaLion #OceanConservation
📸 : @iantmcallister
🎣 #SuperFishSaturday Spotlight: Coho Salmon 🎣
Did you know coho salmon are the acrobats of the fish world? 🐟 These "Silver Salmon" are known for their incredible leaps and agility– those leaps up waterfalls, past hungry bears, can be attributed to coho as they return to their birth rivers after spending three to four years at sea. They prefer slow-moving waters and shallow streams, but can conquer powerful rapids and waterfalls with jaw-dropping jumps.
With their striking red sides and dark spots, coho salmon are not only beautiful but also essential to the ecosystems they inhabit as they are important food sources for many other animals at all stages of their life cycle. Juveniles, after hatching in freshwater, spend a year honing their skills and defending their territories. These are called redds, and exhibit fascinating displays referred to as "wig-wag” dances. Despite their resilience, coho populations in B.C. have faced challenges, and are climbing back after a collapse in the 70s and 80s.
Let’s celebrate the strength and spirit of these super fish this Saturday!
What`s your favourite fish? 🐟
#Coho #Conservation #Salmon #Fishing
Rare Grizzly Bear Sighting on Vancouver Island: Ecological Implications & Conservation
A rare sighting of grizzly bear cubs on Vancouver Island has generated excitement among conservationists and experts, as it could indicate the beginning of a native-born grizzly population on the island. This sighting is particularly significant as these cubs are believed to have been born on the island—a rare event since grizzlies are not typically native to Vancouver Island. The bears, captured on camera by wildlife photographer Catherine Babault, were seen with their mother. This is unusual as grizzlies typically swim over from the mainland as adults and typically do not stay permanently.
Vancouver Island has not previously been included in grizzly bear habitat range maps. Grizzly Bears once ranged from Alaska to Mexico, and from the Pacific coast east to Manitoba, but this range has shrunk dramatically and grizzlies have now disappeared from most places south of the 48th parallel. Whether this recent change is a positive or negative sign for grizzly bears remains uncertain.
Babault and wildlife experts stress the importance of maintaining a respectful distance from these bears to prevent negative interactions that could endanger them.
#grizzlybear #conservation #environment
📸: @iantmcallister (image is not of the bear recently spotted on Vancouver Island)
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