What’s new | Raincoast Conservation Foundation

Converging knowledges to inform and empower conservation

Published on 2019 02 15 | by Tyler Jessen | in Raincoast Blog

A still, quiet day on the Koeye River watershed.

This past summer, I had the opportunity to travel aboard the Raincoast vessel Achiever with several other members of the ACS lab to participate in Koeye camp, a cultural revitalization and education program operated by the Heiltsuk First Nation’s QQS Projects Society. We were there to engage with the youth campers about the research conducted by […]

Seals and sea lions in the Salish Sea are all part of a healthy food web

Published on 2019 02 13 | by Raincoast | in Interviews

Seals hanging out on a rocky outcropping, soaking up some sunshine.

Since the killing of seals and sea lions ended in the 1970s, pinnipeds in the Salish Sea have been recovering. The recovery of seals slowed by 2000 and for the last fifteen years or so the number of seals in the Salish Sea has been relatively stable. This population of fish eaters has recovered to what was likely historic levels…

Research: Differentiating between regulation and hunting as conservation interventions

Published on 2019 02 11 | by Raincoast | in Scientific Literature

A giant pile of bison bones loom over a person standing beside it.

Wildlife conservation literature and public discourse, too often gloss over the important difference between hunting and the regulation of hunting. This is so common that there is a persistent, misinformed idea that extinctions have been avoided through the act of hunting. Historically, the regulation of hunting, not hunting itself, has averted extinction…

Join us in the Great Bear Rainforest in 2019

Published on 2019 02 05 | by Nicholas Sinclair | in Notes from the Field

Achiever rests on the waters of the Great Bear Rainforest at sunset.

We watch as her three little cubs slowly take to the high water and make their way to mom. They graze on roots, and search for salmon carcasses that simply aren’t there. The cub’s curiosity…

April conservation expedition with Raincoast’s Dr. Paul Paquet

Published on 2019 01 31 | by Raincoast | in Raincoast Blog

The Achiever with a misty mountain in the background.

As Raincoast’s Senior Scientist, and a world renowned large carnivore expert, Paul’s input is key to guiding our research and conservation programs in both the Great Bear Rainforest and the Salish Sea. Paul will provide insight into key conservation issues on BC’s coast including…

Advancing non-invasive approaches for monitoring wildlife: considering the ethics of developing new techniques

Published on 2019 01 28 | by Heather Bryan, Postdoctoral Fellow, RACS Lab | in Notes from the Field

A theme that underlies our research in the Applied Conservation Lab is that we aim to apply methods that are minimally invasive to wildlife. This ethos emerges in large part from our partners in First Nations communities, who have taught us many important lessons about respecting the people, places, and animals where we work. Our […]

Meet the team of applied conservation scientists at the University of Victoria

Published on 2019 01 23 | by Chris Darimont, Raincoast Director of Science | in Raincoast Blog

Chris Darimont looking off into the distance on the river with the sun coming through trees in the background.

Last year the Raincoast lab at UVic marked an important new milestone with the creation of the Raincoast Chair in Applied Conservation Science at the University of Victoria. This five year Chaired Professorship allows us to expand our research, teaching and outreach programs in community-driven applied conservation science. Our long-term vision is to train next […]

Southern Resident killer whales need more than luck

Published on 2019 01 21 | by Misty MacDuffee, Wild Salmon Program Director | in Conservation update

Southern Resident killer whales swim by in the Salish Sea.

The reality is that calves like Lucky only have a 40% chance of survival. More sobering still is the fact that no calves have survived in this population in the last three years. This is why we have stopped using images…

L124 is the newest member of the Southern Resident killer whales

Published on 2019 01 15 | by Raincoast | in Interviews

A Southern Resident killer whale slaps their tail in the Salish Sea.

Listen to Misty MacDuffee explain some of the context around the recent birth of L124 in the Salish Sea. Declines in Chinook abundance, especially to the Fraser, are affecting killer whale behaviour patterns, fertility and survival…