Published scientific literature

Raincoast is a team of scientists and conservationists that undertake primary research and publishes peer-reviewed science to inform our conservation objectives. As an evidence-based, conservation science organisation (science ENGO), that operates a research lab, research field station and a research/sailing vessel, we are unique in Canada.

Two people looking in a viewfinder at a salmon smolt while doing monitoring on the North Arm Jetty — Photo by Alex Harris / Raincoast Conservation Foundation.

Two people analyzing bear hair. — Photo by Grant Callegari, Hakai Magazine

Investigate. Inform. Inspire.

Raincoast’s in-house scientists, collaborating graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and professors make us unique among conservation groups. We work with First Nations, academic institutions, government and other NGOs to gather information and build support for decisions that protect marine and terrestrial ecosystems, their components and processes. We conduct applied, process-oriented, and hypothesis-driven research that has immediate and relevant utility for the conservation debate and the collective body of scientific knowledge.

Peer-reviewed science publications

Hunted wolves are under stress

2014 November 18

Scientific literature

Journal Paper: Heavily hunted wolves have higher stress and reproductive steroids than wolves with lower hunting pressure…

Indigenous knowledge and science unite to reveal distributional shift in wildlife

2014 July 25

Scientific literature

Study by Raincoast and partners discusses the movement of grizzlies from BC’s mainland onto coastal islands in the journal PLOS ONE…

Population genetic structure of gray wolves in a marine archipelago…

2014 July 13

Scientific literature

Researchers find differences between BC’s coastal and mainland wolves. Published in BMC Ecology

Time-delayed subsidies: Interspecies population effects in salmon

2014 June 10

Scientific literature

New study from SFU and Raincoast shows the benefits from higher numbers of spawning pink and chum salmon on coho…

Spawning pink and chum salmon provide benefits to coho

2014 June 9

Backgrounders, Scientific literature

Research from SFU and Raincoast scientists shows juvenile coho salmon benefit from dining on the carcasses of spawning pink and chum salmon.

When Science-Based Management Isn’t

2014 March 25

Scientific literature

Raincoast & SFU scientists just published a letter in the international journal SCIENCE. It calls out the BC gov’t for making politically motivated decisions and calling them ‘scientific’…

Confronting uncertainty in wildlife management: performance of grizzly bear management

2013 December 1

Scientific literature

Raincoast scientists and partners reveal that the excess mortality in the BC grizzly hunt (ie killing more bears than is sustainable) may have occurred in up to 70% of cases…

Grizzly bear hunt not founded in science say Raincoast scientists

2013 November 30

Scientific literature

“Confronting Uncertainty in Grizzly Bear Management” is a paper published by Raincoast scientists and our partners that challenges the BC government’s claim of sound scientific management over its grizzly hunt.

Stress and reproductive hormones in grizzly bears reflect nutritional benefits and social consequences

2013 November 27

Backgrounders, Scientific literature

Salmon declines could have long-term effects on grizzly bear health, conclude scientists from Raincoast in a study published today in the scientific journal PLOS ONE…

Bears, salmon and forests: new research on old connections

2013 October 22

Scientific literature

Raincoast and UVic scientists finds new reasons to support the importance of bears and salmon for tree growth in the ancient forests of Haida Gwaii…

Publication Summary 2012

2013 January 5

Scientific literature

This is the list of papers published in scientific journals by Raincoast science staff and/or our grizzly, wolf, salmon, and marine programs through to the end of 2012.

Animal welfare papers presented at conference: abstracts

2012 October 24

Scientific literature

Raincoast has been pushing the idea of animal welfare considerations in wildlife management. The topic was addressed at the Wildlife Society’s Annual Conference where Raincoast presented two papers.