Grizzly mother and cub in front of the bighouse on the Koeye river.

A bright-spot for bear conservation

On this episode of the Future Ecologies podcast, Doug (Muq’vas Glaw) Neasloss and Kyle Artelle illustrate the issues with the NAM by telling the story of provincial management of grizzly bear hunting in the Great Bear Rainforest. However, they also illustrate an alternative to the NAM, a decolonial model rooted in Indigenous sovereignty that has made the Great Bear Rainforest a bright-spot for bear conservation .

The Hunting Collective podcast brand to the left of Chris Darimont on a river in the central coast.

Exploring human dimensions of hunting via social science, evolutionary ecology, and personal experience

In episode 140 of The Hunting Collective podcast, Ben O’Brien does a fascinating and good-natured follow up interview with Dr. Barrie Gilbert. Dr. Gilbert is a prominent bear biologist, friend of Raincoast, and previous verbal sparring-partner with Ben (at least when it comes to the hunting of predators). Ben invited Dr. Gilbert back for another interview, and they made productive amends…

Dave Scott, Misty MacDuffee, Lia Chalifour, and Charlie Clark work in the Fraser River Estuary.

How new research on habitats within the Fraser River estuary implicates conservation strategy

Raincoast biologist Misty MacDuffee joined Mark Brennae on CFAX 1070 to talk about the Fraser River and the fish that rely on its distinct and interconnected habitat. The Fraser Estuary supports more than 100 species that are recognized as “at-risk” (threatened, endangered or of concern) either provincially or federally.1 Misty MacDuffee is part of a…

Two killer whales come to the surface of the Salish Sea.

Misty MacDuffee on CFAX 1070 talking about the approval of the Trans Mountain Pipeline

The day after the federal government approved the Trans Mountain Pipeline yet again, Raincoast’s Wild Salmon Program Director, Misty MacDuffee spoke with Mark Brennae on CFAX 1070 to talk pipelines, whales, and how humans are implicated in the disappearance of species. There is, of course, the risk of an oil spill or a vessel strike, but the noise and disturbance on both inbound and outbound tankers is always a certainty. And that noise can reduce the whales ability to echolocate and communicate…

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

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

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…

Southern Resident killer whales J50 with her sister, J42, in July of 2018, swim by in the Salish Sea.

Misty MacDuffee joins Adam Stirling on CFAX 1070 to discuss Washington State’s billion dollar plan to aid killer whale recovery

Misty MacDuffee and Adam Stirling discuss the benefits and the shortcomings of Washington’s investment, the problem with dams, aid to Chinook hatcheries and new hatchery production. They discuss the genetic and ecological implications from hatcheries and why MacDuffee believes this makes them a poor investment for salmon recovery and Southern Resident killer whales.    …

Southern Resident killer whale, J50, looking emaciated in the Salish Sea.

Cabinet rejects request for an emergency order for endangered killer whales

Last week the Canadian federal government announced its refusal to issue an emergency order to protect endangered Southern Resident killer whales under the Species at Risk Act, despite the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans’ recommendation to do so. Misty MacDuffee joined Adam Stirling on CFAX 1070 on Monday, November 5th to discuss these measures…