A grizzly bear sits in the water munching on a salmon in their hands.

Research: Fisheries management of the Wuikinuxv bear-salmon-human system guided by n̓àn̓akila and data

Guided by the Wuikinuxv principle of n̓àn̓akila (to keep an eye on something or someone; a protector or guardian), a new study shows how fisheries managers can allocate salmon for wildlife, while balancing the needs of local communities.

A group of scientists and students converge after Christina Service's dissertation defence.

The future of applied conservation science is bright

This has been a time of remarkable accomplishment for the Raincoast Applied Conservation Science Lab at the University of Victoria. The research that the lab produces is a dynamic mix of population analyses, biogeography, marine-terrestrial interactions and much more, all rooted in a ‘wildlife welfare’ ethic. Collaboration with Indigenous communities forms the hallmark of much of this work, which is being directly applied…

A collage of images and graphs from a published peer reviewed article on salmonid species diversity and bear health: Hakai, Raincoast, University of Victoria, and Spirit Bear Foundation logos at the bottom.

Salmon species diversity predicts salmon consumption by terrestrial wildlife

Research by scientists at Spirit Bear Research Foundation, Raincoast Conservation Foundation, and the University of Victoria, led by Christina Service, shows that salmon species diversity – the number of spawning salmon species available – is far more important and positively related to salmon consumption in coastal black bears than biomass abundance…

A bear in Mussel Inlet.

New dietary study reveals salmon hotspots for grizzly and black bears across 700,000 square kilometres

This study represents a decade of work covering an area reaching 1000km into BC and provides resource managers – Indigenous and Western alike – with dietary information from hundreds of bears across thousands of square kilometres, shedding light on the ecological interconnections of ecology in the expansive bear-salmon-human system…