LEO Network

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The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
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Observations

Multiple bear sightings in Saanich, near UVic
Residents near the University of Victoria are cautioned to be vigilant as authorities are responding to sightings of a bear in the area.
Oak Bay, British Columbia, Canada
Victoria Buzz

Black bears on the move: more heading south
“In the last 36 hours, we’ve received four bear sightings in Saanich,” said Sgt. Damian Kowalewich with Saanich Police. "A lot of our residents are obviously alarmed by this and it’s a higher number of sightings than usual.”
Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
CHEK

Humpback whales numbers swell in the Strait of Juan de Fuca
The North Pacific Humpback whale population has increased, and sightings are becoming more common.
Clallam Bay, Washington, United States

Invasive Himalayan Blackberry Out-competing Native Bushes
Himalayan blackberries (*Rubus armeniacus*) are out competing native shrub species and taking over open grasslands.
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Caught on cam: Tornado touches down on Vancouver Island
A small tornado that touched down on Vancouver Island Thursday afternoon was recorded on one resident’s front door camera.
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
ctvnews

Invasive Common Wall Lizard Continues to Spread, Saanich
I have lived along Epsom Drive, between Cedar Hill Golf course and Cedar Hill Road for 22 years. I have seen a common wall lizard once, in late spring of 2020 at our address.
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Cody Thomas, Dionne Sanderson, Eva Gribbon, David Oswald

Pollen in Abundance: A Stress Crop?
Pollen may be hanging in the air longer than usual due to lack of rain
Langford, British Columbia, Canada

Urban Deer Playing
Adult deer are often seen walking down residential roads in Victoria, but are rarely seen playing.

Massive anchovy school in White Rock draws a crowd
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said photographer Marissa Baecker, who was visiting White Rock from Kelowna on Christmas Day. “It wasn’t just a feeding, it was a feast.”
White Rock, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Seabird Aggregation Over Abundant Northern Anchovy (Engraulis mordax)
Professor John Reynolds shared the following video of his observation of a large aggregation of gulls and other coastal seabirds over a large aggregation of Northern Anchovy at White Rock, BC.
White Rock, British Columbia, Canada
Twitter

Rare flock of birds spotted in Oak Bay
Lesser Goldfinch birds were seen munching on local greenery
Oak Bay, British Columbia, Canada
Victoria News

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) Sighting, Rare on Vancouver Island
This is one of just a small number of Blue Jay sightings recorded on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Twitter

Rare bird sighting brings crowds of birding enthusiasts to Vancouver Island
A yellow-browed warbler spotted in Panama Flats on Friday drew dozens of birding enthusiasts to Vancouver Island on Saturday
Panama Flats, Victoria, BC, Canada
CHEK

Hybrid salmon discovered by scientists on Vancouver Island
Researchers on Vancouver Island are studying fish they recently discovered that share genes of both coho and chinook salmon. The hybrid fish, are likely the result of drought in the Cowichan watershed, which has impacted when and where coho and chinook spawn.
Cowichan River, British Columbia, Canada
CBC

Schools of California Anchovy (Engraulis mordax)
Ross Bay, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Poisonous porcupine fish arrives on Island shores — a B.C. first
Gavin Hanke reaches a gloved hand into the formaldehyde tank at the Royal British Columbia Museum very, very carefully. What emerges is a B.C. first — a poisonous spotted porcupine fish.
Jordan River, B.C. Canada
Times Colonist

Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) offshore of Vancouver
Sturgeon Bank Wildlife Management Area, British Columbia, Canada
Twitter

Invasive Asian giant hornets found on Vancouver Island
Asian giant hornets are known to feed on honeybees and other large insects and are capable of destroying a beehive in a short time, according to the province.
Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
CTV News

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) at St Margerats Bay
In 2016, there was a documented Brown Pelican sighting in Port Renfrew, BC, and in 2018-2019 there were five others in Victoria, BC.
St. Margerats Bay, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Blue-green algae advisory in effect for Prior Lake on Vancouver Island
A blue-green algae advisory is in effect for Prior Lake in Thetis Lake Regional Park after the toxic blooms were spotted in the water.
Prior Lake, British Columbia, Canada
CBC

Lake water to be pumped into B.C. river due to severe drought
A Vancouver Island watershed is experiencing such a severe drought the town of Lake Cowichan says it will start using pumps to keep the local river flowing.
Lake Cowichan, British Columbia, Canada
CBC

CRD warns visitors, dog owners of toxic algae in Beaver Lake
Visitors advised not to swim in lake and keep dogs on leash
Elk Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Victoria News

Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) in Tsawwassen
The bird flew in on the mudflats at high tide and joined a small flock of Western Sandpipers. This is the second record for the province of BC.
Beach Grove lagoon at Boundary Bay Regional Park, BC, Canada
Rare Bird Alert
Ilya Povalyaev, Melissa Hafting, Mike Toochin, Sharon Toochin and Richard Swanston

Invasive poison hemlock a growing concern on Vancouver Island
The Capital Regional District recently issued an alert sheet for Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum).
Capital Regional District, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Island

Where are the endangered whales? Southern residents haven't been spotted in B.C.'s Salish Sea
Southern resident killer whales which are often spotted in the Salish Sea near Vancouver throughout June haven't been seen this season, and scientists believe that could be because of the lack of chinook salmon.
Salish Sea, British Columbia, Canada
CBC News

TenTen Creek return of Salmon Species
North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada

Victoria sets rainfall record amid very dry June
The South Island is on track to set a single-day record for rainfall Thursday in the midst of a historically dry June.
CTV News, Vancouver Island

The Salish Sea’s orcas are late for their annual summer visit, the latest sign something is wrong
Researchers say their absence is a stark reminder that the orcas are slowly starving to death because there is not enough Chinook salmon to sustain them.
Salish Sea
The Star

It’s spring, but B.C. is sounding the alarm on drought
Drought levels have been raised already for parts of the province and Dave Campbell, with the B.C. River Forecast Centre, says the current forecast points to drought conditions provincewide in the coming weeks.
British Columbia, Canada
Port Alberni Valley News

Another dead grey whale found off B.C. coast
A dead grey whale was found floating in Boundary Bay, near the United States border, this week. It's the sixth grey whale to have been found dead in B.C. waters this year.
Boundary Bay, Canada

Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus) Feeding in Haro Strait
Haro Strait, Canada
Theo Okolowicz, Phoebe Okey-Dobie, Tom Okey

Extreme weather sparks large die off of Cedar on Vancouver Island
A growing die off of native Western Red Cedar trees is becoming visible right across East Vancouver Island now. Experts say its a symptom of climate change and as Skye Ryan reports, its changing the forests we've come to know across this region.
East Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
CHEK

Climate change effects obvious on Cowichan River, wildfire season
The Cowichan River is lower than it was in August last year, after the long extreme heat and drought. There might not be enough water in the river for newly-hatched salmon to swim to the ocean.
Cowichan River, British Columbia, Canada
Cowichan Valley Citizen

Dead grey whale towed to Institute of Ocean Sciences in Sidney for necropsy
A dead male grey whale that was found floating between Sidney Island and James Island on Thursday has been towed to Fisheries and Oceans Canada's Institute of Ocean Sciences in Sidney for a necropsy.
Sidney Channel, British Columbia, Canada

Intrusion of Beach Stones and Saltwater into the Coastal Forest
French Beach Provincial Park

Eagle preys on duck on Saanich Peninsula
‘I’ve never seen that before in my life’
North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
Victoria News

72 dead baby sharks removed from dead pregnant shark during necropsy at Coles Bay
Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the University of Victoria’s Juanes Laboratory think the shark came into shallow water to give birth and potentially had complications, as there are no signs of trauma.
Coles Bay, Saanich, BC

Pregnant shark washes up on Vancouver Island shoreline
The carcass of a nearly four-metre-long bluntnose sixgill shark was found on Coles Bay Tuesday.
North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Island

Pregnant Bluntnose Sixgill Shark (Hexanchus griseus) in Coles Bay
A pregnant bluntnose sixgill shark found on the banks of Coles Bay may have come in to shallow water to give birth and died from complications.
Cole Bay, British Columbia, Canada

Heart of White Rock breaks along with pier
Long time White Rock resident and CBC Producer Joan Marshall reflects on what the pier has meant to her and her community.
White Rock, British Columbia, Canada

Hundreds of sea lions take over docks of Cowichan Bay
A raucous crowd has moved into Cowichan Bay and the volume and odour coming from them is wafting for blocks around. Locals estimate over 300 sea lions have descended on the Cowichan community and their presence is proving a huge tourist draw.
Duncan, British Columbia, Canada

Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) die-off French Beach
Many mature Sitka spruce trees dying off from French Beach south into Sooke along waterfront. Many dead partway up and needles thin.
Elizabeth Graham, Jacob Earnshaw, Robin Mulvey

Three new humpback whales identified off east Vancouver Island
Three new humpback whales have been identified off the East Coast of Vancouver Island as that species makes a massive comeback in our waters.
Strait of Georgia, British Columbia, Canada

Sea otter (Enhydra lutris) living near Race Rocks
Race Rocks Ecological Reserve, British Columbia, Canada

'A really, really significant sighting': Vancouver Island birdwatchers aflutter over unusual arrival
It's believed the pine bunting has never been seen south of Alaska — until this week.

Another Southern Resident killer whale is losing body condition, and researchers are concerned about the pregnant females
Salish Sea
Candace Calloway Whiting

Dead and dying birds rain down in unexplained occurrence in B.C. community
A British Columbia man who witnessed dozens of birds falling from the sky just south of Vancouver says he was horrified by the sight.
Tsawwassen, British Columbia, Canada
National Post

Rare sighting of lone Brown Pelican in Oak Bay waters
Bird is uncharacteristically alone and far from home
Oak Bay, British Columbia, Canada

Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) mortality from drought stress

Drought has volunteers walking Cowichan Lake area’s dry rivers and creek-beds looking for stranded fish fry
Plans are underway for raising the weir: a reflection of widespread concern, says Ken Traynor
Cowichan Lake Area, British Columbia, Canada
Lake Cowichan Gazette

White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) in Port Renfrew
A White-winged Dove was photographed at the Port Renfrew Marina at 11:57 am on August 22-2018 but was misidentified as a Band-tailed Pigeon...
Port Renfrew, British Columbia, Canada

Red-brown algae blooms spotted in Puget Sound
If you see something that looks like tomato soup in Puget Sound, here's why.
Puget Sound, Washington, United States
KING

Warning issued after toxic death cap mushrooms found in Greater Victoria
The highly toxic death cap mushroom, responsible for the death of a Victoria toddler in 2016, has already been found growing in Greater Victoria, much earlier than expected.
Cedar Hill Golf Course, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Times Colonist

Brown ocean water at White Rock beach caused by ‘algae bloom’
City released a notice Thursday, saying the water is safe
Peace Arch News

Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) Foraging in Re-occupied Soft Bottom Habitats
Rare observation of sea otter in Haro Strait, perhaps first since 2014.
Haro Strait, British Columbia, Canada

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Targeting Forage Fish in Open Water
Island View Beach, British Columbia, Canada

Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) Sighted in the Haro Strait
Island View Beach Regional Park
Phoebe Okey-Dobie, Theo Okolowicz, Tom Okey

'Set net' of Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Island View Beach, Saanich, British Columbia, Canada

Rare killer whale sighting in Victoria's Inner Harbour
One whale-watched said it appeared to be a mother orca with a large dorsal fin and three to four young orcas.
CTVNews

Where salmon recreational fishing will be closed to boost orcas
Federal officials have shut down salmon and recreational fishing for the summer in key feeding grounds for killer whales. The closures, which took effect Friday, apply to parts of the southern . . .
Gulf Islands, British Columbia, Canada
Times Colonist

What is Eating Garry Oak (Quercus garryana) Leaves?
Mount Tolmie, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Gulf Islanders raise alarm over too many whale-watching boats
Southern Gulf Islands, British Columbia, Canada
CBC News

California Quail (Callipepla californica) Expanding Poleward

Pair of Sea Otters (Enhydra lutris) Observed in Cordova Channel
Tsawout First Nation Beach, British Columbia, Canada

Bivalves recently cracked by sea otters (Enhydra lutris) indicating re-occupation
We discovered numerous large marine bivalve shells (and two chiton shells) that had been cracked recently by sea otters. Ocean View Beach is around the southern extent of Vancouver Island and back again north in the Strait of Georgia. The present observation is evidence of sea otters traveling into the Strait of Georgia.
Island View Beach, British Columbia, Canada
Tom Okey, Theo Okolowicz, Phoebe Okey-Dobie

Vancouver Island cholera outbreak 'a unique situation,' health officials say
The cases in B.C. have been traced back to consumption of herring spawn, a treasured traditional food source for First Nations throughout Vancouver Island.
Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Cholera found in herring eggs from Oceanside area
NANAIMO — Island Health and the BC Centre for Disease Control are warning anyone who's eaten herring eggs recently to stay hydrated and safely dispose of any remaining eggs.
Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
NanaimonewsNOW

Unseasonably early daffodils prompt wish for cold weather on B.C. farm
Longview Farms just north of Victoria says mild weather a problem for seasonal farming
Lake Cowichan Gazette

Endangered Orcas Are Starving. Should We Start Feeding Them?
Washington state officials have proposed a new tack to save the Pacific Northwest's critically endangered orca population. Their idea is to boost salmon
Puget Sound, Washington, United States
NW News Network

Victoria breaks rainfall record for November
Residents say mild weather makes toughing out the rain worthwhile
Lake Cowichan Gazette
Lauren Boothby, Hugo Wong, and Ashley Wadwani

Wednesday's warm weather record-breaking in Duncan
Weather fronts bring more rain
Duncan, British Columbia, Canada
Cowichan Valley Citizen

King-of-the-salmon (Trachipterus altivelis) stranded on beach

'Very rare' King-of-the-Salmon fish found on Vancouver Island beach
A thin, shimmering fish covered in purple scales and fringed with a red dorsal fin. It turned out to be a massive King-of-the-Salmon fish, measuring about two metres in length.
CBC News

Rare "king-of-the-salmon" washes up on Oak Bay beach
The rare type of ribbonfish was found by a man walking his dog on Rattenbury Beach.
Surrey Now-Leader

Salmon Spill Sends Thousands of Invasive Fish Swimming Up and Down the Pacific Coast
Last month, a pen in Washington State holding hundreds of thousands of fish broke, sending swarms of silver Atlantic salmon swimming to the south and north.
Cypress Island, Washington, United States
Gizmodo

Dry Koksilah River threatens fish in Cowichan Valley
The Koksilah River is in trouble, with low flows threatening fish populations.
Koksiloh River, British Columbia, Canada

Juvenile Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) in southern coastal BC
Southern BC Waters

After Atlantic salmon spill, fish farms’ future under attack on both sides of border
Cooke Aquaculture Pacific knew its Cypress Island facility was “vulnerable” before the spill that sent tens of thousands of invasive Atlantic salmon into Puget Sound. Now, the future of Atlantic salmon farming in Washington is in doubt.
Anacortes, Washington, United States
The Seattle Times

Lummi Nation fishermen catch an estimated 20,000 Atlantic salmon following fish farm collapse
It's unclear how many Atlantic salmon escaped from the pen. The Lummi Nation says tribal fishermen have removed 20,000 from the Puget Sound. Washington state officials says Cooke Aquaculture has recovered 120,000 fish from the pen and that more are still inside.
Cypress Island, Washington, United States

Here’s what that farmed fish escape in Washington could mean for Alaska
Some are concerned about the farmed Atlantic salmon coming to Alaska and bringing unwelcome competition for native species.
Anacortes, Washington, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

U.S. First Nation declares state of emergency after Atlantic salmon spill near Victoria
A First Nation near Bellingham, Wash., has declared a state of emergency after thousands of Atlantic salmon escaped a U.S. fish farm in the San Juan Islands near Victoria, B.C.
Cypress Island, Washington, United States

'Environmental Nightmare' After Thousands Of Atlantic Salmon Escape Fish Farm
Officials blame the failure of a pen near Washington's Cypress Island on high tides caused by the eclipse, but that is being questioned. Fishing boats are scrambling to catch as many as possible.
Deepwater Bay, Washington, United States
NPR.org

Spill of farmed Atlantic salmon near San Juan Islands much bigger than first estimates
A fish farm was destroyed after the Atlantic salmon escape, with Cooke Aquaculture calling it a “salvage operation.” Scientists debunked the statement from Cooke that “exceptionally high tides and currents coinciding with this week’s solar eclipse” caused the damage.
The Seattle Times

Atlantic salmon escape U.S. fish farm near B.C. waters
Local Indigenous community says the invasive species could devastate fishing industry in the area
The Globe and Mail

Environmentalists question eclipse explanation for huge salmon dump
Did Monday's eclipse play a role in a huge Atlantic salmon spill from a fish farm in the San Juans? The company says yes. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is urging the public to catch as many of the fish as possible, with no limit on size or number. The fish are about 10 pounds each. No one will know how many escaped until harvesting is completed.
Skagit County, Washington, United States
KGW8 NEWS

Please go fishing, Washington state says after farmed Atlantic salmon escape broken net
Thousands of farmed Atlantic salmon were accidentally released into the waters between Anacortes and the San Juan Islands, and officials are asking people to catch as many as possible. Tribal fishers, concerned about native salmon populations, call the accident “a devastation.”
The Seattle Times

Increase in Common Raven (Corvus corax) abundance

Up to 305,000 invasive adult Atlantic salmon escape fish farm in San Juan Islands
There were 305,000, 10 lb Atlantic salmon when the pen at the fish farm in the San Juan Islands burst open on Saturday.
Anacortes, Washington, United States
Daily Hive

Please go fishing, Washington state says after farmed Atlantic salmon escape broken net
It's open season on Atlantic salmon as the public is urged to help mop up a salmon spill from an imploded net pen holding 305,000 fish at a Cooke Aquaculture fish farm near Cypress Island.
Alaska Dispatch News

What British Columbians can do in the aftermath of the Atlantic salmon farm spill
There could be a major ecological impact to the coastal waters stretching from British Columbia to Oregon after an Atlantic salmon farm near the San Juan Islands, just east of Victoria, accidentally spilled thousands of live fish into local waters.
Daily Hive

Thousands of Atlantic salmon escape fish farm near Victoria after nets damaged
Thousands of Atlantic salmon have escaped into Pacific waters east of Victoria after a net pen was damaged. The company is blaming high tides, but the tides weren't unusual.

Dense Smoke Over Bellingham Bay
Bellingham, Washington, United States

Poor air quality for Swinomish community members
Bay View, Washington, United States

Horned Puffin (Fratercula corniculata) - Smith Island, Puget Sound
Horned Puffin sighted near Smith Island in the Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca, WA.
Oak Harbor, Washington, United States

Warning about Death Cap mushrooms in Victoria and Vancouver
There is a warning from Island Health about a poisonous mushroom known as the "Death Cap", which has been spotted in residential areas near Victoria.
NEWS 1130

Death cap mushrooms popping up early in Uplands
The potentially fatal death cap mushrooms that killed a three-year-old boy last year are popping up early in Uplands. The mushroom, known by the scientific name Amanita phalloides, was discovered.
Ripon Road, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Death cap mushrooms beginning to return to Victoria
A mycologist said the Amanita phalloides has sprouted up in Victoria again.

Potentially fatal death cap mushrooms spotted in Victoria neighbourhood
Island Health confirms the fungus, known scientifically as Amanita phalloides, has already flowered in Uplands this July.
Vancouver Island

Fewer European Earwigs (Forficula auricularia) in Victoria, BC

Food Forest Garden at NWIC Enjoying the Warm Weather
*Foodscaping a Tribal College* – The purpose of the project is to provide the Northwest Indian College (NWIC) and Lummi Communities with a model of food sovereignty and local access to organic, traditional foods.
Ferndale, Washington, United States

Leaping lizards! Victoria under invasion

Victoria Day heat a 10-year Duncan high
Victoria Day brought with it a statutory holiday and a new 10-year high in Duncan.
Duncan, British Columbia, Canada

Rare Eagle observed on Swinomish Reservation
La Conner, Washington, United States

U.S. Native Coastal Communities Moving Due to Change Climate Change
La Push, Washington
Colorlines

No assurance that water in Cowichan River now will help with summer drought
It’s likely a lot of Cowichan Lake residents think there’s plenty of water around for the summer of 2017, given the winter we’ve been having. But, according to Cowichan River watcher Parker Jefferson, “We’re just about where we were last year.”
Lake Cowichan, British Columbia, Canada

Herring spawn on eelgrass
Coal Port, Delta, British Columbia, Canada

Herring spawn near Lily Point
Near Lily Point, Point Roberts, Washington, United States

Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus) near Vancouver
Sturgeon Bank Wildlife Management Area, British Columbia, Canada

Stinging Nettle Urtica dioica Harvest at NWIC Lummi Campus
NWIC Lummi Campus, Washington, United States

Unusual Depressions in Lummi Tideflats
Marietta, Washington, United States
Tom Okey, Jeramiah Wallace, Sichangu Lee

Manila Clam (Venerupis philippinarum) Die-Off
Manila Clam (*Venerupis philippinarum*) Die-off observed - possibly related to freezing temperatures.
Lummi Bay, Bellingham, Washington (Lummi Nation), United States

Another Puget Sound orca dies — 5th in a year
The death this week of another Puget Sound killer whale makes 2016 one of the worst in recent history for the endangered marine mammals. At least five orcas in the family group J-pod have died in the past year.
Puget Sound, Washington, United States
Seattle Times

December Blossoms of Japanese Flowering Cherry (Prunus subhirtella)

Sand lance (Ammodytes personatus) school
Island View Beach

Bellingham Bay Water Merging
On a field trip with Northwest Indian College Geology class to Chuckanut Drive saw water with apparent difference in color.
Bellingham, Washington

Juvenile Sand lance (Ammodytes personatus) intertidal burrowing

Garry Oak (Quercus garryana) Leaves and Flowers Opening in November
Mount Tolmie, Saanich, BC, Canada

Juvenile Pacific Herring ball (Clupea pallasii)
Henderson Point, North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada

Mixed schools of Sandlance (Ammodytes personatus) and Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii)

Surf smelt (Hypomesus prestiosus) school
15m north of the Island View Beach boat ramp

Increasing Sea Surface Temperature at Entrance Island
Entrance Island, British Columbia, Canada

Large school of post-larval California anchovy (Engraulis mordax)
Trincomali Channel, Valdes Island

Fraser River sockeye salmon at lowest numbers since records began in 1893
“The exact reasons why the return fell at the lower end of the forecast range are unknown at this time, but poorer than average marine survival is a leading candidate.”
Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada
Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly

Shift of Diverse Subtidal Community to Sea Cucumber (Holothuroidea) Barrens

Dolphins in Salish Sea signal warming worries

Stage 3 Water Restrictions in Shawnigan Lake, BC
Shawnigan Lake, BC

Big Mama and the return of the humpback whales to the Salish Sea
Not a single humpback whale was seen in the Salish Sea for nearly a hundred years
Salish Sea
Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly

Victoria Harbour 2: Contaminants in Sediment and Mussels

Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) Sighted at Possession Point, Southern Vancouver Islan
Sooke, British Columbia, Canada

Rare and friendly sea otter spotted in waters off Saanich
[VIDEOS & PHOTOS] A rare and entertaining sea otter spotted along the shores of Saanich this week has locals thrilled, but wildlife experts warn to keep a distance.
Ten Mile Point, British Columbia, Canada

B.C.'s Cowichan River in danger of drying up

Bird experts aflutter over drop in rufous hummingbird numbers
The number of rufous hummingbirds visiting southern Vancouver Island over the summer is dropping and the cause may be climate change, says a local bird expert.
Central Saanich, British Columbia, Canada

Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) off Southern Vancouver Island, Canada
Sooke, British Columbia, Canada

Brown Pelicans In BC Waters
Two Brown Pelicans were spotted off the Discovery Islands near Victoria on May 12. This species of pelican is familiar to anyone who has travelled to the beaches of Mexico, Caribbean or southern USA.
Discovery Island, Oak Bay, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

First Elephant Seal Born at Race Rocks
Ryan has observed a lot of aggression on the part of the young male which had previously been named Misery by Mike Slater. The baby was born beside the helicopter pad, and has spent the first day t…
Race Rocks Ecological Reserve, British Columbia, Canada
Race Rocks Ecological Reserve- Marine mammals, seabirds

Lack of food drives away southern resident killer whales
The southern resident killer whales who returned to their traditional summer feeding grounds in the Salish Sea on Tuesday and Wednesday after a long absence have apparently left again, and although most of the members of J-, K- and L-Pods appeared to be healthy, at least one may be close to starvation.

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