Federal authorities have closed Canada’s only known live coral reef in the Pacific Ocean to all commercial and recreational bottom-contact fishing. Fisheries and Oceans Canada says the indefinite closure came into effect on Feb. 14 for the Lophelia Reef, located in the Finlayson Channel of British Columbia’s Central Coast, about 500 kilometres northwest of Vancouver and 200 kilometres directly east of … Read more
As It Happens6:08This rare loon brought the Bellagio Hotel’s famous Vegas fountain show to a halt While it’s common to see crowds of people gathered outside the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, they’re not usually there for birdwatching. But recently, a rare juvenile yellow-billed loon took up residence in the hotel’s artificial lake, … Read more
A sprawling international study of humpback whales in the northern Pacific has found their population has shrunk significantly since 2012 — despite the once-endangered species’ remarkable comeback from the brink of extinction. The new research, published in Royal Society Open Science journal on Wednesday, estimated a roughly 20 per cent drop in the cetacean species’ numbers … Read more
It can be hard enough for skiers and snowboarders in Colorado to avoid trees, other downhillers, poles, mystery bumps and mashed-potato snow — without also having to worry about running into a moose. But that’s not always possible, as several recent social media videos have shown. Since the 2023-24 ski season began, there have been … Read more
It’s mating season for coyotes, which means they’re more likely to be out and about during the day. With that in mind, the City of Burlington, Ont., is reminding residents what to do if they encounter one, and how to coyote-proof their properties. Last week, the city also updated its bylaws to let wildlife management … Read more
For nine years, Alaska health officials have been aware of an unusual virus causing rare, relatively mild illnesses in the Fairbanks area. But a recent case in another part of the state — this one resulting in a man’s death — has brought new attention to the Alaskapox virus. Here’s some background on the virus. What … Read more
Federal wildlife officials on Friday rejected requests from conservation groups to restore protections for gray wolves across the northern U.S Rocky Mountains, saying the predators are in no danger of extinction as some states seek to reduce their numbers through hunting. The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service also said it would work on a first-ever … Read more
When Marijane Sisson looks out the kitchen window of her home outside Cañon City, she is greeted with views of rolling hills and a grassy meadow. Some days, when she’s lucky, a herd of elk appears in the meadow. Sisson and her husband purchased the property in June and moved from Louisiana to live in … Read more
Windsor, Ont.-born photographer Brandon Broderick drives tens of thousands of kilometres each year, crisscrossing the backwoods of British Columbia and capturing photos of beautiful, but elusive, wild animals. All of that hard work paid off this week when Broderick was named the Canadian Geographic’s Photographer of the Year for 2023. “My knees buckled. I almost fell to … Read more
Bird flu has made its way into fur and elephant seal populations for the first time on the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia, a team of scientistsconfirmed Thursday, setting off alarm bells for conservationists as the highly contagious disease has already killed millions of birds worldwide. Scientists first suspected the presence of avian influenza near … Read more
