The Wild Side

Photo by Rémi Jacquaint on Unsplash
Biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate. Where do we go from here?
Braydon Black | Nov 8, 2018 | in The Wild Side
WWF reports that, on average, animal populations have dropped by more than half since 1970.
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Narwhals surfacing in Nunavut/Paul Nicklen — Provided by WWF-Canada
On the Hunt for Narwhals
Hai Lin Wang | Sep 5, 2018 | in The Wild Side
Government researchers and World Wildlife Fund experts seek to uncover elusive narwhal activities at Tallurutiup Tariunga.
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One of four newly discovered titi monkeys in Brazil/Diogo Afonso Silva
Why there’s been a boom in discovering new species despite a biodiversity crisis
Jean Boubli | Aug 16, 2018 | in The Wild Side
Global biodiversity is in crisis, but a new wave of technology and interest in conservation science has led to a boom in identifying new species, including mammals.
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Smoke covers Hwy 1 near Kamloops/Photo by Tonyglen14 CC BY 2.0
How to protect your children from wildfire smoke
Cecilia Sierra-Heredia | Aug 15, 2018 | in The Wild Side
As BC declares a state of emergency over spreading wildfires, one Simon Fraser researcher weighs in with suggestions for keeping kids safe from smoke inhalation.
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Forest fires rage in northern Alberta in 2009/Cameron Strandberg CC BY-2.0
Fighting historic wildfires amid bad ideas and no funding
Edward Struzik | Aug 9, 2018 | in The Wild Side
Uncontrolled fires are burning across North America. To get ahead of them, fire fighters and need modern tools. And government cash.
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Elephant successfully translocated to Addo Elephant National Park/Matt Hayward
A gigantic trek: what it takes to move 200 elephants 1500 km
Matt Hayward | Aug 8, 2018 | in The Wild Side
The need for translocating some the planet's megafauna is challenging, but government agencies must take risks in the name of global biodiversity.
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MNRF water bomber on a sortie over northern Ontario. (Ryan McGilchrist) CC BY-SA
Forest fires rage southwest of Temagami
Andrew Reeves | Jul 12, 2018 | in The Wild Side
Lightning strikes have caused dozens of forest fires across the province in recent weeks, tens of thousands of hectares in size.
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Woodland caribou in Jasper National Park. (ThartmannWiki. 2014) CC A-SA4
Covering-up caribou loss
Andrew Reeves | Jul 3, 2018 | in The Wild Side
A recent study suggests Canada's forestry sector and its allies in conservative think tanks have intentionally spread misinformation for years to cover-up their role in the decline of caribou nationwide.
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Loch Ness expert Adrian Shine helping sample eDNA. Kieran Hennigan. CC BY-SA.
Monster hunt: using environmental DNA to survey life in Loch Ness
Neil Gemmell | Jun 27, 2018 | in The Wild Side
Environmental DNA gained prominence helping researchers trace invasive species. Today, it's finding new life helping scientists detect legendary monsters.
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A mosquito finds its host. (Jim Gathany. Center for Disease Control. 2003)
Why your summer might be full of mosquitoes, according to a scientist
Heath MacMillan | Jun 25, 2018 | in The Wild Side
Bad mosquito season? Weather and climate play a major role.
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Make it Kenya
A New View of Kenya
Kassidy Veenstra | Jan 15, 2016 | in The Wild Side
Live stream project allows the world a new view of animal migration in Kenya
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Hives for Humanity
Harvesting Community Pride
Eunize Lao | Nov 6, 2015 | in The Wild Side
Hives for Humanity is enhancing communities in British Columbia through apiculture
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(Photo: a cougar stands on a riverbank)
Endangered Perspective: The Elusive Wildcat
Zack Metcalfe | Jun 8, 2015 | in The Wild Side
There is still hope that Atlantic Canada is home to eastern cougars.
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(Photo: a Canadian lynx walks through the snow)
Endangered Perspective: The Famine of the Lynx
Zack Metcalfe | May 21, 2015 | in The Wild Side
The Canadian lynx population experiences frightening dips and climbs every decade, following behind the cycle of its main food source, the snowshoe hare.
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(Photo: a pine marten clings to a fence in Nova Scotia)
Endangered Perspective: Homecoming of the Pine Marten
Zack Metcalfe | May 11, 2015 | in The Wild Side
Once eradicated from many areas of Canada, the pine marten is being reintroduced to new habitats.
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Puffins by Brian Gratwicke via Flickr
Endangered Perspective: The Alarming Case of the Atlantic Puffin
Zack Metcalfe | Apr 27, 2015 | in The Wild Side
Scientists are noticing worrying rates of infant mortality in Atlantic puffin populations – the cause of death is starvation.
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Basking Shark | Chris Gotschalk photo
Endangered Perspective: Predators Both Undervalued and Misunderstood
Zack Metcalfe | Apr 13, 2015 | in The Wild Side
Though often portrayed as man-eaters in the media, sharks rarely attack people. In fact, you are more likely to be killed by a dog bite, a collapsing sand hole or a lightning strike than by a shark.
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A North Atlantic Right Whale mother with her calf
Endangered Perspective: The Right Whale To Save
Zack Metcalfe | Mar 30, 2015 | in The Wild Side
Will the North Atlantic right whale lose the race against extinction?
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Piping Plover | ShutterGlow Photo
Endangered Perspective: The Plight of the Piping Plover
Zack Metcalfe | Mar 16, 2015 | in The Wild Side
A victim of unintended consequences, the piping plover shows no signs of recovery.
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NOAA Fisheries Photo
Endangered Perspective: True Blue Pioneers of the Gulf of St. Lawrence
Zack Metcalfe | Mar 2, 2015 | in The Wild Side
The first blue whale research organization in the world is at risk of disappearing from the coast.
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