Victoria

Human disturbances, such as off-leash dogs and increased tourism, are causing a decline in shorebird populations at the Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary, disrupting their critical stopover habitat and reflecting broader global biodiversity challenges.

A blue-green algae bloom detected at Lower Thetis Lake’s main beach prompted a Capital Regional District health advisory on July 20, 2025, warning humans and pets to avoid the water.

A 4-year-old child was attacked and injured by a cougar while hiking near Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park; the National Park Service is seeking witnesses.

A bloom of non-toxic Noctiluca algae is lining Saanich Inlet’s shoreline; safe for swimmers and shellfish consumption so far. Scientists say the bloom is not producing toxins yet, but could as the water gets warmer. “This one is a bit early!” said Galbraith.

The annual toss of salmon carcasses helps provide essential nutrients for Douglas Creek as part of restoration efforts.

A sea otter was seen climbing onto surfboards and following surfers near Sooke, British Columbia, prompting safety warnings from Fisheries and Oceans Canada regarding interactions with marine mammals.

A 23-year-old male orca named Noah made a surprising visit to Victoria's Inner Harbour on December 14, causing excitement among locals.

The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe catches coho salmon on the free-flowing Elwha River for the first time in over a century since the removal of dams, marking a historic moment for the tribe and the river's recovery.

Joe Gaydos found a bluefin tuna washed up on Orcas Island off the coast of Washington state. According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the fish usually roam the more temperate waters of the Pacific Ocean.

“We spent the weekend outdoors camping on the peninsula and notices shoreline grasses has dried and shriveled.”

New fish have been spotted in a recently revitalized section of Craigflower Creek in View Royal, B.C., thanks to a development site with an environmental focus.

In 2022, a record number of Bigg’s killer whales (orcas) and humpback whales were spotted in the waters surrounding Victoria as well as south along Washington’s border.

A B.C. photographer and her dog found a Giant Pacific octopus washed up on the shore of a Vancouver Island beach.

Volunteers from the Friends of Bowker Creek Society say uncovering caddisfly larvae in the gravel beds of the stream show the water quality has improved to a level sufficient to sustain salmon and cutthroat trout.

In 2009, the numbers dropped down to just 500 pairs of Chinook returning. Yet, as of Tuesday, more than 8,000 Chinook had returned to their Cowichan River spawning grounds. The improvement is the result of years of conservation efforts by Cowichan Tribes, who have worked to restore the river to its course before logging operations changed the river.

The most common pod of southern resident killer whales who migrate to the Salish Sea during the summer have not been seen for than 100 days, marking a highly unusual absence from their historic summer hunting ground, according to researchers.

In Malahat Drive in BC, an extraordinary heat wave, combined with low tides during the middle of the day resulted in the die off of possibly billions of intertidal invertebrates along the coast of British Columbia and Washington State.

To a greater degree than in many other animals, including humans, the southern resident orcas put family first. Their society is matriarchal, with the pods led by grandmothers and mothers.

An outbreak of salmonellosis among pine siskins in North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada may be linked to an increased population, migratory irruption, and the use of bird feeders during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.