Latest news with #MarineMammalResearchUnit
CBC
21-07-2025
- General
- CBC
Search for B.C.'s Best Symbol: Round 2 — Animals
Search for B.C.'s Best Symbol: Round 2 — Animals 8 hours ago Duration 1:53 Social Sharing There are a lot of reasons why British Columbians have a deep connection with salmon, from their ubiquity across the province to their circular routine of returning home to spawn. But as the director of UBC's Marine Mammal Research Unit, Andrew Trites, admits, there's also a more selfish reason. "Everything comes back to food, doesn't it?" he said, as he broke down the matchup between the chinook salmon and sockeye salmon in the Search for B.C.'s Best Symbol. Trites pointed out that the chinook is well known because of its massive size — it's called "king salmon" in the United States — while the sockeye is known for its distinctive red colouring and its dense spawning numbers. But there's the element of taste as well. "Is there anything better than putting on the BBQ with a nice piece of chinook salmon? And … when we think of sockeye salmon, the image that comes to mind is smoked salmon because it's a very firm flesh. And who doesn't love eating smoked salmon?" From 8 animals to 4 Beyond the salmon, when you look at the eight animals still in the running in the Search for B.C.'s Best Symbol, a certain theme emerges. "Everything's interconnected," said Trites. "The salmon depend on healthy oceans, healthy rivers, and healthy forest systems. Killer whales and otters, they also depend on healthy salmon … and the bears drag some of the dead carcasses into the woods that fertilize the forest." Interconnected though they may be, we're asking you to vote in four matchups to determine which animals advance to the next round of our friendly competition: Orca vs. sea otter. Steller's jay vs. marmot. Spirit bear vs. grizzly bear. Chinook vs. sockeye salmon. Unlike the first round of the bracket, there are no easy votes at this point. But Trites says that speaks to the powerful connection so many British Columbians have with wildlife — and the reason they're such potent symbols. "All these species hold on some level to people, a level of cultural and spiritual significance." "I'm always struck to hear the emotional effects that it has on people to have seen a killer whale or just to look at awe at spawning sockeye salmon in a river … we're just so lucky to be able to live and coexist with probably the most diverse wildlife in all of North America." Voting is open until 10 p.m. Pacific time. Happy voting!
CBC
03-03-2025
- General
- CBC
Rare dolphin sighting delights West Vancouver onlookers
Social Sharing It was just another routine stroll for Imaan Jiwa, who often visits the West Vancouver seawall to relax after a busy workday. "It's kind of like my place of peace," the Vancouver resident told CBC News. But on Friday, as she rested on a bench near Ambleside Beach, something extraordinary caught her eye. "I was about to get up and then I saw this huge pod of dolphins zip past," the 26-year-old said. As the dolphins glided through the waters of Burrard Inlet, more than two dozen onlookers gathered, recalled Jiwa, mesmerized by the "rare" sight. "I've seen many seals and otters on the seawall ... but never dolphins," she said. The excitement didn't end there. After the first wave of dolphins passed by, a second group arrived — this time, more playful and energetic. "These ones were more rambunctious ... they were just like jumping all over," Jiwa said, noting there were about 30 dolphins in total. She captured the moment on her phone, sharing the video online, which quickly gained attention. Many other videos from onlookers have also surfaced on social media. WATCH | B.C. man recounts the moment he was followed by a pod of dolphins along B.C.'s Howe Sound: #TheMoment a B.C. man rode the waves with dozens of dolphins 2 days ago Duration 1:25 This sighting comes just days after a dolphin pod was spotted cruising through B.C.'s Howe Sound earlier in the week. A video of Jerry McArthur on his electric surfboard went viral after capturing the moment a group of dolphins joined him for the ride. Andrew Trites, who oversees the Marine Mammal Research Unit at UBC's Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, said the pod seen in Burrard Inlet is likely part of that same group. "They may have split up into smaller groups compared to what was seen in Howe Sound," Trites explained. He confirmed the animals caught on camera are Pacific white-sided dolphins — an acrobatic species known for their playful behaviour. According to Trites, it's unusual to see these dolphins so close to shore because they tend to stay out in the open ocean. Their appearance in Burrard Inlet is likely related to the herring run, which likely drew the dolphins to the area in search of food. This is the time of the year that herring begin to congregate to spawn, he said. "It's one of the best food sources for white-sided dolphins because they're very high in fat." Although the close proximity to shore provides an abundant food source, Trites said it also puts the dolphins at risk from predators. He pointed out the dolphins in the video could be seen "moving very fast." "What would they want to escape from? That would be predation from the transient killer whales," he said. "It's a trade-off: do you live close to the grocery store but risk getting run over, or do you live farther away and have to travel great distances for food?" The animals largely disappeared from B.C.'s coast in the early 2000s, according to the Pacific Whale Watch Association, but have started reappearing over the past decade in pods of up to 200 — though elsewhere, they have been known to swim in schools of thousands. Trites said there may be more sightings in the coming weeks as the dolphins take advantage of the herring spawn season. "I would say to anybody that's out walking the shorelines, keep your eyes open, lift them up out of your phones." For Jiwa, the encounter was a reminder of the incredible wildlife that can be found right on Vancouver's doorstep. "It's things like that that make you realize how lucky you are," she said.
