Royal BC Museum's traveling exhibition, Species at Risk, goes on the road across British Columbia

Vancouver Island Marmots, one of Canada's most endangered mammals, suffered significant losses this past winter. The unique marmot may be found on mountain slopes and alpine meadows around central Vancouver Island, but the rodents are at risk due to habitat loss.

The Royal BC Museum's traveling exhibition, Species at Risk, highlights the plight of British Columbia's vulnerable flora and fauna, such as the Vancouver Island Marmot, and emphasizes positive ways people can help their non-human neighbors. This is the second summer the traveling exhibit will be touring around BC.

The traveling Species at Risk exhibition. 

Species at Risk is making stops throughout the province this summer at schools, museums and events on Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland, Okanagan and, for the first time, the Kootenays. The public is invited to visit, explore and learn for free.

Species at Risk will be at Victoria's BC Legislature Grounds on Canada Day, July 1, for its send-off from Vancouver Island to the mainland. "We created Species at Risk to tell a story that is of critical importance to this province," said Prof. Jack Lohman, CEO of the Royal BC Museum. "We are extending our research and expertise to communities around the province to better explain what we do."

Beautifully designed Mini-Museum kits featuring real specimens and hands-on activities travel with the exhibition. The eight kits, four of which are new this year, are distributed to schools around the province and used throughout the school year. Two knowledgeable interpreters work with the regional partners to bring the exhibition to life and engage with local communities.

This butterfly, a subspecies of the Western Branded Skipper, is found in Garry Oak and coastal sand spit ecosystems around southern Vancouver Island. It is a species at risk because of habitat loss and pesticides. 

Species at Risk Tour Schedule - Summer 2016

July 1 | Canada Day Send-off, BC Legislature Grounds, Victoria

July 5 | Science World at TELUS World of Science, Vancouver

July 6 | Surrey Art Gallery and Bear Creek Park, Surrey

July 7 | Beaty Biodiversity Museum, UBC Campus, Vancouver

July 9 | Kamloops Museum & Archives, Kamloops

July 11 | Big Little Science Centre, Kamloops

July 12-13 | Okanagan Science Centre, Vernon

July 18-22 | Touchstones Nelson Museum of Art & History, Nelson

July 25-August 1 | Creston and District Museum, Creston

August 4 | Wildsight, Invermere Branch

August 8-12 | Ktunaxa Interpretive Centre, Cranbrook

August 15-19 | Rossland Museum and Discovert Centre, Rossland 

Photos and Images by Royal BC Museum

Forage's Chris Whittaker Snags Top Chowder Prize, Chef Ned Bell Wins People's Choice Award

Creamy BC Spot Prawn Chowder by Chef Chris Whittaker

What a wonderful celebration for Executive Chef Chris Whittaker. On the one-year anniversary of opening Forage in Vancouver's West End, Whittaker once again earned the title of Vancouver Aquarium Ocean Wise Chowder Chowdown Champion.

Whittaker was among 13 Ocean Wise chefs from British Columbia who competed in the ocean-friendly seafood chowder contest at the Vancouver Aquarium on November 20, 2013. His Wild BC Spot Prawn Chowder took first place among the other competitors, including executive chefs from Vancouver's Fairmont and Four Season Hotels, Edible Canada, Coast and C Restaurant. 

His dish, Creamy BC Spot Prawn Chowder, featured the classic flavors of smoked pork hock, white wine and thyme, and was finished with a soft boiled quail egg and pork crackling. It's been on the menu at Forage since Whittaker's initial win last year. "This chowder is so popular that I wanted to keep it on the menu," said Whittaker. "I took a chance and used the same recipe for this year's competition, so it will stay on the menu -- at least for this year!"

Executive Chef Chris Whittaker of Forage

The celebrity judges sampled each chowder, as did the 600 people who attended the event. Ned Bell of YEW Restaurant + Bar was selected as the winner of the People's Choice award. His chowder, The Big Red, was composed of humpback shrimp, pink peppercorn cream and BC Cranberry & Okanagan Apple Relish. Bell's award-winning chowder is currently on the menu at YEW (at the Four Seasons Vancouver).

Beer was also an important element of the evening, and Chef Paul Cecconi of Brodo Kitchen and Catering with CodFathers Seafood Market won the award for best pairing: Outlandish Mussel-Saffron Chowder paired with Red Racer ESB beer by Central City Brewers and Distillers. 

Judges for the sixth annual event were:

• Guy Dean - Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, Albion Fisheries Ltd.
• Rob  Clark - Co-owner of The Fish Counter and Ocean Wise chef partner
• Chester Carey - Serious Beer program instructor and certified cicerone
• Sid Cross - Food and wine aficionado
• Andrew Morrison - Founder of Scout Magazine
• Tim Pawsey - Food and wine journalist
• Jamie Maw - Food and wine journalist

November is Ocean Wise month, and consumers are invited to join the sustainable seafood movement by eating ocean-friendly seafood to keep the oceans healthy. 

Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup Celebrates 20 Years of Shoreline Revitalization

Beach on Vancouver Island. Photo by Sue Frause.

The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup is celebrating 20 years of shoreline revitalization. The annual fall cleanup across Canada is September 21-29, 2013. A joint project of the Vancouver Aquarium and WWF-Canada, the Shoreline Cleanup is Canada's largest direct action conservation initiative. More than 42,000 Canadians participate in 1,400+ cleanup sites across the country. 

During its 20-year history, an impressive 500,000 volunteers have participated in the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. That's enough people to fill Vancouver's BC Place or Toronto's Rogers Centre more than nine times. Volunteers have cleaned around 21,775 kilometres of shorelines -- the equivalent to crossing Canada three times between Vancouver, BC and St. John's, NL. And they've collected approximately 1.2 million kilograms of shoreline litter -- about the same weight as 259 school buses. Impressive numbers!

But other numbers are more sobering: In 2012, more than 136,000 kilograms of debris was collected along 3,102 kilometres of shorelines. The major items were:

• Plastic and paper bags
• Cigarettes/cigarette filters
• Food wrappers and containers
• Caps and lids
• Glass and plastic beverage bottles
• Beverage cans
• Disposable flatware
• Straws/stirrers
• Tobacco packaging
• Building materials

Shoreline litter is a serious environmental issue in Canada and worldwide. It entangles and chokes wildlife, is ingested by wild animals and has a negative impact on water quality and cleanliness.. During last year's cleanup, 45 animals were found entangled, including 22 fish, 10 birds and even a fox. 

To mark Shoreline Cleanup's 20th Anniversary, there are 20 specially designated public shoreline cleanups marked by 20-themed recognitions held in communities across the country. They include Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax, Edmonton, Prince Rupert, Repulse Bay, Oakville, Stratford, Ucluelet, Whitehorse, Kelowna, Campbell River, Regina, Hamilton, Goderich, Grand-Metis, Winnipeg and St. John's.

To volunteer, register at ShorelineCleanup.ca or stop by any public clean site listed on the website that's still looking for help. The cleanup is presented by Loblaw Companies Limited of Canada.

Vancouver Aquarium Hosts Discussion About Japanese Tsunami's Debris Impact on British Columbia

Photo by Sue Frause

The Vancouver Aquarium has put together a panel of local experts from Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Environment Canada for a public discussion about the ongoing effects in British Columbia as a result of the 2011 tsunami in Japan. 

Japanese Tsunami Debris: Why We See the Debris in BC will delve into ways the tsunami debris has made its way to Canada's west coast; the potential environmental effects of the debris; and action that's being taken to address the issue. It will also feature what creative Canadians are doing to call attention to the problem of marine debris. The panel of experts includes:

• Jill Dwyer, Manager, Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup (emcee)
• Dr. Richard Thompson, Scientist, Ocean Sciences Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
• Paul Kluckner, Co-Chair of Canada/BC Tsunami Debris Coordinating Committee, Regional Director General West & North, Environment Canada 
• Peter Clarkson, flotsam sculptor and marine debris artist. His art is featured throughout the Vancouver Aquarium.

The effect of the Japanese tsunami is just one aspect of a much larger environmental issue of shoreline litter, which not only impacts communities and waterways, but the wildlife that depends on them. Organizers are hoping the evening will help to increase public awareness of tsunami debris in BC and what can be done to address shoreline litter during September's Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup across Canada. 

Japanese Tsunami Debris: Why We See the Debris in BC

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

7-9 PM. Tour of Peter Clarkson's marine debris artwork at 6 PM

Vancouver Aquarium at Stanley Park
Free and open to the public

The Robert Bateman Centre in Victoria, BC Features Largest Exhibit of Canadian Artist's Original Works

The Robert Bateman Centre is in the restored Steamship Terminal.

Although I'm a loyal Closet Canuck, I admit I'm not familiar with the legendary Canadian artist Robert Bateman. But I found out plenty about him when I last visited Victoria in July. Bateman is a Canadian naturalist and painter who focuses on wildlife and nature in his paintings, with his subjects ranging from Africa to Canada's Arctic. On May 24, 2013 The Robert Bateman Centre opened in Victoria's Inner Harbour. Located in the historic CPR Steamship Terminal* that's been restored, the 5,000 sq. ft. space (465 sq. meters) includes a gallery, educational space and retail store.

Robert Bateman Sketchbooks

The permanent exhibition features about 160 of Bateman's masterpieces, with some of the paintings in the $11 million collection never seen before by the public. The exhibition begins with a section of The Loretta Anne Rogers Gallery that's dedicated to British Columbia. Bateman  moved to BC's Gulf Islands in the 1980s, which resulted in an outpouring of new work, some of which appears in this gallery. The Suzanne and Walter Scott Galleries showcase some of his best work inspired by his travels and affection for Africa. 

Tools of the artist. Robert Batemen's brushes on display. 

Ten galleries cover different aspects of Bateman's work, two of which are of special interest to youth and children. The Family Gallery includes a hands-on nature play area for children under 10, while the Kathryn Iredale Gallery focuses on birds. The bird collection may be explored by a multi-channel sound system and sensors on the paintings. When visitors pass their hands over the labels on the paintings, an appropriate bird sound resonates in the gallery. I enjoyed watching the video in the Diane and David Reesor Theatre, where Bateman spoke about his vision while working in his studio on Saltspring Island. 

Canadian wildlife by Robert Bateman

Photos by Sue Frause

*The CPR Steamship Terminal is a historic landmark in Victoria's Inner Harbour. Constructed in 1924, the neo-classical building was designed by Francis Rattenbury and P. Leonard James. Rattenbury was also the architect of The Fairmont Empress Hotel and the Legislative Building. 

Free Whale Watching on Vancouver Island? Head for Victoria's Inner Harbour

"Surfacing," by artist Sandra Bilawich. Photo by Sue Frause.

OK, that headline is a little misleading. Yes, you can go whale watching on Vancouver Island, but it will cost you (one of my favorite operators is the Prince of Whales in Victoria). But there's a different kind of whale watching happening in BC's capital city, and it's on dry land. 

Although I visit Victoria several times a year, this summer was the first time I noticed an eco sculpture on a corner near The Fairmont Empress. Titled Surfacing, it was created in 2010 by artist Sandra Bilawich of Elemental Designs in Vancouver, a joint venture of the City of Victoria and the Downtown Victoria Business Association. It's located at the southeast corner of Humboldt and Government Streets, across from Tourism Victoria's Visitor Centre.

The sculpture features a mother and baby orca in the form of a three-dimensional horticultural display. Unfortunately, I took a picture of the side where the baby orca doesn't show (top photo), but you can see both the mother and baby below. Commonly referred to as The Orcas, it's 14 feet high and 21 feet long. Or in Canuck talk, four metres tall and six metres long.

The garden display of a mother and baby orca riding a wave was inspired by similar three-dimensional garden structures in Burnaby, BC and Montreal's Mosaiculture Garden. The sculpture is re-installed in May every year and is a popular photo op for residents and visitors throughout the summer. In the fall, mom and baby orca return to their Beacon Hill Park nursery to spend the winter in a greenhouse.

Surfacing by Sandra Bilawich. Photo courtesy City of Victoria.

The project started in 2010 with two phases of construction: the design and manufacturing of the frame, and the preparation and planting of it as a three-dimensional garden bed. The frame took five months to build, utilizing steel in a grid-like fashion (the interior is hollow). The planting takes place over two weeks in February at the Beacon Hill Park nursery. That's when the frame is covered with a landscape fabric that's filled with 5.5 cubic metres of soil mixed with sand for drainage. Then 15,000 plants are added, including two varieties of Alternanthera and one variety of Santolina, annuals known for their colorful foliage and low maintenance. To maintain the display, the sculpture is trimmed bi-monthly and receives regular watering. 

Fun Facts About Surfacing (The Orcas)

• Mother orca weighs 3,750 lbs.
• Baby orca weighs 1,050 lbs.
• Mother's dorsal fin weighs 80 lbs.
• Wave and base weigh 6,500 lbs.
• Total display weighs 11,380 lbs.

Jelly Invasion Arrives at Vancouver Aquarium Featuring Thousands of Jellies

Mastigias papua. Photo courtesy of Vancouver Aquarium.

A new exhibition opened this week at the Vancouver Aquarium, running through November 12, 2013. Simply called Jelly Invasion, the jellies number in the thousands, including more than 15 species of jellies from around the world -- each corner of the Aquarium will showcase a different species. They're mesmerizing to watch, so it's no surprise the Vancouver Aquarium Jelly Cam is getting plenty of traffic.

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, we called them jellyfish, and had fights on the beach with the white ones (the red ones we feared most, as they could sting). And it's true that some box jellyfishes can cause cardiac arrests in humans within minutes of being stung. The term jellies refer to all gelatinous drifting animals (zooplankton), while jellyfish is used to describe the umbrella-shaped jellies with stinging cells that belong to the group of animals (phylum) called Cnidaria.

Jelly Neil Fisher. Vancouver Aquarium photo.

Highlights of the exhibit include such jellies as the lion's mane, a jellyfish whose tentacles can grow to the length of five city buses parked end to end (60 meters long); the upside-down jellyfish, which care for the algae growing in their tissues by always flipping upside down; the blubber and spotted jellyfishes from the warm waters of the Indo-Pacific that have no tentacles, but still sting; and the translucent comb jelly, a fierce predator of other comb jellies found in the cooler waters of the Pacific Northwest. 

There's also an explanation of the phenomenon of jelly blooms, which are unusually huge congregations of jellyfishes and comb jellies. The jelly blooms can decimate fisheries, tip over fishing boats and shut down power plants. Here are some other fun facts about jellies:

• A jellyfish's body is comprised of about 95% water
• Despite their delicate appearance, jellies poop out of their mouths
• The most popular jellyfish is the edible jellyfish that's commercially sold as red, sand or China jellyfish. They are cut into strips, marinated with a soy-sesame dressing and served as a salad with vegetable or chicken slices
• Urinating on a jellyfish sting makes it worse. Use a credit card to gently scrape the remaining tentacle and/or stinging cells off your skas as soon as possible
• Caribbean box jellyfish have sophisticated eyes, stalking its prey with four clusters of 24 eyes

Spotted Jell. Photo courtesy of Vancouver Aquarium.

Shades of 'Big Miracle'? Pod of killer whales trapped in ice of Hudson Bay, Quebec

Arriving at the airport in Kuujjuaq, Nunavik. Sue Frause photo.

So sad to hear about the pod of killer whales trapped in the ice of Hudson Bay, a few miles out of Inukjuak in Nunavik, Quebec. I was in Nunavik in July 2009 on a Cruise North Arctic Odyssey tour. Although we didn't make a stop in Inukjuak, located on the west coast of Nunavik, we visited the communities of Kuujjuaq, Kangiqsujuaq and Ivujivik. As Quebec's Arctic region, Nunavik is a pristine territory located north of the 55th parallel.

But back to the trapped orca. According to CBC.ca, "more than a dozen killer whales are stranded at a breathing hole in the ice near Inukjuak, Que." There's also an article on Digital Journal and a video of the trapped killer whales on YouTube.  

This story is all too familiar, and harkens back to the Drew Barrymore film Big Miracle (2012). Let's hope this real life drama unfolding in Nunavik has an equally happy ending as the Hollywood version. 

• UPDATE #1 The Vancouver Sun (1/9/2013 | 4:40 PM PST)
• UPDATE #2 CT Post (1/10/2013 | 7:16 AM PST)
• UPDATE #3 The Globe and Mail (1/10/2013 | 7:23 PM PST)

Vancouver Aquarium's Scuba Claus goes diving in December to swim amidst the sealife

Santa goes diving among the sea stars. Photo courtesy Vancouver Aquarium.

If you've never seen Santa Claus underwater, he's making regular appearances at the Vancouver Aquarium this December. Each weekend through Christmas, Scuba Claus joins the halibut, rockfish, sturgeon and sea stars of the Georgia Strait at 12:30 PM on Saturdays and Sundays. Between December 21-24, he'll be diving daily at 12:30 PM.

The aquarium's special winter feature is Luminescence: A Celebration of Aquatic Light, which runs through January 22, 2013. Through special exhibits and shows, you'll find out more about the world of fluorescent and bioluminescent light in the ocean. Jelly Swarm is a special light installation designed by Tangible Intervention with origami artist Joseph Wu. It features nearly a hundred jellies all aglow with LED lights. Visitors may control the lighting using a touch screen, creating patterns of light through the swarm of jellies on high. Glowing in the Deep includes Eel-lectric Lights where visitors can experience "eel energy" in action.

The Vancouver Aquarium is all about kids, and the 20-minute holiday film The Polar Express 4-D Experience includes the rumble of the train, falling snow and even the scent of hot chocolate as travelers make their way to the North Pole. The Craft Corner is a spot to make clothespin anglerfish or an anglerfish hat. Family Programs in the Underwater Arctic Gallery will explain how people and aquatic creatures live in darkness.

Vancouver Aquarium: Beluga whale Kavna dies, African penguins arrive at Penguin Point

Entrance to the Vancouver Aquarium in Stanley Park. Photo by Sue Frause.

I was saddened to read that the Vancouver Aquarium's beluga whale, Kavna, died on August 6, 2012. As the aquarium's oldest (reported to be at least 46 years old), it was also known to be the oldest beluga whale in any accredited aquarium in North America.

Vancouver Aquarium General Manager Clint Wright said the staff and volunteers were saddened by the loss of Kavna, but were left "with very warm memories of her at the Vancouver Aquarium." A necropsy of the whale was conducted by Dr. Stephen Raverty of the Ministry of Agriculture, and preliminary results indicate that Kavna had lesions "most consistent with cancer," although and infectious cause was also considered a small possibility. Raverty and his assistants said there were widespread lesions affecting the reproductive tract, along with many other tissues. "The treatment and care she had been receiving were focused on treating a reproductive disorder," said Raverty. "We had hoped that her illness was treatable, but early findings are consistent with an incurable cancer." More tests will be conducted during the next few months. 

According to the Vancouver Aquarium, beluga whales are believed to live 25-30 years in the wild. Kavna was considered to be at the end of her natural life. The aquarium said she had lived a "long and healthy life" in the care of their marine mammal team. 

Penguin Point exhibit at Vancouver Aquarium. Photo by Sue Frause.

I visited the aquarium last week while spending a few days in Vancouver, but it was so crowded with visitors (and unusually warm outside), that I took a quick look at the new Penguin Point exhibit and headed out for the shade of Stanley Park. Located between the Wild Coast and Canada's Arctic exhibits, Penguin Point opened May 18, 2012 and is home to seven African penguins that will be housed at the aquarium for two years. The exhibit was inspired by Boulders Beach near Cape Town, South Africa, which is their natural habitat. Their new BC environment features a stony beach, 12,000-gallon water tank and a cliffside. The African penguins' numbers have plummeted from 100,000 in the early 1900s to approximately 20,000 today. The decline is due to overfishing and climate change. Through the Species Survial Plan program of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the Vancouver Aquarium is one of many trying to save penguins while giving visitors an opportunity to learn more about them. There's also a live penguin cam at the Vancouver Aquarium, accessible 24 hours a day. The septet of penguins was named after BC places: Lillooet, Tofino, Hope, Steveston, Nelson, Sechelt and Salt Spring.

I admit I wasn't all that wowed by the exhibit at the Vancouver Aquarium, maybe because I had been to Boulders Beach in Simon's Town, South Africa while visiting Africa with my family. Simon's Town is about 40km southeast of Cape Town, and Boulders Beach is the only place in the world where visitors can get up-close to the African penguins. The South African National Parks manages the site, which includes boardwalks for viewing and an information center. Of the 17 penguin species in the world, these African penguins are the only ones that breed in Africa, and have been on the endangered list since May 2010.

African penguins at Boulders Beach in Simon's Town, SA (2006). Photos by Sue Frause.

BC celebrates 10th anniversary of Springer's rescue

It's an anniversary that has been celebrated at the Vancouver Aquarium and Seattle's Alki Beach Bathhouse, and now British Columbia is again joining in the festivities. Celebrate Springer is being held in BC's Telegraph Cove July 12-15, 2012 to mark the 10th anniversary of the only successful rescue of a killer whale and subsequent reunion with its family. The four-day celebration at the north end of Vancouver Island honors the orphan Springer (A73), now 12 years old, and who has been sighted recently on the central BC coast. Organizers are hoping she will make her annual return to Johnstone Strait with her extended family of Northern Resident killer whales during the celebration. Highlights include:

• Environmental Fair
• Whale Interpretive Center
• July 13-15

• Panel Discussion - Springer's Story and Why It Matters
• Whale Interpretive Center
• Saturday, July 14, 9:30 AM

• Whale Watch 
• Stubb's Island Whale Watching
• Saturday, July 14, 1 PM

• Salmon BQ
• Boardwalk
• Saturday, July 14, 1 PM

Panelists for the Saturday morning discussion include John Ford, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) marine mammal scientist; Joe Scordino, former NOAA Fisheries Deputy Administrator; Vancouver Aquarium marine mammal scientist Lance Barrett-Lennard, and The Whale Trail's executive director Donna Sandstrom. Moderator will be retired People for Puget Sound founder and director Kathy Fletcher.

As a two-year old orphan, Springer appeared in Puget Sound in January 2002 near Vashon Island after becoming separated from her family. The little whale was 300 miles from home. Six months later, she was rescued and rehabilitated in Puget Sound, transported by jet catamaran to Dong Chong Bay near Hanson Island and released to the wild and reunited with her family on July 14, 2002. According to DFO marine mammal scientist John Ford, a number of things came together to make the reunion a success, including the donation of a jet catamaran to get her home quickly. Springer's family showed up much soon than expected. "She eventually was able to keep up with them," said Ford, "and by the end of summer she was acting like a normal whale."

The Whale Trail's Donna Sandstrom calls Springer's reunion an unqualified success and the only project of its kind in history. But there's a shadow in the celebration. "Today our Southern resident orcas are in trouble," said Sandstrom. "We hope Springer's success inspires people to join us in working on issues facing orcas today with the same urgency, commitment and resolve." For more information on Celebrate Springer, go to the Celebrate Springer Facebook page and The Whale Trail. 

Springer (A-73) with her relative Sunny (A-70) and Sunny's calf in the summer of 2011 when they returned to the Johnstone Strait. Photo by Leah Robinson.

Pacific Rim Whale Festival celebrated in Tofino & Ucluelet

The Pacific Rim Whale Festival, now in its 26th year, marks the opening of the region's whale watching season. During this time, more than 20,000 grey whales migrate 13,000 km from the waters of Mexico's Baja Peninsula to the Bering Sea. The nine-day festival, the largest whale celebration in the world, runs March 17-25, 2012.

The communities of Tofino and Ucluelet, along with Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, are located on the west coast of Vancouver Island and will be the site of educational, culinary and cultural arts events. Here are some of the festival highlights, with advance tickets available at Pacific Rim Whale Festival (unless indicated otherwise):

Thursday, March 15 - The Wickanninish Inn Gala Dinner & Silent Auction - Tofino: Chef Nick Nutting and his culinary staff will create magic in the kitchen, for a wine-paired meal and an evening that includes a silent auction. Tickets are $110 per person, availalbe at http://www.wickinn.com.

Sunday, March 18 - Chowder Chowdown - Ucluelet Community Centre: Area chefs compete for awards while attendees and local celebrity judges sample, compre and vote for their favorite chowder creations. Live music by the Jocelyn Pettit Band. Tickets $10 adults/ $5 children /$25 family rate.

Monday, March 19 - Sweet Indulgence Dessert Affair - Ucluelet Community Centre: This is an evening of decadence, with an all-you-can-eat event featuring west coast family dessert recipes. There will also be door priezes and local music by Small Town Empire. Tickets $10 adults /$5 children/ $25 family rate.

Thursday, March 22 - Black Rock Oceanfront Resort's "Barnacle Blues" - Ucluelet: This 10th annual fundraising event features music by headliner Headwater and a feature performance by Juno Award winner Jim Byrnes. Beverages and gourmet appetizers by Black Rock's chef, a raffle and live auction. Tickets $40.

Whale Festival Button Events: This special button, designed by local elementary school artists, provides free access to more than 40 educational and entertainment events. Suggested donation of $5.

Early morning in Tofino - Summer 2009
Photo by Sue Frause

Spinnaker, a Pacific white-sided dolphin, dies at Vancouver Aquarium

Spinnaker, the Vancouver Aquarium’s male Pacific white-sided dolphin, died on Wednesday, March 8, 2012. Spinnaker was rescued in 1991 after becoming accidentally caught in a fixed-location fishing net off the coast of Japan. He arrived at the Aquarium on July 31, 2001 at an estimated age of 14 years old.

Spinnaker had been suffering from a prolonged illness, and was under close observation for several months. He was under the care and treatment of the Aquarium’s veterinarian, Dr. Martin Haulena. The Aquarium says Spinnaker appeared to be doing better in recent weeks. 

Spinnaker was taken to the provincial Animal Health Centre, where Dr. Haulena will conduct a full necropsy today. Preliminary results are expected on Friday, March 9.

Spinnaker was one of three dolphins at the Vancouver Aquarium. The remaining two are Hana, a 14-year-old female and Helen, a 21-year-old female. In 2009, 31-year-old Laverne died at the Aquarium. Tiqa, a beluga whale, died from pneumonia in 2011.

Pictured Above: Laverne at the Vancouver Aquarium

Photo courtesy Vancouver Aquarium

International Polar Bear Conservation Centre opens in Winnipeg

The opening of the International Polar Bear Conservation Centre (IPBCC) at Winnipeg's Assiniboine Park Zoo is a welcome addition to the conservation of polar bears. And now Manitoba can lay claim to taking a leadership role. The new centre is also a key component of the Journey to Churchill exhibit that's currently under construction at the zoo -- all part of the Assinboine Park Convervancy's $200 million redevelopment plan for Assiniboine Park. The IPBCC was funded by the Province of Manitoba and City of Winnipeg, and is the hub of the zoo's research and conservation efforts. There are no bears in the centre yet; read about this week's opening in the Winnipeg Sun.

Manitoba is home to a large population of polar bears that can be observed from the town of Churchill. I visited the Polar Bear Capital of the World in November 2011, and it's one of my most memorable trips in years. I went on a Tundra Buggy adventure with Frontiers North Adventures, and my only regret was that my hubby wasn't along for the adventure.

Each season, polar bear cubs in the north are orphaned, due to a variety of environmental factors. If an orphaned cub (which would die without its mother) is found within the control zones of a northern Manitoba community, it may be a candidate for rescue and transported to the IPBCC in Winnipeg. The facility was designed to care for, rehabilitate and transition orphaned polar bear cubs rescued by Manitoba Conservation & Water Stewardship. The center also supports and facilitates research efforts that contribute to environmental and wildlife education, along with the conservation of polar bears.

The building is composed of four distinct areas for bears, keepers, researchers and visitors -- the bears and keepers are in the upper level and back areas. The outside bear enclosures have been expanded and provide more space both inside and out. The researchers' area includes a specialized lab and an expanded laboratory space.

The IPBCC's Visitor Centre has a multimedia-rich interpretive gallery that features interviews, interactive games and objects and interpretive signage about bears, researchers and climate change. The focus of the centre is educating the public about polar bears, increasing awareness of the fragile Arctic ecosystem and motivating people to reduce their carbon footprint and help save the polar bears.

Mother and her polar bear cubs in Churchill, Manitoba
Photo by Sue Frause

Polar bear expert Dr. Ian Stirling to appear at The Fairmont Winnipeg

Eminent polar bear scientist and author Dr. Ian Stirling is appearing at The Fairmont Winnipeg on Nov. 16, 2011 at 6:30 PM for a presentation and book signing. Sponsored by Polar Bears International, the world's leading polar bear conservation group, the event in the East Ballroom includes a book signing, hors d'oeuvres and wine. Stirling will autograph copies of his new book, Polar Bears: The Natural History of a Threatened Species. Tickets are $40, and reservations may be made online.


On a lighter note, The Lounge at The Fairmont Winnipeg is serving a special polar bear drink from Nov. 12-19, 2011. The Canadian Polar Bear 'Teani ($11) is made with Ice Cold Polar Bear Vodka, Chilled Antioxidant Green Tea, Manitoba Honey and Fresh Lime. The Fairmont Winnipeg is donating $1 from each drink to Polar Bears International.


Polar bear in Churchill, Manitoba - November 2011 - Photo by Sue Frause

Send in the Clowns: The Music of Stephen Sondheim Starring Len Cariou presented by Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra

I'm flying off to Churchill, Manitoba this weekend where I'll be searching for polar bears and other wildlife with Frontiers North Adventures. Yes, I've packed my cold weather gear, and am looking forward to seeing the beautiful bears up close. I've seen polar bears one other time in the wild, in Hudson Bay while on a Cruise North trip from Kuujjuaq, Quebec to Churchill. But I'm ready for more!

I couldn't pass up the opportunity to spend a couple of extra nights in Winnipeg, a city that I've only visited once and calls me back for more. I was hoping to see the Winnipeg Jets return to their home ice after a 15-year absence, but they're on the road. But no worries, I love musicals (OK, more than hockey), and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra is presenting one of my favorite composers in Send in the Clowns: The Music of Stephen Sondheim Starring Len Cariou.

Len Cariou (pictured above) isn't a familiar name to me, but his face and body of work certainly are. The Winnipegger from St. Boniface played Sweeney Todd in the original Broadway cast of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. I recognize him from his many appearances on numerous TV series, including Murder She Wrote and more recently as Louis Tobin in Damages. He's currently on the CBS series Bluebloods, portraying Frank Reagan, a retired police commissioner and the patriarch of the family (including father to Tom Selleck, even though the 72-year old is only five years older than the former Magnum P-I star.).

What a thrill it will be to hear Len Cariou sing Sondheim on a Sunday afternoon! Manitoba's only Tony Award winner is starring in WSO's new show, Send in the Clowns: The Music of Stephen Sondheim Starring Len Cariou, featuring Sondheim's classic music, including original Broadway arrangements from Sweeney Todd, Follies and A Little Night Music. Cariou will be accompanied by a cast of singers from Winnipeg's Dry Cold Productions, and the show with be interspersed with Cariou's stories and insights. Richard Lee is the conductor. 

Send in the Clowns: The Music of Stephen Sondheim Starring Len Cariou runs Nov. 4-6, 2011 at Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra's Centennial Concert Hall.

The Jets have landed in Winnipeg, and winter is on its way

Winnipeg from VIA Rail Canada. Photo by Sue Frause.

In a previous post, I wrote about Winnipeg getting back its hockey team after a 15-year absence. On Sunday, Oct. 9, the Winnipeg Jets are taking on the Montreal Canadians. I watched a preview show on CBC and am now tuned into Hockey Night in Canada with the puck dropping on the ice at 2:20 PM PDT.

The game against the Habs is at the MTM Centre (Prime Minister Stephen Harper is in the house), and opened with a audio-visual tribute to the passing of 27-year-old hockey player Rick Rypien, a former member of the Vancouver Canucks who had signed with the Winnipeg Jets for the start of the 2011-2012 season. The Alberta born and raised athlete was found dead at his home on Aug. 15, 2011 -- the cause was ruled as a suicide.

I was in Winnipeg briefly in November of 2009 during my VIA Rail Canada cross-country adventure, but the train was quite late, so no time to get reacquainted with the city. But I'll be returning the end of October while enroute to a trip with Frontiers North Adventures. I'll be flying north for the Churchill Town and Tundra Experience, where we'll be spending time aboard Tundra Buggies, photographing polar bears and other wildlife.

Unfortunately, the Jets won't be playing at home when I'm back in Winnipeg after the polar bear adventure. Instead, I'll take in a concert by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Send in the Clowns: The Music of Stephen Sondheim starring Len Carlou. 

I'll make sure to bring my winter wardrobe. So far, the commercials airing during the hockey game have included one for snowblowers and another for snow tires. Bundle up, Manitoba!

Tiqa the beluga whale dies from pneumonia at Vancouver Aquarium

Vancouver Aquarium's three-year old beluga whale, Tiqa, died on Sept. 16, 2011. According to the aquarium, Tiqa's appetite had been "varying" during the week prior to her death -- not uncommon for a beluga whale. Under the direction of Vancouver Aquarium's veterinarian Dr. Martin Haulena, Tiqa was monitored, and blood tests showed no significant abnormalities.

But on Sept. 15, tests revealed that some of the parameters had changed from their normal values. Due to the possibility of infection, she was placed on medication and 24-hour watch to monitor her behavior. At 5 AM on Sept. 16, she required medical intervention -- the animal care team attempted to save her. She died at approximately 5:45 AM.

Dr. Haulena, along with the Ministry of Agriculture's Dr. Stephen Raverty, conducted a full necropsy of Tiqa to determine the cause of death. The preliminary results indicate that she had pneumonia, although the underlying cause is not yet known. Haulena is researching potential metabolic discorders, plus awaiting results of a histopathology. He'll work with specialists across North America and around the globe to review preliminary results as they arrive. The Vancouver Aquarium says an update and preliminary report will be presented early next week.

Tiqa was born at the Vancouver Aquarium on June 10, 2008. Her mother Qila was born at the aquarium in 1995. According to the CBC, Tiqa is the third baby beluga to die at the Stanley Park facility. Read more details here: Beluga dies from pneumonia at Vancouver Aquarium.

Beluga whale at the Vancouver Aquarium in 2005. Photo by Sue Frause.

Nearly 300 giant Pacific octopus eggs hatched at Vancouver Aquarium

C.C., the giant Pacific octopus who lives at the Vancouver Aquarium, mated and laid eggs nearly eight months ago. During the last week of August 2011, about 300 eggs (sampled periodically since May) hatched.

According to Dr. Dennis Thoney, Director of Animal Operations at the Vancouver Aquarium, it's not unusual for octopus eggs to hatch in aquariums -- but very few hatchlings have ever survived. "Chances of survival are very low because giant Pacific octopuses have a seven to ten month long pelagic larval stage," explained Thoney. The aquarium will attempt to feed and maintain some of the larvae for as long as possible, in order to further their knowledge of octopus reproduction.

C.C. was "introduced" to her male partner, Clove, in October 2010 in the Strait of Georgia display at the Vancouver Aquarium. Since mating marks the beginning of the end for octopuses, Clove died 67 days after mating. C.C. is expected to die naturally in the comng weeks with the egg incubation complete.

Dr. Thoney said that opportunities to observe giant Pacific octopus mating are rare. "We've been extremely lucky to witness it several times here at the Vancouver Aquarium," he added. "We hope to learn more as we attempt to raise the newly hatched octopus larvae."

The giant Pacific octopus typically lays around 70,000 eggs on average. Only a few are expected to survive to adulthood in their natural habitat.

Pictured: One of the nearly 300 eggs hatched at the Vancouver Aquarium 

Whale, sea lion and bird watching out of Steveston, British Columbia

Several years ago, while spending time in the fun fishing village of Steveston near Richmond, BC, I went out with Vancouver Whale Watch on their two-hour Sea Lion Tour. Although the tour is only offered in the spring (April 1-May 15), when both Steller and California sea lions visit the Fraser River Estuary, the whale watching season in Steveston runs April 1-October 31. Two other local outfitters, Steveston Seabreeze Adventures and Steveston Eco Tours, also offer daily whale watching tours.

Killer whales (orcas) come to the region to feast on the salmon that return to spawn in the Fraser River. The migration up the river begins in May and continues into October. Three pods of killer whales, which total around 80, return to the area each year.

The tours run from 3-5 hours, traveling through BC's Gulf Islands. Naturalists on board discuss the marine ecosystem and answer questions. In addition to orcas, plan on seeing Dall's porpoises, sea lions, seals, eagles and of course, seagulls. The three companies all offer guaranteed whale sightings -- if they don't make an appearance during your trip, you're welcome on a return trip until you do. All the companies offer eco-friendly tours, maintaining a respectful distance from the marine mammals, and using vessels with low emissions. Here are photos from my trip.

Vancouver Whale Watch trip out of Steveston, BC in May 2009
Photos by Sue Frause