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.
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
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
Read More
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
Read More
(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.
Read More
(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.
Read More
(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.
Read More
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.
Read More
Basking Shark | Chris Gotschalk photo
Endangered Perspective: Predators Both Undervalued and Misunderstood
Zack Metcalfe | Apr 12, 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.
Read More
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?
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More

Twitter
  • Happy new year from Alternatives! Didn't get a chance to make a one-time gift in 2018 to support our mission of amp… https://t.co/Z2Jj0Dk3sf — 2 weeks 20 hours ago
  • Today is the last day in 2018 you can make a contribution to A\J, supporting the environmental movement in Canada A… https://t.co/5E5zBFqqhS — 2 weeks 3 days ago
  • Don't forget that year-end contributions to Alternatives will help us continue to be an independently publishing vo… https://t.co/LuYk3QzzcU — 2 weeks 3 days ago