W
ith its lengthy coastline,
amazing rainforests and vast
array of landscapes, British
Columbia on Canada’s west coast is a
wildlife watcher’s paradise. Whether
your dream is to see bighorn sheep in
the mountains, swooping bald eagles
hunting for fish or another of Canada’s
unique inhabitants, you’ll find them all.
here are five animal adventures you’ll
never forget.The bear necessiTies
Grizzlies, black bears and rare white
spirit bears all call BC home. the vast
tract of coastal forest known as the
Great Bear rainforest is one of the most
pristine environments in the world,
so it’s no surprise bears love it there.
this isolated region, on the central and
northern coast of British Columbia, hasa number of operators who take bear
lovers along the waterways. Grizzlies are
most prevalent in Khutzeymateen. the
ultimate for wildlife watchers, however,
is sighting the elusive Kermode or spirit
bear, a black bear that, surprisingly, has
white fur. head to the region of Klemtu
for your best chance of seeing them.
And although bears are the prime reason
most people come to the rainforest,
you might also spy sea otters, whales,
dolphins and eagles.hey you, caribou
It may not come as a surprise that should
you visit Moose Valley Provincial Park in
the South Cariboo region, you’re likely
to see both moose and caribou. these
big deer species – the moose is slightly
larger – with their impressive antlers are,
in fact, scattered across most of central
and northern BC and can often be seen
grazing by the side of the road.Whale of a Time
the BC coastline, with its islands,
passages and vast stretches of ocean,
is home to a huge number of species
of whales, dolphins and porpoises.
When you visit Victoria, on beautiful
Vancouver Island, head to Inner harbour
from where the city’s whale-watching
cruises depart. From May to October,
whale sightings are at their peak and
some operators have a 98 per cent
success rate on their cruises. You’ll see
pods of orcas – sometimes hunting seals
basking on rocky outcrops – then head
out to the Salish Sea to look for diving
and breaching humpback whales. You
might also come across minke whales,
seals and sea lions. Away from the city,
in Vancouver Island’s north, trips head
into Johnstone Strait to see all kinds of
sea life, including orcas, dolphins and
sometimes even black bears.soaring species
From November to March along the
dyke bordering the Squamish river in
Brackendale eagles Provincial Park, you
can view one of North America’s largest
congregations of wintering bald eagles.
Squamish is located just a 45-minute
drive outside of Vancouver and can be a
great stop along the Sea to Sky highway
en route to Whistler.run, salmon, run
From late summer until early winter,
witness one of Canada’s greatest
migrations when thousands of salmon of
different varieties return to their birthplace
to spawn. this year is a dominant one
for sockeye – this happens every four
years – and a great place to observe them
is the Adams river near Shuswap. In fact,
from 28 September to 21 October, you
can join the celebrations at the Salute to
the Sockeye Festival. Another great place
to view them is the town of Squamish,
where the spawning channel runs right
through the town. For a close encounter
of the fishy kind, join a snorkelling with
salmon tour in the Campbell river on
Vancouver Island’s east coast.aT a glancegreaT bear rainforesT
advenTure cruise9 DAYS / 8 NIGhtS
★★★
deparTs 27 Sep; 5 and 6 Oct 2018
Tr avel s T yle Small-ship cruisehighlighTs
• Travel by yacht into the remote
wilderness of the Great Bear rainforest
in search of the elusive spirit bear
• With the aid of local native guides,
visit the best spots for wildlife viewing
as you explore remote corners of
coastal British Columbiainclusions
Seven nights’ cruise and one night’s
hotel accommodation, meals on board
the ship, sightseeing, return flights from
Vancouver to Bella Bella.
from AU$8,015*/ NZ$8,825*
*Prices are per person, twin share, based on
low-season travel. Terms and conditions apply.wINTER ISSUE 2018 133CONCIERGE