Ecologist and wildlife guide

Spirit bear on a mossy log in the rainforest.

I am a naturalist first.

I explore nature and promote wildlife conservation through research, photography, writing, education, and wilderness expeditions.

I am also a guide and the Director of Wildlife Journeys, a wildlife tour company that leads trips in the Great Bear Rainforest focussing on wolves and spirit bears, in collaboration with Marven Robinson of the Gitga’at First Nation. We also lead polar bear photo tours in Churchill, Manitoba, and – new for 2021 – west coast herring expeditions.

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Tours and Expeditions

Spirit bears

During these tours, we explore lush river valleys in search of spirit, or Kermode, bears in a place that National Geographic has called the “Wildest Place in North America.” Travelling with Marven Robinson of the Gitga’at First Nation, we will spend all of our time in the very heart of spirit bear territory seeking out these extraordinary and rare white bears.

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Coastal wolves

In a world dominated by human landscapes, the wilderness of the Great Bear Rainforest is a refuge for wildlife, including the wolf. In the words of eminent scientist Dr. Paul Paquet, “the remote ocean archipelago of the Great Bear Rainforest comprises North America’s most unusual and one of its most pristine wolf populations.”  In this expedition-style trip we offer the extraordinary opportunity to photograph these wild coastal wolves.

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Polar bears

I have partnered with local experts in Churchill, Manitoba to offer an intimate ground-level polar bear photo tour in the polar bear capital of the world. On these tours, you will have the opportunity to photograph polar bears in a small group and at eye-level, rather than from way up high in a crowded tundra vehicle. This trip offers far more time searching for bears than typical tours in Churchill of similar length.

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West coast herring expeditions

The spring herring spawn is one of nature’s great wildlife spectacles. It may be less known that the annual salmon runs the west coast is famous for, but it attracts a profusion of marine and terrestrial predators alike. We are offering the only multi-day tour of this remarkable event on the remote west coast of Vancouver Island. This is the perfect way to shake off the winter cobwebs by immersing yourself in some of Mother Nature’s finest work.

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Recent Posts

Beautiful unity

When you spend time looking for wolves, most of the time you end up watching other things instead. On this evening, it was sandpipers. Semipalmated or Western? In the fading light, I couldn't be sure, and it didn't really matter. It was good enough to simply watch them wheel and swoop in unison, each bird exquisitely sensitive to its neighbour, ...
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All 2020 tours cancelled

The pandemic has affected everyone. For us, it has meant that we have cancelled all our 2020 wolf expeditions and spirit bear tours.Leading these trips is a living for Marven Robinson and me, but it is much more than that; it is a big part of our way of life. I am dearly going to miss the rainforest and witnessing ...
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Embracing mystery

One of the things that fascinates me about nature is all the things we don’t know. There is still so much mystery out there. As my Dad likes to say “ there are more questions than answers.” I suppose I studied ecology because all those questions about nature and wildlife just felt so intriguing and I wanted to explore them ...
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Salmon are for the birds

You may be aware of the tight connections between salmon, forests and bears. You may have heard that coastal forests safeguard the streams where salmon hatch. And, then, when adult salmon return from the ocean packed with marine nutrients, they spawn and die and are eaten by bears (and many others) that disperse those nutrients into the forest, nourishing the ...
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A coastal wolf walking on sand in the intertidal zone in the Great Bear Rainforest

Space available on 2020 wolf expeditions

For years I longed to watch and photograph the elusive coastal wolf. For years all I managed were glimpses and a few blurry images. Those experiences only added to the mystery and allure. When I finally succeeded in more prolonged encounters and sharp photographs of wolves, I pinched myself. I could not believe my luck. If you're like me and ...
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2019 spirit bear highlights

I already dedicated an entire post to Ma'ah. She is always a highlight. For many years she was the lone white bear amongst a host of black bears on her favourite salmon creek. Even her last two cubs were black. Then in 2017, something inexplicable happened: someone spotted a different white bear on the same creek. Introducing Warrior Unmistakable with ...
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