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Tim IrvinTim Irvin

Tim Irvin

Ecologist & Guide

  • Tours and ExpeditionsExpand
    • Spirit Bear Tours
    • Sea Wolf Expeditions
    • Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bears
    • Herring & Wolf Expeditions
    • Polar Bear Tours
  • Field Notes
  • About Tim Irvin
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Tim IrvinTim Irvin
Tim Irvin
Ecologist & Guide
Spirit bear on a mossy log in the rainforest.

Ecologist and wildlife guide

I am a naturalist first.

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

I am also a guide and the Director of Wildlife Journeys, a small wildlife tour company that leads trips focussing on wolves, spirit bears, grizzlies, and more in the Great Bear Rainforest.

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If you love wildlife and wild places, then I have the email newsletter you’ve been waiting for. In each issue, I curate a selection of stories, images, and videos from the wild to inject a little wonder into your day to leave you feeling good about this beautiful planet.

Tours and Expeditions

Spirit bears

A spirit bear on a rocky stream, with a fish in its mouth.

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

A wolf laying on the beach in front of the ocean.

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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West coast herring expeditions

A wolf standing on a sandy beach by the ocean.

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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Coastal Grizzly Bears

Grizzly bear in the an estuary in the Great Bear Rainforest

The Kutzeymateen is home to one of the most dense populations of grizzly bears in North America and is the very best place in Canada for springtime grizzly bear viewing and photography.  During this tour, we will stay in a quaint floating lodge situated in a beautiful fjord. Just spending time in this place is worth the trip. The scenery is spectacular, the food is delicious and the photography opportunities are endless

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Post List #1

Writing

Grizzly Bear Love

ByTim IrvinFeb 1, 20251 min read
A male and female grizzly bear couring during mating season in the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary
The Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary is nothing short of remarkable. I am forever grateful for the people who had the foresight to protect this place. This protected area represents some of the highest quality grizzly bear habitat in Canada.
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Coastal WolvesGreat Bear Rainforestsea wolf tour

Sea wolves in the mist

ByTim IrvinJan 25, 20251 min read
One black and one grey sea wolf lying on the beach in the Great Bear Rainforest during a sea wolf adventure.
We woke to heavy fog on this morning. Sitting in camp drinking coffee we felt like our chances of finding a wolf were just about nil. Then we heard howling in the distance.
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Great Bear Rainforest

It’s not all about the bears

ByTim IrvinJan 20, 20251 min read
A grizzly bear standing on a log in the mist in an estuary in a coastal fjord in the Great Bear Rainforest
As with most things, it is the sum of all the parts that truly matters. Despite the name, in the Great Bear Rainforest, the bears are simply one part of this remarkable place.
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Coastal Wolvessea wolf tour

Winning with or without sea wolves

ByTim IrvinJan 14, 20251 min read
A coastal wolf walks past at low tide with mountains in background.
This was a rare occasion when I was out in the wild with a camera but I was not guiding. And this wolf showed up
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Great Bear RainforestSpirit Bear Tours

The lungs of the rainforest

ByTim IrvinJan 5, 20252 min read
Black bear walking by a waterfall in the Great Bear Rainforest during a spirit bear tour.
This is one of my favourite places. With the mist that often hangs in the air from the falls, it feels like the lungs of the rainforest. The character of this spot changes dramatically with water levels. When the salmon are running and the water levels are much higher than in this photo, I love to just sit and watch the fish leaping up the falls.
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Writing

Alone in the Arctic (on the Dirtbag Diaries)

ByTim IrvinDec 18, 20241 min read
Tim Irvin on the shores of Beechey Lake, Nunavut
This is a story of caribou, poop, and a little notion called biophilia, all wrapped up within a seven-week solo canoe expedition in the Arctic. This was my third canoe expedition in the Barren Lands…
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Recent articles

  • Spirit bear guide, Marven Robinson, on CBC Radio
  • A grizzly gift
  • Spirit bear and cub
  • The most curious sea wolf
  • Animalscapes

© 2025 Tim Irvin 
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