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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
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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

FishGreat Bear Rainforest

Salvation is a fish

ByTim IrvinApr 8, 20219 min read
A school of eulachon swim away in the light green waters of Alaska.
A fish so fat you can light it with a match, eulachon have been a critical part of Coastal First Nations culture for hundreds of generations.
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Coastal WolvesGreat Bear Rainforest

Beautiful unity

ByTim IrvinOct 7, 20201 min read
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, each responding to the smallest flicker of a wing.
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Great Bear Rainforest

Embracing mystery

ByTim IrvinJul 15, 20201 min read
Spirit Bear with a pink salmon in the Great Bear Rainforest.
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…
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Great Bear Rainforest

Salmon are for the birds

ByTim IrvinMay 1, 20203 min read
Salmon are for the birds
You may be aware of the tight connections between salmon, forests and bears. But have you ever thought about the connections between salmon and songbirds? Perhaps it’s time you did?
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Great Bear Rainforest

2019 spirit bear highlights

ByTim IrvinDec 19, 20193 min read
2019 spirit bear highlights
2019 was an exceptional year for us with incredible bear sightings. Here’s a re-cap of some of the main characters from our tours in the Great Bear Rainforest.
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Spirit Bear Tours

Famous spirit bear lives on

ByTim IrvinDec 17, 20195 min read
Spirit bear looking for salmon in the Great Bear Rainforest
As the 2019 spirit bear season approached it seemed there was one question on everybody’s mind: would Ma’ah still be with us? Ma’ah is a white bear who is closing in on 20 years old….
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Recent articles

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

© 2025 Tim Irvin 
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