Animals

Lemming in the leaves: the ‘little chicken nuggets’ are critical to the Arctic food chain (Gabriel Bergeron)

Lemmings’ mysterious population cycle may finally have an explanation

The ’Arctic chicken nuggets’ have strange boom-and-bust cycles, which led to the story that lemmings commit mass suicide when they become too numerous. That’s false. These scientists may have the real answer.
Simon at work: demand for vet services soared during the pandemic, but supply is flat (Photograph by Jason Franson)

Canada’s veterinarian shortage is shaping up to be a full-on crisis

Every year, more vets retire than graduate, and while creating more spaces in veterinary schools seems an obvious fix, most provincial governments won’t pay
Orcas in the Southern Resident Killer Whale endangered J Pod play in the Salish Sea at sunset on Aug. 4, 2018, off Vancouver Island, B.C. (Richard Ellis/Alamy)

B.C.’s ’southern resident’ orcas have been wandering far from home. Could this be the end?

The orca family known as J pod have been swimming far away from their Salish Sea digs. Will they return in 2022?
New Moose sign. (Courtesy of Transportation Association of Canada)

The TikTok star behind Canada’s new—and less floppy—moose crossing sign

Chloë Chapdelaine, then 18 years old and living in a small town with no WiFi, redesigned the floppy-looking moose sign out of boredom. Now her design will officially replace the old one.
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The beetle scientist on a mission to name the world’s most beguiling bugs

Pat Bouchard wants to make sure each and every species of Coleoptera is properly identified
(Photograph by Amber Bracken)

At the Calgary Zoo, the camels watch the people

The Calgary Zoo has a pair of resident camels—and these humped mammals love to people-watch
Removing the dead whale was a gruelling task involving a tugboat, an excavator, knives, hip waders, protective eyewear and Vicks VapoRub (Ted Pritchard/CP)

What does it take to move a rotting whale carcass? Glute strength and Vicks VapoRub.

There is no creature more majestic than a blue whale, and few jobs less pleasant than getting rid of a deceased one that washed up on your public beach
(Illustration by Alex Fine)

A B.C. mountain goat was the unlikely champion in a match against a grizzly

This mountain goat proved that in nature, as in human society, the underdog always has a fighting chance
(Illustration by Natasha Donovan)

Ts’eketi, the 100-year-old B.C. sturgeon that’s here to save her species

Deep in British Columbia’s Nechako River, the eggs of one ancient mama fish might be among the last hope for these endangered sturgeon
Farmhouse Garden’s Barabash and Buckwheat dial in to a recent Zoom call. Attendees were playing a game; Buckwheat wore a blue tie to indicate he was a member of the blue team. (Photograph by Della Rollins)

Meet Buckwheat, the donkey people are hiring to crash video meetings

Originally raised as a guard donkey to protect livestock, she made a mid-life career change in April and has become a rising star in the meeting-crasher business during the pandemic