With the arrival of summer, we pause to reflect on the milestones, the challenges, and the wins of the last year. Refocusing our lens on the priorities ahead ensures our advocacy efforts remain increasingly impactful and sustainable.
A huge thank you for taking this journey with us. Together, we can give apex predators a voice. As always, your support is held with deep gratitude.
As we mark the first anniversary of Nakoda’s death, we continue building momentum for meaningful policy reform. Nakoda and her two cubs were tragically killed in vehicle collisions on the Trans-Canada Highway in Yoho National Park in 2024.
With your support, we can reach our goal of raising awareness for one of Canada’s most beloved and famous bears. Sign Nakoda’s letter and help us send 3000 letters directly to the Canadian Environment Minister and the Chief of Parks Canada - a thousand each for Nakoda and her two cubs.
Over the past year, we have heavily advocated for critical investment towards wildlife overpasses and fencing expansion along Highway 1 through Yoho and Glacier National Parks. These major wildlife corridors carry high mortality rates for grizzlies, placing pressure on an already fragile population.
Together, we have the power to make permanent change and protect wildlife. Signing and sharing Nakoda’s Letter is a call to action to improve road safety for wildlife.
(Or share With A Friend!)
Last week, Exposed Wildlife Conservancy’s new Executive Director, Maggie Spizzirri, brought forward two critical wildlife policy recommendations to the BC Budget Steering Committee. Advocacy at this level is pivotal, and we’ll be ramping up our submissions for investment and policy reform to achieve our coexistence goals.
Our recommendations are for vital investments to be made in two key areas:
Expand Wildlife Overpasses, Fencing, and Signage Along Provincial Segments of Highway 1
Targeted mitigation along provincial segments of Highway 1 can save lives, reduce costs, and improve emergency outcomes.
Increase provincial investment in the BC Conservation Officer Service (COS)
With increased staffing and funding, COS can lead proactive education and conflict-prevention efforts across the province.
Our submissions, grounded in data and aligned with our coexistence programs, were well received by the committee. Whilst we await news of budget decisions for 2026, we continue to create conversations, raise awareness, and advocate for our apex predators through impactful policy reform.
If you’re passionate about ethical wildlife conservation and looking to make a meaningful impact, join us. Exposed Wildlife Conservancy is seeking committed, values-aligned individuals to join our Board of Directors.
We are currently recruiting for:
Ideally with a background in education, you’ll help guide our mission to give Canada’s apex predators a voice through science-based, community-driven advocacy. Learn more about the volunteer positions on our website.
"If children don't grow up knowing about nature and appreciating it, they will not understand it. And if they don't understand it, they won't protect it. And if they don't protect it, who will?"
- David Attenborough
No matter our age, it’s never too late to learn, and there is still hope for Canada’s apex predators. We believe that access to science-based knowledge empowers and mobilizes wildlife advocates to make lasting changes in how wolves, bears, cougars, and other fur-bearing animals are managed and treated in Canada.
In a world where misinformation fuels dangerous decision-making, the importance of free, accessible information that is data-backed, factual and peer-reviewed cannot be understated. That’s why we created the Knowledge Base. To give wildlife and conservation advocates access to the tools they need to pursue meaningful conversations and impactful change.
Whether you’re curious about cougars, grizzlies, wolves, or the impact of trapping, you’ll find accessible information in the Knowledge Base. Conservation in Canada is a nuanced topic, but we’re here to help break it down.
In late May, two female grizzlies were tragically killed by trains in Banff in separate incidents. These were reproductive-age females, a critical demographic for the stability of the population. Combined with the recent reinstatement of Alberta’s grizzly hunt, the threat to grizzlies is escalating.
Now more than ever, it’s crucial that we see swift safety and infrastructure updates to our highways and railways. We are determined to continue raising awareness, providing resources and reaching the right people to address the factors contributing to the decline of grizzlies.
In the wake of growing reports that relocation is no longer an option for some so-called ‘problem’ grizzly bears, this article from The Fur Bearers offers powerful reflection on Indigenous ontologies, worldviews, and non-Western approaches to coexistence.
This thoughtful commentary draws on a newly released research paper, recognizing that with perspective change we can shift towards a more relational framing of our human-wildlife relationships.
Conflict is an inevitable part of sharing spaces with wildlife, but if we adjust our lens and adopt a mindset of reciprocity, we may find a more sustainable path forward, one that strengthens conservation through deeper connection. For bonus reading on the act of reciprocity, look to Braiding Sweetgrass by acclaimed Indigenous Author and Botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer.
Click the link below to explore how Indigenous insights are guiding a new approach to shared stewardship.
