IN THIS EMAIL:
- Sharks in Canada? Learn about the reactions of researchers and locals as sightings of great white sharks increase off the coast of Atlantic Canada - Listen to our latest Explore podcast episode about the new Canadian Canoe Museum - Read our latest Wildlife Wednesday, featuring wild turkeys, baby orcas, giant prehistoric sabre-toothed salmon and more! - Looking for your next adventure? Learn more about Exodus Adventure Travels' trip through Kenya with RCGS Ambassador and World Elephant Day founder Patricia Sims |
| | | Shark tales: Canada's great white sharks
As white sharks make their presence known off the coast of Atlantic Canada, researchers and locals want to know: should people be worried? By Karen Pinchin with photography by Nicolas Winkler |
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| | | A white shark swims among the plankton. |
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On a crisp October morning off Nova Scotia’s Frying Pan Island, about an hour-and-a-half southwest of Halifax, a shot echoed across the waves as a camouflaged hunter brought down his second sea duck of the day. On command, Pepper, his two-year-old Chesapeake Bay retriever, leapt off the boat to retrieve the bird, which had landed a stone’s throw away in about six metres of calm ocean. Taking the duck in her mouth, Pepper turned back with her quarry. Then the water exploded.
A large shark erupted from beneath the dog, launching Pepper’s body into the air. Then, just as suddenly, it dragged her beneath the waves. Her owner watched, aghast, as she surfaced and struggled back to the boat. He pulled Pepper back aboard, but she was bleeding heavily and died from her wounds within minutes. It was, shark biologists and taggers agreed later, almost certainly a juvenile great white shark that killed Pepper. |
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EDITORS NOTEBOOK
On the outside of my left wrist is a tattoo of a shark tooth, which I received in 2021 after my first encounter diving with bull sharks in Costa Rica. I have always been a big fan of sharks and believe they are incredibly misunderstood creatures. So, when I started seeing more news about great white sightings off the coast of Atlantic Canada, I wanted to know: why is this happening? And what does it mean for sharks and the marine ecosystems they call home?
In the fall of 2022, I pitched this story to the rest of the team at Canadian Geographic, and as the handling editor, I have been incredibly proud to watch it evolve. Over the past two years, this story has grown and been brought to life with the help of Nicolas Winkler, the amazing photographer of this piece, and Karen Pinchin, the wonderful writer. As our May/June cover story, Shark tales is a captivating read that explores the complex opinions humans have on white sharks while also showcasing some of the first images of this species captured in Canadian waters.
- Madigan Cotterill, Digital Content Editor |
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| A rendering of the new museum, located on Little Lake in Peterborough, Ont. The location allows staff to host canoeing and other outdoor programming. (Photo: Lett Architects Inc.) |
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To executive director Carolyn Hyslop and curator Jeremy Ward, every canoe and kayak is special — each has a story worth telling, and a heritage worth preserving. Hyslop and Ward have devoted decades to building up the world’s premier collection of canoes and kayaks at The Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, Ont. On May 11, the pair celebrate the opening of a new home for the museum on the shores of Little Lake, Ont., a building worthy of the 500-plus esteemed watercraft it houses. |
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| (Photo: NPS Photo/Katherine Belcher) |
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Caribou populations in Alberta and British Columbia have been dwindling since 1991, but a new study has found a way to start bringing them back. For years, conservationists have been experimenting with different ways of increasing caribou populations. Then, by comparing different methods that have been tried in isolation, scientists can analyze specific caribou populations to determine which strategies are most effective. Unfortunately for wolves, the report suggests that the only effective way of increasing caribou populations was by killing predatory wolves, presenting conservationists with a catch-22. |
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Canadian Geographic Adventures
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| | No country, perhaps, is more synonymous with a classic African safari than Kenya. Explore the best safari sites in Kenya led by an expert local safari guide and hosted by award-winning Canadian filmmaker, Royal Canadian Geographical Society fellow and founder of World Elephant Day, Patricia Sims. |
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Whether it’s exploring Lake Nakuru National Park, an excellent small park in the Great Rift Valley, or the emblematic Masai Mara, wildlife is abundant.
During the migration season, the Mara (as it is affectionately known) is also home to one of the greatest natural spectacles on the planet: millions of wildebeest and zebra crossing a crocodile-filled river on their journey through the savannah. Stay at four-star accommodation throughout, see the prolific wildlife of the Masai Mara — including lions, elephants, hippos, and giraffes — discover Lake Nakuru — home to black and white rhinos — enjoy game drives, short nature walks and optional cultural village and walking excursions. |
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Rome, Assisi & magical Umbria with Robin Esrock
Departing Oct. 19, 2024 |
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| Egypt Nile cruise with Charlene Bearhead
Departing Nov. 16, 2024 |
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