Great blue heron colony returns to Vancouver's Stanley Park
The great blue heron colony is settling back in at Stanley Park, preparing to welcome another generation of new chicks.
The Vancouver Park Board announced Monday that the birds are back and the cameras that allow nature enthusiasts to observe courting, mating, nesting, egg-laying and hatching have been reactivated.
"High above Park Lane, surrounding the tennis courts, the 64-strong heron colony has settled into its home for the 23rd consecutive year to raise the next generation," a media release form the board says.
"The Heron Cam provides the ultimate close-up view of this remarkable species as they go about their daily rituals."
People visiting the park to get an in-person glimpse of the colony are advised to stay outside of the fenced perimeter, avoid playing loud music in the vicinity, keep dogs on their leashes and refrain from flying drones, which are not allowed in any city parks without a permit. Anyone who sees a fallen or injured chick is urged to stay back and call 311.
In 2022, 90 heron chicks were hatched amid challenges that the park board says included severe weather and "persistent eagle raids." The colony is among the largest in North America.
In Canada, the species is federally protected and in B.C. they are classified as of "special concern," the park board's website points out, noting the total population nation-wide is fewer than 5,000.
"The population of these herons has declined steadily since the 1980s as a result of nesting failure, eagle attacks, human disturbance, and habitat loss," according to officials.
More information about the species and the work to support the colony in Stanley Park can be found online.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
Crypt near Marilyn Monroe and Hugh Hefner could fetch US$400,000 at auction
A one-space mausoleum crypt in the vicinity of Marilyn Monroe and Hugh Hefner will go on auction Saturday, when it is expected to reach between US$200,000 and $400,000.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Premiers not being truthful about carbon tax, Trudeau says while sparks fly in Ottawa
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Conservative premiers across the country are 'not telling the truth' when it comes to the carbon tax. Trudeau's comments came as fresh sparks were flying in Ottawa at a recalled House of Commons committee.
Far North police 'dispatch' polar bear stalking schoolyard
Police and local hunters in an Ontario Far North First Nation community have “dispatched” a polar that was showing abnormal behaviour and treating the area as a hunting ground.