Critters
Xaayda Gwaay.yaay Kuugaay Gwii Sdiihltl’lxa The Sea Otters Us Return
Submitted by Gwaii Haanas Archipelago Co-Chairs Suudahl Cindy Boyko and Nang Kaa Klaagangs Ernie Gladstone This article includes Xaayda kil. Here on Haida Gwaii, we are familiar with the story of kuu sea otter. Until 150 years ago and the maritime fur trade, people and kuu coexisted in the waters Read more…
Critters
Super Cute: Stubby Squid
Rhonda Lee McIsaac — The Stubby squid, Rossia pacifica of the sepiolid family of cephalopods, was recently observed in the milky green waters of southern Haida Gwaii during the Haida Fisheries Program herring survey. The Stubby squid is the cutest cephalopod with eight suckered arms and two long tentacles Read more…
Critters
Wings Brushing Boughs: Stads K’un named Haida Gwaii’s national bird
Rhonda Lee McIsaac — Pinpointing a stads k’un goshawk and its nest is a challenge, but it’s one that Robert Kennedy, Gerry Morigeau and the Cultural Features Identification (CFI) crews have taken on in the old growth forests of Haida Gwaii. In particular, the CFI crews have been busy Read more…
Critters
Skitters: The Black Oystercatcher
Graham Richard — Gaaw Xaad Kil: Sgadaang HlGaagilda Xaayda Kil: sgaada.nga When Xaw’s North Wind son brought the daughter of Xyuu Southeaster to live at his father’s house, she found it covered in icicles. These were her father-in-law’s fingers. When she inadvertently broke some, Xaw grew angry and trapped his Read more…
Critters
A Living Classroom Experience
A migrating group of 8 kun humpback whales put on a show for Dave Wahl’s grade 7 graduating class who were travelling to T’aalan Stl’ang this week. The intelligent kun were bubble net feeding on iinang herring and other fish. The unique feeding method makes it easier for the kun to capture more Read more…
Critters
K̲ay sk̲’yuuwan (Sea lion whiskers)
Rhonda Lee McIsaac — Pinnipeds (emuud seal, kay sea lion, and walruses), rodents, and insectivores like jiigwal awGa shrews have sk‘yuuwan whiskers. These sk‘yuuwan are a sensory organ with a muscle structure that allows them to individually move about and are like our fingers in this respect. Researchers say that each sk‘yuuwan Read more…
Critters
Haana Nadjuu (Cute & small)
Xaayda Kil: Tl’lhlk’yah English: Common Merganser (female) Latin: Mergus merganser In Haida Gwaii tl’lhlk’yah are common breeding residents. Males and females look entirely different in breeding plumage, but during their non-breeding ‘eclipse’ from July to October, both sexes are largely grey with a red-brown head, white chest and chin. Xaayda Read more…
Critters
Keeping Haida Gwaii White-Nose Syndrome Free
Research Group on Introduced Species (RGIS) — White-nose Syndrome (WNS) was introduced into North America in 2006. It is a fungal disease which grows on hibernating bats, forcing them to wake from their slumber to groom the fungus from their face and wings. Ultimately, these bats die of starvation from Read more…
Critters
Humpbacks get big air
— Rhonda Lee McIsaac Gaaw Xaad Kil: Kun HlGaagilda Xaayda Kil: Kun English: Humpback Whale Latin: Megaptera novaeangliae (large winged) Kun Humpback whale are baleen whales, a filter feeder, and one of 76 cetacean species. They are considered an endangered species. They are slow swimmers, migrate long distances, dive deep Read more…