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Across Canada and the globe, since time immemorial, Indigenous Peoples have stewarded their lands, waters, animals, plants, communities, cultures, and languages. Today we invite you: Pause. Listen. Learn. Reflect. And carry these actions beyond September 30th (4/4)

For those of us working in conservation and the natural sciences, we take the opportunity to learn and reflect on our own responsibilities (3/4)

We pause to make space for truth. We listen to and honour our survivors, families, communities, and we remember the children who did not return home (2/4)

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 29/09/2026

PAUSE. LISTEN. LEARN. REFLECT #NDTR26 On National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we invite you to pause, listen, learn & reflect on the truths of Canada’s history of residential schools, the impacts of colonialism & how we move forward to build a foundation of mutual respect & partnership (1/4)

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(2/2) Swipe through to see some of last year’s entries for inspiration, and submit your photos by October 15 🦋 🔗 Contest details here kbacanada.org/2026/08/19/capturing-… #KeyBiodiversityAreas

WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 29/09/2026

(1/2) From scientists in the field to community members protecting local habitats, conservation is about people 💚 The People & Conservation category of the #2026KBAPhotoContest celebrates stories of connection, care & stewardship across Canada’s KBAs 🧵

WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 28/09/2026

What makes a great photograph stand out? Last year’s KBA Photo Contest Grand Prize winner, Jérémy, has some advice: bring a unique point of view! In part two of our chat, he shares tips for finding your unique way of seeing and telling a story. Entries are open until Oct. 15!

WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 27/09/2026

(3/3) This World Rivers Day, why not join the Learning from Lake Sturgeon team in celebrating the critical importance of Canada's waterways and let us know what you think makes rivers special in the comments below? 👇

WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 27/09/2026

(2/3) We think Connie summed it up beautifully: "They connect us to nature, to one another, and are critical to our shared future."

WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 27/09/2026

(1/3) Why should we care about Canada's rivers? #worldriversday

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 23/09/2026

2/2 Vous avez une photo de paysage que vous adorez ? 📸 Découvrez les photos de l’an dernier pour vous inspirer, puis soumettez la vôtre au #2026KBAPhotoContest d’ici au 15 oct. 🦋 kbacanada.org/fr/2026/08/19/capturi…

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 23/09/2026

1/2 Have a landscape photo you love? 📸 The Landscapes & Ecosystems category of the #2026KBAPhotoContest is for you. Swipe through last year’s entries for inspiration! Submit by Oct 15 🦋 kbacanada.org/2026/08/19/capturing-…

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 21/09/2026

(1/2) Want to know what it takes to capture a winning shot in the KBA Photo Contest? We caught up with 2025 Grand Prize winner Jérémy Mathieu to discuss the contest, Canada's wildlife, and his winning image Herring Spawn.

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 15/09/2026

Whether it's a rare orchid, a stunning lichen formation, or a moss that tells a bigger story, we want to see the wonders you find 🍄 Enter your best shots by October 15 🦋 kbacanada.org/2026/08/19/capturing-… #2026KBAPhotoContest

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 15/09/2026

📣 Calling all nature photographers! The Flora & Fungi category of the #2026KBAPhotoContest is your chance to showcase the incredible diversity of plant and fungal life across Canada's Key Biodiversity Areas, and help spotlight these vital places in the process 1/2

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 14/09/2026

More deep dives into the individual elements of Grace's wonderful artwork coming soon!

WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 14/09/2026

"The Bear Clan is represented, symbolizing healers, protectors, medicine carriers & leaders." Across many Indigenous cultures, bears carry important teachings. Grizzly bears are also an umbrella species. Protecting the vast landscapes they need alo helps other species thrive. 🎨 by Grace Swain

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 10/09/2026

(1/3) Why didn’t the caribou cross the road? 🛣️ New research from WCS Canada, supported by the Caribou Conservation Stewardship Program, shows that roads create travel corridors that can remain long after they're abandoned/decommissioned, reshaping predator-prey dynamics & putting caribou at risk.

WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 09/09/2026

Fur, feathers, scales, shells… and a few very good poses 📸 #2026KBAPhotoContest The Fauna category celebrates the incredible animal life found in Canada’s Key Biodiversity Areas. Swipe through for a look at some of last year’s entries - and maybe a little inspiration for your own 👀 1/2

WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 04/09/2026

Rounding out our 2026 judging panel! #2026KBAPhotoContest We're thrilled to welcome Julian Victor, wildlife filmmaker, educator, and Explorers Club Fellow, as a guest judge for the 4th annual KBA Canada Photo Contest! 🧵

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 03/09/2026

Meet our next 2026 judge! #2026KBAPhotoContest We're thrilled to welcome Jacquie Matechuk, Canon Canada Ambassador and certified bear guide, as a guest judge for the 4th annual KBA Canada Photo Contest! 🧵

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 02/09/2026

This week, meet the judges deciding this #2026KBAPhotoContest's winners! 📸 First up: we're thrilled to welcome @damiansiqueirosart.bsky.social, founder and creative director of Terra Sapiens Collective, as a guest judge for the 4th annual KBA Canada Photo Contest! 🧵

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 26/08/2026

✨Relevance to the Category: how it fits the theme 🦋 New: Indigenous Storytellers centres Indigenous voices ✨KBA Significance: showcase a KBA or KBA-triggering species Enter → kbacanada.org/2026/08/19/capturing-… #2026KBAPhotoContest 2/2

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 26/08/2026

1/2 What makes for a winning image in the KBA Photo Contest? Here's what our judges look for: ✨Creativity & Originality: fresh, personal, imaginative shots that make us stop scrolling ✨Composition & Technical Quality: how you use light, angles, and focus to guide the eye and tell a story

WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 25/08/2026

(2/2) Created in traditional Woodland style, every animal was intentionally chosen to reflect culturally significant species, WCS Canada focal species & wildlife found in Key Biodiversity Areas. It's an invitation to see caring for nature as a shared responsibility, grounded in relationships.

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 25/08/2026

(1/2) Conservation isn't only about science. It's also about the stories we tell, the relationships we honour & the ways we understand our place in the world. This commissioned artwork by Anishinaabe artist Grace Swain celebrates the connections between lands, waters, wildlife & people.

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 19/08/2026

The 2026 KBA Photo Contest is back 📸 Share your best photos from Canada's KBAs & win up to $600 CAD. New this year: our Indigenous Storytellers category. 🗓️ Closes Oct 15 🔗 kbacanada.org/2026/08/19/capturing-… #2026KBAPhotoContest 1/2

WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 14/08/2026

When do ringed seals haul out on the ice? WCS Canada researchers used camera traps to find out! We found a >50% chance of haul-outs when temperatures were above -4.3°C and winds below 20 km/h. These thresholds could help improve population estimates.

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 13/08/2026

2/2 Two of their important strongholds, Algonquin Provincial Park and Killarney Provincial Park, are designated Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA), recognized globally for their significance to this uniquely Canadian species. Explore KBAs across Canada at kbacanada.org 🌿 #InternationalWolfDay

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 13/08/2026

1/2 The Eastern Wolf is one of Canada's rarest and most unique species, and it's only found here 🐺 Genetically distinct from the Gray Wolf and more closely related to coyotes, the Eastern Wolf (Canis sp. cf. lycaon) has a global population of fewer than 1,000 individuals, most of them in Ontario.

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 10/08/2026

There's still time to register for tomorrow's webinar with WCS Canada President & Senior Scientist Justina Ray exploring how the One Canadian Economy agenda is reshaping major project decision-making. Date: August 11, 2026 Time: 6:00 PM MST Register: www.actws.ca/webinars

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 06/08/2026

1/2 We're excited to introduce a brand-new interactive tool for exploring Canada's KBAs! Explore 23 data vignettes information about KBAs, including everything from information on species and ecosystems meeting KBA criteria to conservation actions, protected area coverage, and threats.

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 31/07/2026

How are proposed federal regulatory reforms reshaping major project approvals & what does this mean for biodiversity and species at risk? Join WCS Canada’s Dr. Justina Ray for this timely webinar! Date: August 11, 2026 Time: 6:00 PM MST Learn more & register: www.actws.ca/webinars

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 29/07/2026

Three Ontario KBAs are actually designated Monarch reserves that play an important role in monarch conservation: 🦋 Prince Edward County South Shore KBA 🦋 Long Point Peninsula and Marshes KBA 🦋 Point Pelee and Hillman Marsh KBA If you're taking part in the Monarch Blitz, consider visiting a KBA!

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 29/07/2026

For this year's Monarch blitz, try visiting a Key Biodiversity Area! KBAs are fantastic places to spot these butterflies, with many in southern Ontario & Québec providing habitat during breeding & migration. You may also have sightings in some parts of the Maritimes, the Prairies, & southern BC.

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 22/07/2026

1/2 Beluga Whales are known as the "canaries of the sea" - early mariners could hear their clicks, whistles and squeals right through the hulls of their ships. Born dark grey, they slowly turn white as they mature, a process that takes about seven years 🐳

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 08/07/2026

"Is this thing on?" 🦌 This curious moose wants to know why you're not subscribed to our newsletter yet - don't leave him hanging! 📩 Subscribe today: f.mtr.cool/llnxyaicph

WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 30/06/2026

2/3 A White-crowned Sparrow clutching a hard-won catch at Boundary Bay in the Fraser River Estuary KBA, BC. And Semipalmated Sandpipers zigzagging over the Upper Chignecto Bay KBA, NB on their fall migration - a flock in full flight, and a perfect note to end on 🐦

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 30/06/2026

1/3 We close out this round of #2025KBAPhotoContest Honourable Mentions in three very different corners of Canada 🪽 Tundra flora pushing through the Arctic ground in Wapusk National Park and Area candidate KBA, MB - small, stubborn, and worth every bit of protection.

(2/2) Despite the presence of rare & threatened species, 79% of the lands & waters within these KBAs are unprotected. KBA designation doesn't create legal protection, but it provides evidence to help drive advocacy. Learn more at: f.mtr.cool/gfmgazkaqr 📸 Sarah Gardner/Jeff White

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(1/2) Twenty‑five sites, spanning over 2,500 km² in Nova Scotia, have been nationally recognized as Key Biodiversity Areas - home to species like the Piping Plover, Blanding’s Turtle, and rare lichens 🌎 @birdscanada.bsky.social 📸 Oliver Prowse/Dwayne Sabine

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(4/4) The takeaway: big‑picture, long‑term planning that meaningfully incorporates Indigenous‑led land‑use planning & stewardship is essential to avoid irreversible harm. To keep learning, explore Indigenous Rights in One Minute: What You Need to Know to Talk Reconciliation #IndigenousHistoryMonth

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(3/4) The court found that cumulative effects of development can infringe Treaty rights, even where individual projects were consulted and approved. #IndigenousHistoryMonth

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(2/4) Decades of overlapping industrial activities cumulatively degraded Blueberry River First Nation’s ability to meaningfully exercise Treaty rights #IndigenousHistoryMonth

WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 25/06/2026

(1/4) The final part of our mini‑series on Canadian law & Indigenous rights returns to BC and the Yahey Decision (2021) #IndigenousHistoryMonth

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(3/3) Our work reflects this by building relationships early, supporting collaborative planning, and advancing Free, Prior & Informed Consent #IndigenousHistoryMonth

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 25/06/2026

(2/3) It established a duty to consult when Crown decisions could affect Indigenous rights. That duty means engaging early, not after decisions are made #IndigenousHistoryMonth

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WCS Canada @wcscanada.org · 25/06/2026

(1/3) Part three of our mini-series on Canadian law to mark National Indigenous History Month focuses on the Haida Decision of 2004 #IndigenousHistoryMonth