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Discover the wildlife of British Columbia

British Columbia (BC) on the west coast of Canada is renowned for its spectacular national parks, abundant with wildlife. And the province’s incredible scenery includes ancient temperate rainforests, alpine meadows, hot springs, fjords to rival Norway with thousands of islands, and majestic mountain ranges, with many peaks rising to more than 3,000 metres (around 10,000 feet).

There are few places better than BC to enjoy whale, bear or bird watching, and some creatures you will find nowhere else in the wild, notably the ‘spirit bear’, a sub-species of the American black bear (also known as the Kermode bear).

There is so much to offer but we’ve shortlisted and profiled 10 species over on our own area of the BBC Wildlife site. Go have a look and let us know your thoughts or share your own BC wildlife experiences in the comments below.

Rufous hummingbird

Lively little birds well known for their aggressive behaviour towards rival birds, rufous hummingbirds have a migration route that extends from Mexico to south-east Alaska. Although their population is strong, they are protected under CITES.

Moon jellyfish

Moon jellyfish grow to around 30 to 40 centimetres in diameter. They survive mostly on plankton and are predated on by many animals. Huge numbers can be seen in BC’s coastal waters, the nicest way being to watch them drift as you hug the coast in a kayak.

Sea otter

One of the largest members of the weasel family, sea otters are also the world’s smallest marine mammals. They are considered a ‘keystone species’ crucial to preserving kelp forest ecosystems. They like to keep themselves to themselves, but can be spotted in Glendale Cove.

Pacific white-sided dolphin

Only found in the temperate waters of the North Pacific, these dolphins have white bellies, predominantly black bodies and distinctive light grey patches that run along their sides, faces and dorsal fins. Occasionally their pods combine to form a super group of around 1,000 dolphins.

Orca (also known as killer whale)

Thought to be the most geographically widespread mammal on earth apart from us humans, orca are versatile hunters, and BC is arguably the best place in the world to see them. Highly social, they patrol in pods comprising up to to 4 generations and 50 individuals.

Humpback whale

Humpbacks were decimated by intense whaling up to 1966. But these majestic cetaceans have bounced back and places like the islands of the Haida Gwaii offer great opportunities to see their fascinating bubble-net feeding technique and, if you're lucky, a spectacular breach or two.

Brown bear

One of the largest land-based predators, but also omnivores that consume an extraordinary range of foods, brown bears have suffered dramatic habitat loss and are classified as endangered. BC offers excellent lodges from which to see them and the work being done to conserve them.

American black bear

The smallest bear native to North America but with the largest population of any bear species in the world, American black bears can vary from light brown to black or dark blue. But perhaps most beguiling is the white or cream spirit bear found along only a few parts of BC’s coast.

American beaver

The American beaver is the largest rodent in North America. They typically weigh around 20kg and can grow to well over a metre long. Their dams provide a refuge for many other animals and birds. Beavers can be seen on all of our BC trips – with patience and good fortune.

Bald eagle

Bald eagles are the only sea eagle endemic to North America. Although renowned as the national bird of the USA, British Columbia is an excellent place to see them flex their 2 metre wingspan and hunt for their wide variety of prey.

In British Columbia, we offer a wide variety of group tours and readymade trip ideas to inspire you. Find these and more options in Canada.