Living with Wildlife: the Oak Bay Deer study
When you think of deer, do you think of a doe feeding in a wilderness meadow, the Disney movie Bambi, or of the light-up decorations that were on display over Christmastime in front yards across Canada? For many people, deer are just that—something far away, a...
Yule Log
As another year of changing seasons comes to a close, the UWSS would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, or perhaps just simply a celebration of the beauty, peace and balance that we so often find in nature. We are sharing this video that...
Too loose, too tight, just right?
Over the past two years, you may have got used to seeing 20 does wandering around with collars that have four large tags in a variety of colours hanging from their necks. These deer are the control group for the Oak Bay Urban Deer Research Project and the collars are...
This is a Climate Emergency
The Climate Emergency has an impact on all of us, often in ways we don’t necessarily recognize. Alina Fisher, communications expert for the UWSS (UVic PhD student), is a signatory on the open letter in the journal BioScience, signed by 11,258 scientists from 153...
Boostering was a success!
As Hallowe’en came and went, the immuno-contraception(IC) portion of the science-based Oak Bay Urban Deer Research Project came to a close for this year. What a successful September and October it’s been! Read on for a summary of the project to date!
Deerly Beloved
During late-fall's rutting season, any "street sense" our urban bucks have developed is likely lost in a hormone-induced haze. Their behaviour can seem irrational, but really they’re just single-minded. It’s important to be aware they might run out into the road, when...
Final Countdown – Vote by October 19th at 9am
Election day may be coming up, but don't forget to exercise your right to vote in our photo contest by 9am on October 19th! Take a look at our gallery of 32 stunning photographs and choose up to ten of your favourite finalists; voting is by donation. While you’re...
Exhibition of Finalists
Join us for the Exhibition Opening of our Photo Contest finalists! Enjoy a hot mug of apple cider and peruse the three categories: Wildlife, Natural Landscapes & Gardens of Victoria. When? Oct 5 from 1-4pm Where? 1442 Monterey Ave Can't make it? The photos will be...
More Fancy Jewelry
The teams in the orange vests that you’ve been seeing out in the early hours of the morning have now successfully immuno-contracepted (IC) 51 deer, in less than three weeks! We have been finding the deer exactly where the preliminary report said we...
If you see IC
If you’re out and about in the early hours of the morning in Oak Bay these days, you may spy a cluster of orange vests hard at work. It’s a significant moment for Oak Bay and the UWSS, as once again we’re out in the field - this time to administer an...
Why do we fundraise?
If you’ve seen the poster for our photo contest and you’re wondering why this small, non-profit organization fundraises, well... Although a portion of the UWSS’s research in Oak Bay and Esquimalt is funded by the province and/or the district, much of our work is...
The Importance of Wildlife Corridors
Yes, the UWSS may be currently focused on urban deer, but we are the Urban Wildlife stewardship society and care about all creatures. This philosophy is personified by our very own lead scientist Dr. Jason Fisher, who was...