Benjamin Larue, Ph.D.

In our new piece @theconversation.com, we break down pressures facing Canada's migratory caribou — and some solutions identified by Indigenous communities and science.

Canada can build major projects without weakening environmental protections, science, transparency or accountability. Bill C-39 will lead to loss of species at risk and habitat destruction. I just wrote to my MP asking them to strengthen Bill C-39. Act today 👉 actionnetwork.org/letters/have...

The trophic/ecological inefficiency of catching wild fish to feed farmed fish for human consumption is at the heart of why aquaculture makes no logical sense at all. Take into consideration the fuel and energy costs to produce fish meal and it's even worse. www.cbc.ca/news/world/o...

Disgusting but not surprising. Adding insult to injury, Albertans have spent millions on translocation of Sage Grouse from the US, captive breeding programs, habitat studies, radio tracking, and population genetics. All for naught. #abpoli #Canada #wildlife #birds

Victory? Apparently the feds will not exempt major projects from the Species at Risk Act, after many voiced strong concern, including several First Nations. They continue to dismantle federal oversight over pipelines and other environmentally dubious initiatives www.thestar.com/politics/fed...

Good news is good news so it's welcomed, but let's look at the long-term trend. Nowhere near complete recovery, just over half the stock before the collapse. Shifting baseline strikes again. 🧪 cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/...

For caribou, mitigation in the arctic is too often wishful thinking. We need to move beyond assuming measures will reduce impacts and actually test whether they work. Great new study showing why evidence-based mitigation matters! 👇

Less reliance on megaprojects, more diverse economy and environmental protection ! "Rather than seeing infrastructure as the end goal, Canada needs to support diverse, multi-sector economies through technology development, inter-sectoral linkages, and Canadian-owned companies over the long term."

Great news for Bison conservation in the US! 🦬 earthjustice.org/press/2026/c...

"Scientists Warn Carney’s Changes Will Bring ‘Wilful Extinction"

Good conversation between my friend Tim Fullman (@wilderness.org) and TWS President Tracy Stone-Manning on tracking the Teshekpuk caribou herd. Takeaway: caribou need freedom to move across vast, intact landscapes to thrive. 🦌

📢 Nîkanêse Wah tzee Stewardship Society is hiring a Restoration Director to lead their multi-year caribou habitat restoration program in Klinse-Za Park, BC. Hybrid, $90-120K, closes Aug 20. Amazing opportunity!

Caribou suffer terribly in the heat of summer when the mosquitos and black flies come out in the heat. We are getting more and more hot days due to climate change.

Coltman www.nature.com/articles/nat... just passed 1000 cites GoogleScholar. Brought to the fore that selective hunting can lead to evolutionary change, leading to much debate, gnashing of teeth. Pigeon et al's update answered stats objections, is better paper onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

Amazing opportunbity to improve wildlife conservation in Wyoming! eeik.fa.us2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...

Environment and Climate Change Canada is seeking public comments on proposed Critical Habitat Protection Regulations under the Species at Risk Act. The proposal would streamline protection of critical habitat on federal lands without weakening protections. Comments are open until Sept. 16.

Des faons naissent encore en enclos plutôt qu'en liberté, et le Québec tarde toujours à restaurer l'habitat qui leur permettrait un jour d'en sortir. Il est temps que le gouvernement passe des mesures palliatives à une véritable restauration de l'habitat!

Last day to comment on Canada's proposed fast-track for major project approvals. Roads like Grays Bay & Mackenzie Valley Highway cross declining barren-ground caribou ranges. We don't fully know which mitigations work. Precaution matters! Email engagement@pco-bcp.gc.ca by tonight.

2 milliards pour moins de 200 véhicules. C'est le budget total consacré à la recherche scientifique au Canada par année.

Last call: today (July 15) is the deadline to comment on GNWT's draft Best Management Practices for mitigating road effects on barren-ground caribou in the NWT. Roads are likely the biggest threat this species faces. If you have thoughts, now's the time at the link below!

Indigenous people make up 5% of the population but 75% of the people living on the street in Winnipeg. Poverty is the byproduct of colonial systems of oppression and genocide but is treated like a personal failure when many are born into it

Carney's Canada: subsidizing fossil fuels, cutting science. Data-based blog by E4D evidencefordemocracy.ca/canada-is-cu...

The Kugluktuk Angoniatit Association opposes the Grays Bay Road & Port Project. Caribou harvesters and Elders explain why in this short film. I study how roads affect caribou, and these concerns track a growing body of scientific evidence closely. Please watch and share widely!

The closest thing to a wild caribou you'll see in Grands-Jardins these days is this silhouette. The herd has been in a 20-hectare enclosure since 2022 — a last resort after decades of habitat loss from logging. Quebec still hasn't committed to meaningfully restoring caribou habitat. #caribou

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Price: conservation of pacific salmon in Canada undermined by gov't cutbacks on monitoring, political pressure, ignoring science. Of 47 salmon populations assessed at risk by COSEWIC, none were listed under the Species at Risk Act. 🧪 conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

I left the North American Caribou Workshop feeling optimistic. Bringing together Indigenous knowledge holders, community members, wildlife managers, and researchers leads to better conversations, and ultimately better caribou conservation. Glad to see CBC highlighting this!

A thoughtful Mongabay article on Indigenous Guardians, Arctic road development, and migratory caribou in the Northwest Territories. Happy to have provided some input ❄️

Amazing opportunity to conduct caribou research with real conservation impact! @wilderness.org is hiring a postdoc to model road effects on caribou. I'm part of the team — great people, supervised by the excellent Tim Fullman. Apply by July 19! thewildernesssociety.careers.hibob.com/jobs/25324d2...

Carney government is ‘shredding’ environmental rules and ‘misleading’ Canadians: former advisors. We need better environmental leadership! Time to step up and say no to industrial capture 🌱

The views of Great Slave Lake. Excited to be presenting at #NACW2026 this week, where researchers, managers, Indigenous knowledge holders, and community members will come together to discuss the future of caribou across North America. #Caribou #Conservation #Yellowknife

HELL NO indeed!

Happy #WorldCaribouDay!!! I've spent the past three years studying caribou, and they never cease to amaze me. Here's to healthy herds, connected landscapes, and the people who live alonside them in reciprocity.

Better Than the Usual News: Trump’s auction of oil leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge drew limited interest, with no major companies bidding and only two participants, who agreed to pay $3.7 million for five tracts.

🚨 Last chance to apply 🚨 The Narwhal is hiring ... and the deadline is this Sunday, June 7! We're looking for two senior reporters to pursue ambitious journalism about the natural world in Canada, one based in B.C. and another based (almost) anywhere in the country. thenarwhal.ca/work-with-us/

Excellent opportunity here: a 5 year senior research fellowship in Life Sciences (broadly defined) at All Souls College Oxford. Many opportunities to work with the diverse & inclusive community here in @biology.ox.ac.uk here in the brand new Life & Mind Buiilding www.asc.ox.ac.uk/post-doctora...

"Canada’s ‘major projects’ should not come at the cost of the environment" Preserving Canada's amazing natural heritage is itself a major project that is not worth sacrificing!

Despite their flashy appearance, Harlequin ducks can be surprisingly easy to overlook as they bob among waves and rocks. One of my favorite bird encounters from Atlantic Canada 🌊

Decisions about roads, mines, ports, railways, and energy infrastructure shapes ecosystems for decades. In many cases, negative impacts are difficult --or impossible-- to reverse. Public consultation on the federal government's proposed major-project reforms closes June 7. Make your voice heard!!!

I visited Lorneville last fall and met with people who deeply care about the place. The wetlands, forests, and coastline were beautiful. This story raises important questions about the environmental footprint of AI infrastructure and who gets to shape decisions about local landscapes. 🌲🌊

Important read for caribou conservation in Nunavut! 🏔️❄️

As new oil and gas leases in their calving grounds loom, the declining Porcupine #caribou herd is showing signs of climate stresses. New in our news section www.northerncaribou.ca/news thanks @canadiangeographic

Yep...

The horrible Carney discussion paper on "fast tracking major projects" proposes turning regions of the country, & endangered species, into sacrifice zones for the benefit of corporate profiteering. There's a month long opportunity to submit comments. 🧵1/ www.nationalobserver.com/2026/05/12/n...

If you are an Alberta resident, please see if you can find a location to sign this petition against renewed coal mining in the Rockies www.waternotcoal.ca/sign-the-pet...