Two Vulnerable (S3) Species at Ququ'lEq / SṈAḴE / Cadboro Bay

'S3' refers to a Provincial Conservation Status Ranking defined as "of special concern, vulnerable to extirpation or extinction."

Coastal Great Blue Heron

Yellow Sand Verbena

Coastal Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias fannini):

Great Blue Herons spend the majority of their waking hours hunting for prey (particularly during nesting season), and are highly susceptible to human disturbance. It remains so incredibly important we give Herons (like all wildlife) as much space as possible, as this disturbance is correlated with nest failure and a subsequent population declines.

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Yellow Sand Verbena (Abronia latifolia):

This extant population of Yellow Sand Verbena at Cadboro Bay Beach is the only remaining occurrence in the District of Saanich. It is a host plant for the S1-ranked (critically imperilled) Sand-verbena Moth (Copablepharon fuscum), which is known from only 3 remaining sites in BC (8 sites in total — all in the Salish Sea region).

Coastal Sand Ecosystems (as well as the closely-related Garry Oak associated Coastal Bluff Ecosystems) are incredibly rich in biodiversity and ecological value. Unfortunately, they are also highly endangered in their endemic region, due to a multitude of anthropogenic factors.

The Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary (which encompasses the entirety of Cadboro Bay) provides critical habitat for 75+ animal and plant species of concern, including 15 birds protected under the federal Species At Risk Act. The VHMBS offers not just nesting and breeding habitat for avian species, but of equal importance and significance is the habitat it provides for foraging and resting.

How fortunate we are to share this coast with an abundance of flora and fauna — let's do all we can to keep them safe and thriving for generations to come.

All photos taken ethically and at a safe distance, ensuring no harm or disturbance comes to wildlife, their habitats, or the ecosystems they comprise.