CHIEF EBBITS POLE. FATHER OF ANISALAGA

The Dogfish Kootéeyaa Pole in Saxman Totem Park

Rural Tennessee has electricity for the same reason Southeast Alaska has Totem Parks—to help the nation recover from The Great Depression. 

President Franklin D. Roosevelt, created several federal agencies to put people to work and work they did. 

From 1938-1942 more than 200 Tlingit and Haida First Nation carved totem poles and cleared land for the Civilian Conservation Corps to create “totem parks” the federal government hoped would draw travelers to Alaska.

This odd intersection of federal relief, Alaska Native art and marketing is the subject of Emily L. Moore’s book “Proud Raven, Panting Wolf: Carving Alaska’s New Deal Totem Parks.”

This effort to bring poles out of abandoned villages includes the Lincoln Pole being moved to Saxman Totem Park by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), who established the Saxman Totem Park in 1938.  Though it has been impossible to establish the exact year it was dedicated, the carving of President Lincoln was raised in Old Tongass Village in the late 1870s or the early 1880s, ten to fifteen years after the events it commemorated.

The top carving on the Lincoln Pole bears a great likeness of Abraham Lincoln. According to the teachings of many Tlingit elders, this carving was meant to represent the first white man seen in Tlingit territory in the 18th century.  

A century later, in the 1880s, one of my ancestors from the Gaanax.ádi Raven clan of the Tongass Tlingit commissioned the pole to commemorate our ancestor's pride to have seen this first white man—which has become a Gaanax.ádi crest—using a photograph of Abraham Lincoln as the model. 

It is important not only for these various readings of the crests but also because it claims Gaanax.ádi clan territory before the first Europeans and budding Americans came to these shores—territory that Tlingit carvers who were re-carving the pole in the 1940s were trying to assert to the U.S. government as sovereign land.

Interestingly, another pole in that same park is the Dogfish Pole, carved for Chief Ebbits Andáa, Teikweidi, Valley House. 

The Chief Ebbits Memorial Pole—the Dogfish Kootéeyaa Pole—was raised in 1892 in Old Tongass Village in honour of the Head Chief of the Tongass—a great man and my ancestor. 

Inscribed on the back is, "In Memory of Ebbits, Head Chief of Tongass, January 11, 1892."  

While the Memorial Pole was originally erected in Tongass, it was moved, re-carved and re-painted at Saxman Totem Park in 1938 as part of Roosevelt's program—and was refurbished again just a few years ago. 

The Pole shows the crests of our Clan and tells the story of his life. At his death, he was Chief Ebbits but he had been born Neokoots and became Chief Sheiks, after his father—Chief of Chiefs of all Tlingit in what would become to be known as Alaska. 

The changing of names is not unusual in our culture, or at least the acquiring of names. This happens throughout ones lifetime. What is unusual is the exchanging of names and that is just what happened for Chief Sheiks to become Chief Ebbits.

Later in life, he met and traded with some early American fur traders sailing aboard Commander John Jacob Astor's ship. One of those traders, a Mister Ebbits, became his great friend and the two sealed that friendship with the exchanging of names.  

Chief Ebbit's wife was Aanseet, Chief-of-All-Women, Drifted Ashore House.

Together, they had six children, including Anisalaga Mary Ebbits (Ebbetts) Hunt (the All-Mother), Yaashút' (their son who died in 1876, shot and killed by Kaltcheh), their daughter Gaachnéin who married Kucheesh III, their daughter Abbie (Atk'géigee) who married W. H. Bond, their son Keenanúk who married Xanséek and their daughter Kéilsháawat who married Xaashgáaksh II.

Aanseet drowned on the Nass River in 1870. Two memorial poles were raised in her honour — one in Alaska, Princess-Shining-Copper (that was taken to Seattle and raised in Pioneer Square) and one in Tsaxis/T'sakis, Fort Rupert, raised by Anisalaga.

If you would like to read more about the Dogfish pole and others, I recommend, The Wolf and the Raven, by anthropologist Viola Garfield and architect Linn Forrest—another talented cousin—published in 1948 and reprinted in 1961.

The paint you see on the pole in these photographs is from the 1938 restoration. The pole had weathered to a silver grey and all paint had been stripped by wind and time. In 2022, an RFP was issued for a local carver to freshen up the paint and stabilize this ancient memorial pole to bring it back to some of its original luster so that the pole can be enjoyed for generations to come.

Jeff Whyte Photography of the Saxman Totem Park

Photos: Jeff Whyte kindly sent me these photos earlier this year from his last trip to the Saxman Totem Park. Jeff is a wonderful photographer from Calgary, Alberta, whose work captures the gorgeous landscape and people of the Pacific Northwest and western Canada.

You can visit his work showcasing amazing landscapes, cityscapes and prairie vistas at www.jeffwhytephotography.com

Letter from Chief Ebbits to Anisalaga Mary Ebbits Hunt

I found a letter from Chief Ebbits to my great-great-great grandmother Anisalaga Mary Ebbits-Hunt from 1876 telling her of her brother's death at the hands of Kaltcheh. 

Here, Chief Ebbits spells his name Abbits in the signature line. You will see Ebbetts, Ebbits and many variations on Anisalaga in the early recorded histories. 

Anisalaga / Anis'laga / Ansnaq / Anain / Anéin / A'naeesla'ga / Mary Ebbits Ebbetts (Abbits) Hunt (1823-1919) held many names. Her name has become famous for her beautiful Chilkat weavings. Her given Kwagu'ł name was Musgemxàala which she received when she moved down from Tongass to marry Robert Hunt. 

She belonged to the Raven/Yéil phratry of the Gigalgam Kyinanuk Tlingit of Tongass. Anisalaga is the blood that binds all the Cadwalladers, Spencers, Lyons, Hunts and Hendersons on the West Coast of British Columbia. It is to her and Robert that this Huntress owes heartfelt appreciation for so many cousins!

15TH BCPA SYMPOSIUM, COURTENAY, BRITISH COLUMBIA

SAVE THE DATE: 15th British Columbia Paleontological Symposium

Florence Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton Avenue, Courtenay, British Columbia, on the Traditional Territory of the K’ómoks First Nation, August 22-25, 2025

CELEBRATING THE PALEONTOLOGICAL BOUNTY OF THE COMOX VALLEY

The conference features over a dozen speakers in paleontology from Vancouver Island, mainland British Columbia, and beyond. 

This year, we’re celebrating Courtenay’s own Traskasaura sandrae—a 12-metre-long marine elasmosaur discovered by Mike Trask along the Puntledge River. The fossil was recently named in the Journal of Systematic Paleontology, earning international recognition.

Traskasaura sandrae is a newly identified genus and species of elasmosaurid plesiosaur, a long-necked marine reptile, discovered in British Columbia, Canada. 

The fossil, found along the Puntledge River on Vancouver Island, are from the Late Cretaceous (Santonian age), roughly 86 to 84 million years ago. Traskasaura sandrae is notable for its robust teeth, potentially adapted for crushing ammonites, and a unique mix of primitive and derived skeletal features, suggesting it was a powerful predator adapted for diving. 

As well as highlighting this significant find and honouring the amazing life of Mike Trask, the symposium has an exciting lineup of scientific presentations, hands-on workshops, a paleontology-themed art exhibition, poster presentations, and guided field trips. 

These events provide exciting opportunities to explore and celebrate the rich geological and paleontological history of Vancouver Island, bringing together world-renowned paleontologists, citizen scientists, fossil enthusiasts, researchers, artists, and the public in a vibrant exchange of ideas and inspiration.

Our Keynote Speaker is Dr. Kirk Johnson, Sant Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, where he oversees the world's largest natural history collection. 

As a field paleontologist, he has led expeditions in eighteen US states and eleven countries with a research focus on fossil plants and the extinction of the dinosaurs. He is known for his scientific articles, popular books, museum exhibitions, documentaries, and collaborations with artists.

BRITISH COLUMBIA PALEONTOLOGICAL ALLIANCE (BCPA)

The British Columbia Paleontological Alliance (BCPA) is a collaborative network of organisations led by professional and citizen scientists, working to advance the science of paleontology in the province. 

Together, they promote fossil research and discovery through public education, responsible scientific collecting, and open communication among paleontologists, citizen scientists, fossil enthusiasts, researchers, and educators.

Every two years, the BCPA hosts a Paleontological Symposium, bringing together experts and the public from across Canada, North America, and beyond to share the latest research and discoveries related to British Columbia's fossil heritage.  To learn more, visit www.bcfossils.ca.

VANCOUVER ISLAND PALEONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY (HOST ORGANIZATION):

This year, the Vancouver Island Paleontological Society (VIPS) is proud to host the 15th BCPA Symposium in Courtenay, in partnership with the Courtenay and District Museum & Palaeontology Centre. 

Founded in 1992 and based in the Comox Valley, VIPS is a nonprofit society with charitable status in good standing dedicated to fostering public engagement with the natural world through field trips, workshops, symposia, and public lectures that bring science to life for the community. 

COMMUNITY SPONSORSHIP, SILENT AUCTION ITEMS & WELCOME BAGS: 

As host, the VIPS is currently welcoming sponsorship contributions and donations for the symposium's silent auction to help us offset conference costs, including printing, venue rental, catering, insurance, and participant support. We are also seeking items to include in our Welcome Bags for conference attendees, offering an excellent opportunity to showcase local businesses and community spirit. 

Sponsors will be publicly recognised at the conference, within the Courtenay and District Museum, and across our social media platforms. Tax receipts are available for eligible donations.

Sponsorship cheques made out to the Vancouver Island Paleontological Society can be mailed to 930 Sandpines Drive, Comox, BC, V9M 3V3. Attn: 15th BCPA Symposium 2025.

We would be honoured to have your support—your contribution would bring meaningful value to this exciting scientific event. If you have an item to donate to our silent auction or to include in our Welcome Bags, we would be sincerely grateful and can arrange for convenient pickup. 

To get involved or learn more, please contact us at bcpaleo.events@gmail.com—we’d love to hear from you! 

Warm regards on behalf of the 15th BCPA Organising Committee.

PALEONTOLOGY OF HAIDA GWAII

Misty shores, moss-covered forests, dappled light, and the smell of salt air—these are my memories of Haida Gwaii, a land where ancient stories are written in stone.

Formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands, the archipelago of Haida Gwaii lies at the far western edge of Canada, where the Pacific Ocean meets the continental shelf. These islands—steeped in the rich culture of the Haida Nation—are not only a cultural treasure but a geologic and paleontological wonderland.

Geologically, Haida Gwaii is part of Wrangellia, an exotic tectonostratigraphic terrane that also includes parts of Vancouver Island, western British Columbia, and Alaska. The region's complex geological history spans hundreds of millions of years and includes volcanic arcs, seafloor spreading, and the accretion of entire landmasses.

The Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) has long been fascinated with these remote islands. Their geologists and paleontologists have led numerous expeditions over the past century, documenting the diverse sedimentary formations and fossiliferous beds. Much of the foundation for this work was laid by Joseph Frederick Whiteaves, the GSC’s chief paleontologist in Ottawa during the late 19th century.

In 1876, Whiteaves published a pioneering paper on the Jurassic and Cretaceous faunas of Skidegate Inlet. This work firmly established the paleontological significance of the archipelago and cemented Whiteaves’ reputation as a global authority in the field. His paper, "On the Fossils of the Cretaceous Rocks of British Columbia" (GSC Report of Progress for 1876–77), remains a key early reference for West Coast palaeontology.

Later, Whiteaves would go on to describe Anomalocaris canadensis from the Burgess Shale—an “unlike other shrimp” fossil that would later be recognized as one of the most extraordinary creatures of the Cambrian explosion.

Whiteaves' early work on the fossil faunas of Haida Gwaii, particularly in the Haida Formation, created a foundation for generations of researchers to follow.

One of our most memorable fossil field trips was to the Cretaceous exposures of Lina Island, part of the Haida Formation. We considered it one of our “trips of a lifetime.” 

With great sandstone beach exposures and fossil-rich outcrops dating from the Albian to Cenomanian, Lina Island offered both scientific riches and stunning natural beauty.

Our expedition was supported and organized by John Fam, Vice Chair of the Vancouver Paleontological Society, and Dan Bowen, Chair of the British Columbia Paleontological Alliance and the Vancouver Island Palaeontological Society. 

Their dedication to fostering collaborative research and building relationships with local Haida communities was key. We were warmly welcomed, and field trips to fossil sites were arranged in partnership with community members and cultural stewards.

The Haida Formation yielded beautifully preserved specimens embedded both in bedding planes and in concretions—hard, rounded nodules that often house exceptionally preserved fossils. Among our finds were:

• Douvilleiceras spiniferum
• Brewericeras hulenense
• Cleoniceras perezianum
• Fossil cycads, evidence of rich Cretaceous plant life

These fossils offered a rare glimpse into an ancient marine ecosystem that once teemed with life. Douvilleiceras, a spiny ammonite, is particularly striking. This genus, first identified by Whiteaves from Haida Gwaii, ranges from the Middle to Late Cretaceous and has been found across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas.  The Haida specimens, from the early to mid-Albian, remain among the most beautiful. It is one of my favourite ammonites of all time and I was blessed to find several good examples of that species.

All of the fossils I collected from Haida Gwaii have been skillfully prepped and donated to the Haida Gwaii Museum in Skidegate, British Columbia. It is a privilege to contribute in a small way to the scientific and cultural understanding of these extraordinary islands.

References and Further Reading:

Whiteaves, J.F. (1876). On the Fossils of the Cretaceous Rocks of British Columbia. Geological Survey of Canada, Report of Progress.

Jeletzky, J.A. (1970). Paleontology of the Cretaceous rocks of Haida Gwaii. Geological Survey of Canada, Bulletin 175.

Haggart, J.W. (1991). New Albian (Early Cretaceous) ammonites from Haida Gwaii. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 28(1), 45–56.

Haggart, J.W. & Smith, P.L. (1993). Paleontology and stratigraphy of the Cretaceous Queen Charlotte Group. Geological Survey of Canada Paper 93-1A.

Carter, E.S., Haggart, J.W., & Mustard, P.S. (1988). Early Cretaceous radiolarians from Haida Gwaii and implications for tectonic setting. Micropaleontology, 34(1), 1–14.

GLIMPSING SHADOWS: OUR COASTAL WOLVES

Wolves are among the most iconic predators of the northern hemisphere—intelligent, social, and adaptable creatures that have roamed the wilds of North America for hundreds of thousands of years. 

But their story begins long before that, deep in the fossil record, when canids first began to evolve.

The ancestors of today’s wolves can be traced back more than 30 million years to the early canids of the Oligocene. One of the earliest known members of the dog family is Hesperocyon, a small, fox-like carnivore that lived in what is now North America. 

Over millions of years, these early canids diversified into various forms, including the dire wolf (Aenocyon dirus) and the gray wolf (Canis lupus), which appeared around 1 to 2 million years ago.

The gray wolf evolved in Eurasia and migrated into North America via the Bering land bridge during the Pleistocene. Once here, it quickly became a dominant predator across the continent, adapting to a wide range of environments—from the Arctic tundra to the deserts of Mexico.

Today, Canis lupus is still widely distributed across North America, although its range has contracted significantly due to human expansion, habitat loss, and historical persecution. Wolves are found in:

• Alaska – home to the largest populations in North America.
• The Rocky Mountains – including parts of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming.
• The Western Great Lakes – especially Minnesota and Wisconsin.
• Canada – particularly British Columbia, Alberta, and the boreal forests of the northern provinces.
• Vancouver Island – which hosts a distinct coastal population.
• The Pacific Coast – small populations in Washington and Oregon are making a comeback.

Wolves are apex predators and essential for maintaining healthy ecosystems. They primarily prey on large ungulates such as deer, moose, elk, and caribou. 

In coastal regions, particularly on British Columbia’s Central Coast and Vancouver Island, wolves have adapted their diets to include salmon, intertidal invertebrates, and even seals. I have seen them eat their way along the tide line, scavenging whatever the sea has washed up for their breakfasts. 

These wolves have been observed swimming between islands in search of food, a behavior rarely seen in inland populations. If you explore the coast by boat, kayak or other means, you can see their footprints in the sand, telling you that you are not alone as you explore the rugged coast.

Wolves help control herbivore populations, which in turn benefits vegetation and can even influence river systems, as famously demonstrated in Yellowstone National Park after wolves were reintroduced in 1995.

Wolves on Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island is home to a small but resilient population of coastal wolves, often referred to as coastal sea wolves. These wolves are genetically and behaviorally distinct from their inland counterparts. While exact numbers fluctuate, current estimates suggest approximately 350 wolves live on Vancouver Island.

They are elusive and tend to avoid human interaction, making them difficult to study and count accurately. Much of what we know comes from the work of wildlife researchers and photographers such as Ian McAllister, whose documentation of coastal wolf behavior has been instrumental in raising awareness.

If you are looking to see more of these coastal predators, search out the work of photographers like Liron Gertsman, Ian Harland, and Sandy Sharkey, who have captured stunning images and footage of these elusive creatures in their natural habitat, along our beaches and old-growth forests. 

Despite their adaptability, wolves face a number of threats:

• Habitat Loss and Human Encroachment: As logging and development continue to fragment wild areas on Vancouver Island, wolves are pushed into closer proximity with humans, increasing the likelihood of conflict.
• Hunting and Trapping: Wolves are not protected under the Wildlife Act in much of British Columbia and can be hunted or trapped in many areas. Although controversial, some view wolf control as a means to support ungulate populations for hunting.
• Poisoning and Culling: In parts of Canada, wolves have been poisoned or culled in misguided efforts to protect caribou herds, despite ecological evidence showing that habitat preservation is more critical to caribou survival.
• Decline in Prey: As deer populations fluctuate due to climate change, human hunting pressure, and habitat alteration, wolves may face food scarcity.
• Public Misunderstanding: Myths and negative stereotypes about wolves still persist, sometimes fueling unnecessary fear and policy decisions not based on science.
• Wolves have been on this land longer than humans. Their long evolutionary journey has shaped them into highly specialized, intelligent animals with complex social structures. But their survival now depends on us.

On Vancouver Island and across the continent, conservation efforts, education, and science-based wildlife management are essential to ensuring wolves continue to howl in the wild for generations to come.

Vancouver Island local, Gary Allan, who runs the SWELL Wolf Education Centre in Nanaimo and is known for his extensive work in wolf advocacy and education is a good resource of up-to-date information on our coastal wolves. 

He has been educating the public about wolves since 2006, both through the Tundra Speaks Society and the education centre. Allan's work involves interacting with wolves, including his wolf-dog Tundra, and sharing his knowledge with schools, community groups, and First Nations organizations. 

Have you seen one of our coastal wolves up close and in person? It is a rare treat and for me, generally on an early morning walk. I hope we keep the balance so that the wolves live in peace and continue to thrive.

Further Reading and Resources

McAllister, Ian. The Last Wild Wolves: Ghosts of the Rain Forest. Greystone Books, 2007.

Mech, L. David, and Boitani, Luigi (eds.). Wolves: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation. University of Chicago Press, 2003.

Fossil Canids Database – University of California Museum of Paleontology

Raincoast Conservation Foundation – https://www.raincoast.org

DANCING BUMBLEBEES

Welcome to the world of bees. This fuzzy yellow and black striped fellow is a bumblebee in the genus Bombus sp., family Apidae. 

We know him from our gardens where we see them busily lapping up nectar and pollen from flowers with their long hairy tongues.

My Norwegian cousins on my mother's side call them humle. Norway is a wonderful place to be something wild as the wild places have not been disturbed by our hands. Head out for a walk in the wild flowers and the sounds you will hear are the wind and the bees en masse amongst the flowers.   

There are an impressive thirty-five species of bumblebee species that call Norway hjem (home), and one, Bombus consobrinus, boasts the longest tongue that they use to feast solely on Monkshood, genus Aconitum, you may know by the name Wolf's-bane.

In the Kwak̓wala language of the Kwakwaka'wakw, speakers of Kwak'wala, and my family on my father's side in the Pacific Northwest, bumblebees are known as ha̱mdzalat̕si — though I wonder if this is actually the word for a honey bee, Apis mellifera, as ha̱mdzat̕si is the word for a beehive.

I have a special fondness for all bees and look for them both in the garden and in First Nation art.

Bumblebees' habit of rolling around in flowers gives us a sense that these industrious insects are also playful. In First Nation art they provide levity — comic relief along with their cousins the mosquitoes and wasps — as First Nation dancers wear masks made to mimic their round faces, big round eyes and pointy stingers. 

A bit of artistic license is taken with their forms as each mask may have up to six stingers. The dancers weave amongst the watchful audience and swoop down to playfully give many of the guests a good, albeit gentle, poke. 

Honey bees actually do a little dance when they get back to the nest with news of an exciting new place to forage — truly they do. Bumblebees do not do a wee bee dance when they come home pleased with themselves from a successful foraging mission, but they do rush around excitedly, running to and fro to share their excitement. They are social learners, so this behaviour can signal those heading out to join them as they return to the perfect patch of wildflowers. 

Bumblebees are quite passive and usually sting in defense of their nest or if they feel threatened. Female bumblebees can sting several times and live on afterwards — unlike honeybees who hold back on their single sting as its barbs hook in once used and their exit shears it off, marking their demise.

They are important buzz pollinators both for our food crops and our wildflowers. Their wings beat at 130 times or more per second, literally shaking the pollen off the flowers with their vibration. 

And they truly are busy bees, spending their days fully focused on their work. Bumblebees collect and carry pollen and nectar back to the nest which may be as much as 25% to 75% of their body weight. 

And they are courteous — as they harvest each flower, they mark them with a particular scent to help others in their group know that the nectar is gone. 

The food they bring back to the nest is eaten to keep the hive healthy but is not used to make honey as each new season's queen bees hibernate over the winter and emerge reinvigorated to seek a new hive each Spring. She will choose a new site, primarily underground depending on the bumblebee species, and then set to work building wax cells for each of her fertilized eggs. 

Bumblebees are quite hardy. The plentiful hairs on their bodies are coated in oils that provide them with natural waterproofing. They can also generate more heat than their smaller, slender honey bee cousins, so they remain productive workers in cooler weather.    

We see the first bumblebees arise in the fossil record 100 million years ago and diversify alongside the earliest flowering plants. Their evolution is an entangled dance with the pollen and varied array of flowers that colour our world. 

We have found many wonderful examples within the fossil record, including a rather famous Eocene fossil bee found by a dear friend and naturalist who has left this Earth, Rene Savenye.

His namesake, H. Savenyei, is a lovely fossil halictine bee from Early Eocene deposits near Quilchena, British Columbia — and the first bee body-fossil known from the Okanagan Highlands — and indeed from Canada. 

It is a fitting homage, as bees symbolize honesty, playfulness and willingness to serve the community in our local First Nation lore and around the world — something Rene did his whole life.

SPIRALING BEAUTY: AMMONITES AS INDEX FOSSILS

Argonauticeras besairei, Collection of José Juárez Ruiz.

An exceptional example of fractal building of an ammonite septum, in this clytoceratid Argonauticeras besairei from the awesome José Juárez Ruiz.

Ammonites were predatory, squid-like creatures that lived inside coil-shaped shells.

Like other cephalopods, ammonites had sharp, beak-like jaws inside a ring of squid-like tentacles that extended from their shells. They used these tentacles to snare prey, — plankton, vegetation, fish and crustaceans — similar to the way a squid or octopus hunt today.

Catching a fish with your hands is no easy feat, as I'm sure you know. But the Ammonites were skilled and successful hunters. They caught their prey while swimming and floating in the water column. Within their shells, they had a number of chambers, called septa, filled with gas or fluid that were interconnected by a wee air tube. By pushing air in or out, they were able to control their buoyancy in the water column.

They lived in the last chamber of their shells, continuously building new shell material as they grew. As each new chamber was added, the squid-like body of the ammonite would move down to occupy the final outside chamber.

They were a group of extinct marine mollusc animals in the subclass Ammonoidea of the class Cephalopoda. These molluscs, commonly referred to as ammonites, are more closely related to living coleoids — octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish) than they are to shelled nautiloids such as the living Nautilus species.

The Ammonoidea can be divided into six orders:

• Agoniatitida, Lower Devonian - Middle Devonian
• Clymeniida, Upper Devonian
• Goniatitida, Middle Devonian - Upper Permian
• Prolecanitida, Upper Devonian - Upper Triassic
• Ceratitida, Upper Permian - Upper Triassic
• Ammonitida, Lower Jurassic - Upper Cretaceous

Ammonites have intricate and complex patterns on their shells called sutures. The suture patterns differ across species and tell us what time period the ammonite is from. If they are geometric with numerous undivided lobes and saddles and eight lobes around the conch, we refer to their pattern as goniatitic, a characteristic of Paleozoic ammonites.

If they are ceratitic with lobes that have subdivided tips; giving them a saw-toothed appearance and rounded undivided saddles, they are likely Triassic. For some lovely Triassic ammonites, take a look at the specimens that come out of Hallstatt, Austria and from the outcrops in the Humboldt Mountains of Nevada.

Hoplites bennettiana (Sowby, 1826).

If they have lobes and saddles that are fluted, with rounded subdivisions instead of saw-toothed, they are likely Jurassic or Cretaceous. If you'd like to see a particularly beautiful Lower Jurassic ammonite, take a peek at Apodoceras. Wonderful ridging in that species.

One of my favourite Cretaceous ammonites is the ammonite, Hoplites bennettiana (Sowby, 1826). This beauty is from Albian deposits near Carrière de Courcelles, Villemoyenne, near la région de Troyes (Aube) Champagne in northeastern France.

At the time that this fellow was swimming in our oceans, ankylosaurs were strolling about Mongolia and stomping through the foliage in Utah, Kansas and Texas. Bony fish were swimming over what would become the strata making up Canada, the Czech Republic and Australia. Cartilaginous fish were prowling the western interior seaway of North America and a strange extinct herbivorous mammal, Eobaatar, was snuffling through Mongolia, Spain and England.

In some classifications, these are left as suborders, included in only three orders: Goniatitida, Ceratitida, and Ammonitida. Once you get to know them, ammonites in their various shapes and suturing patterns make it much easier to date an ammonite and the rock formation where is was found at a glance.

Ammonites first appeared about 240 million years ago, though they descended from straight-shelled cephalopods called bacrites that date back to the Devonian, about 415 million years ago, and the last species vanished in the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event.

They were prolific breeders that evolved rapidly. If you could cast a fishing line into our ancient seas, it is likely that you would hook an ammonite, not a fish. They were prolific back in the day, living (and sometimes dying) in schools in oceans around the globe. We find ammonite fossils (and plenty of them) in sedimentary rock from all over the world.

In some cases, we find rock beds where we can see evidence of a new species that evolved, lived and died out in such a short time span that we can walk through time, following the course of evolution using ammonites as a window into the past.

For this reason, they make excellent index fossils. An index fossil is a species that allows us to link a particular rock formation, layered in time with a particular species or genus found there. Generally, deeper is older, so we use the sedimentary layers rock to match up to specific geologic time periods, rather the way we use tree-rings to date trees. A handy way to compare fossils and date strata across the globe.

References: Inoue, S., Kondo, S. Suture pattern formation in ammonites and the unknown rear mantle structure. Sci Rep 6, 33689 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep33689
https://www.nature.com/articles/srep33689?fbclid=IwAR1BhBrDqhv8LDjqF60EXdfLR7wPE4zDivwGORTUEgCd2GghD5W7KOfg6Co#citeas

Photo: Hoplites Bennettiana from near Troyes, France. Collection de Christophe Marot

VICTORIA ARBOUR: ARMOURED GIANTS, ANCIENT ECOSYSTEMS AND CUTTING EDGE CANADIAN PALEONTOLOGY

Dr. Victoria Arbour

Dr. Victoria Arbour, Curator of Paleontology at the Royal BC Museum in Victoria, British Columbia, is one of Canada’s foremost vertebrate paleontologists. 

Specializing in ankylosaurs—the club-tailed, heavily armored dinosaurs of the Cretaceous—Arbour has become a leading voice in both the scientific community and the public eye, reshaping how we understand dinosaur evolution, biomechanics, and paleobiogeography. 

Her research bridges detailed anatomical study with innovative technologies, yielding groundbreaking discoveries about how these ancient creatures lived, fought, and evolved. Charmingly humble and unassuming, she is a delight in the field and in front of the lens.

Victoria Arbour completed her Ph.D. at the University of Alberta under the supervision of renowned paleontologist Dr. Philip Currie. Her early work focused on ankylosaurid dinosaurs, particularly the tail club structures that define the group. 

Her doctoral thesis and subsequent studies dissected the biomechanics of ankylosaur tail clubs, demonstrating that these dinosaurs likely used their tails as active weapons—a concept that was previously more speculative than evidenced.

In one of her early papers, Arbour and Currie (2011) reconstructed the tail club’s structure and function using finite element analysis and compared it to weapon systems in modern animals. Her work helped establish ankylosaurs as more than passive tanks; they were dynamic animals capable of delivering powerful, bone-breaking blows to rivals or predators.

New Dinosaurs for a New Generation

Among Arbour’s most significant contributions are the descriptions and naming of several new species of ankylosaurs, including:

Zuul crurivastator (2017): Arbour co-authored the paper describing Zuul, a remarkably complete ankylosaur fossil from Montana. Named after the Ghostbusters monster, Zuul is preserved with intact skin impressions and tail club spikes. The species name, crurivastator, means "destroyer of shins"—a nod to its powerful tail weapon. The find gave paleontologists unprecedented insight into ankylosaur soft tissue, armor arrangement, and injury patterns.

Ziapelta sanjuanensis (2014): As lead author, Arbour described this ankylosaur from New Mexico, expanding the known diversity of North American ankylosaurs and underscoring biogeographic connections between Canada and the southwestern United States during the Late Cretaceous.

British Columbia’s Dinosaur Heritage

As Curator at the Royal BC Museum, Arbour plays a critical role in paleontology in British Columbia—a province better known for marine reptiles than for terrestrial dinosaurs. Nevertheless, her work has amplified interest in BC’s unique fossil heritage, from the ichthyosaurs of the Peace Region to marine reptiles like the Courtenay Elasmosaur.

Arbour has partnered with local scientists and citizen paleontologists to help elevate BC’s presence on the paleontological map. She has advocated for fossil protection legislation and regularly engages with the public through museum exhibits, interviews, and school outreach.

Technology Meets Deep Time

Arbour is also part of a wave of paleontologists bringing high-tech tools to ancient bones. She frequently uses 3D scanning, photogrammetry, and CT imaging to study fossils in unprecedented detail. These methods allow her to reconstruct the internal anatomy of ankylosaurs, visualize muscle attachment points, and model how these creatures moved and fought.

In her 2020 publication with Mallon and Evans, Arbour examined the distribution of ankylosaur fossils across North America and evaluated their evolutionary history. 

Using phylogenetic methods and morphometric analyses, she tracked how isolation and habitat shifts influenced ankylosaur evolution—helping explain why Canada’s ankylosaurs were different from those in the southern U.S.

Champion of Public Science

Beyond her research, Arbour is a passionate advocate for science communication and equity in paleontology. Her Twitter feed, popular talks, and media appearances make complex science accessible and fun. She has written popular articles for The Conversation, participated in CBC’s Quirks & Quarks, and is a familiar face in science outreach events across Canada.

She is a very engaging speaker. For those who joined us for Arbour's engaging talk to the Vancouver Paleontological Society and members of the British Columbia Paleontological Alliance on her fieldwork at the Carbon Creek Basin Dinosaur Trackway—and so many others—will be pleased to hear that she will be delivering a talk on her most recent work at this 15th BCPA Symposium in Courtenay, August 22-25, 2025. 

The Carbon Creek Basin site is located just west of Hudson’s Hope in the Peace River area and boasts nearly 1,200 dinosaur tracks from at least 12 different types of dinosaurs—including two dinosaur track types that have not been observed at any other site in the Peace Region. Her talk showcased her work and her spirit in the field—coated in mud, dust and battling blackflies, but smiling through it all in the thrill of discovery.

Her mentorship of young scientists and support for women and underrepresented groups in science has made her a role model in the field. 

Dr. Victoria Arbour’s work continues to deepen our understanding of how dinosaurs lived and interacted in their environments. Her contributions are a testament to the power of curiosity, perseverance, and scientific rigor. In the layered rocks of Alberta and the museum halls of Victoria, her legacy is already well-anchored—and growing with every new discovery.

Here are some key scientific papers authored or co-authored by Dr. Victoria Arbour:

Arbour, V. M., & Currie, P. J. (2011). Ankylosaurid dinosaur tail clubs evolved through stepwise acquisition of key features. Journal of Anatomy, 219(6), 672–685. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7580.2011.01437.x

Arbour, V. M., Zanno, L. E., & Evans, D. C. (2014). A new ankylosaurid dinosaur from the Judith River Formation of Montana, USA, based on a complete skull and tail club. Royal Society Open Science, 4(5): 161086. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.161086

Arbour, V. M., & Evans, D. C. (2017). A new ankylosaurine dinosaur from the Judith River Formation of Montana, USA, based on a complete skull and tail club. Royal Society Open Science, 4: 161086. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.161086

Brown, C. M., Henderson, D. M., Vinther, J., Fletcher, I., Sistiaga, A., Herrera, J., & Arbour, V. M. (2017). An exceptionally preserved armored dinosaur reveals the morphology and allometry of keratinous structures. Current Biology, 27(16), 2514–2521.e3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2017.06.071

Arbour, V. M., & Evans, D. C. (2020). A new ankylosaurine dinosaur from the Judith River Formation, Montana, USA, and implications for the diversification and biogeography of Late Cretaceous ankylosaurs. PeerJ, 8:e9603. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9603

Arbour, V. M., & Currie, P. J. (2013). Anatomy, evolution, and function of tail clubbing in ankylosaurs (Dinosauria: Ornithischia). Journal of Zoology, 292(2), 111–117. https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.12033

15TH BCPA PALEONTOLOGICAL SYMPOSIUM: COURTENAY, BRITISH COLUMBIA

SAVE THE DATE: 15th British Columbia Paleontological Symposium

Florence Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton Avenue, Courtenay, British Columbia, on the Traditional Territory of the K’ómoks First Nation, August 22-25, 2025

CELEBRATING THE PALEONTOLOGICAL BOUNTY OF THE COMOX VALLEY

The conference features over a dozen speakers in paleontology from Vancouver Island, mainland British Columbia, and beyond. 

This year, we’re celebrating Courtenay’s own Traskasaura sandrae—a 12-metre-long marine elasmosaur discovered by Mike Trask along the Puntledge River. The fossil was recently named in the Journal of Systematic Paleontology, earning international recognition.

Traskasaura sandrae is a newly identified genus and species of elasmosaurid plesiosaur, a long-necked marine reptile, discovered in British Columbia, Canada. 

The fossil, found along the Puntledge River on Vancouver Island, are from the Late Cretaceous (Santonian age), roughly 86 to 84 million years ago. Traskasaura sandrae is notable for its robust teeth, potentially adapted for crushing ammonites, and a unique mix of primitive and derived skeletal features, suggesting it was a powerful predator adapted for diving. 

As well as highlighting this significant find and honouring the amazing life of Mike Trask, the symposium has an exciting lineup of scientific presentations, hands-on workshops, a paleontology-themed art exhibition, poster presentations, and guided field trips. 

These events provide exciting opportunities to explore and celebrate the rich geological and paleontological history of Vancouver Island, bringing together world-renowned paleontologists, citizen scientists, fossil enthusiasts, researchers, artists, and the public in a vibrant exchange of ideas and inspiration.

Our Keynote Speaker is Dr. Kirk Johnson, Sant Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, where he oversees the world's largest natural history collection. 

As a field paleontologist, he has led expeditions in eighteen US states and eleven countries with a research focus on fossil plants and the extinction of the dinosaurs. He is known for his scientific articles, popular books, museum exhibitions, documentaries, and collaborations with artists.

BRITISH COLUMBIA PALEONTOLOGICAL ALLIANCE (BCPA)

The British Columbia Paleontological Alliance (BCPA) is a collaborative network of organisations led by professional and citizen scientists, working to advance the science of paleontology in the province. 

Together, they promote fossil research and discovery through public education, responsible scientific collecting, and open communication among paleontologists, citizen scientists, fossil enthusiasts, researchers, and educators.

Every two years, the BCPA hosts a Paleontological Symposium, bringing together experts and the public from across Canada, North America, and beyond to share the latest research and discoveries related to British Columbia's fossil heritage.  To learn more, visit www.bcfossils.ca.

VANCOUVER ISLAND PALEONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY (HOST ORGANIZATION):

This year, the Vancouver Island Paleontological Society (VIPS) is proud to host the 15th BCPA Symposium in Courtenay, in partnership with the Courtenay and District Museum & Palaeontology Centre. 

Founded in 1992 and based in the Comox Valley, VIPS is a nonprofit society with charitable status in good standing dedicated to fostering public engagement with the natural world through field trips, workshops, symposia, and public lectures that bring science to life for the community. 

COMMUNITY SPONSORSHIP, SILENT AUCTION ITEMS & WELCOME BAGS: 

As host, the VIPS is currently welcoming sponsorship contributions and donations for the symposium's silent auction to help us offset conference costs, including printing, venue rental, catering, insurance, and participant support. We are also seeking items to include in our Welcome Bags for conference attendees, offering an excellent opportunity to showcase local businesses and community spirit. 

Sponsors will be publicly recognised at the conference, within the Courtenay and District Museum, and across our social media platforms. Tax receipts are available for eligible donations.

Sponsorship cheques made out to the Vancouver Island Paleontological Society can be mailed to 930 Sandpines Drive, Comox, BC, V9M 3V3. Attn: 15th BCPA Symposium 2025.

We would be honoured to have your support—your contribution would bring meaningful value to this exciting scientific event. If you have an item to donate to our silent auction or to include in our Welcome Bags, we would be sincerely grateful and can arrange for convenient pickup. 

To get involved or learn more, please contact us at bcpaleo.events@gmail.com—we’d love to hear from you! 

Warm regards on behalf of the 15th BCPA Organising Committee.

ALBERTA'S PREHISTORIC GIANTS: THE DINOSAURS

Alberta's Badlands and Dinosaur Hunting Grounds

Alberta, Canada, is one of the most dinosaur-rich places on Earth. 

Its fossil beds are a window into the Mesozoic, showcasing a dazzling array of ancient life from the Late Cretaceous. 

From the thunderous footsteps of Tyrannosaurus rex to the intricate frills of Styracosaurus, Alberta’s badlands are a treasure trove of discovery that has fascinated paleontologists for over a century.

The story of Alberta's dinosaurs begins in the late 19th century. In 1884, geologist Joseph Burr Tyrrell stumbled upon the skull of a carnivorous dinosaur while surveying coal seams near Red Deer River. 

This skull belonged to Albertosaurus sarcophagus, a relative of T. rex—and marked the first significant dinosaur discovery in what is now Dinosaur Provincial Park.

By the early 20th century, Alberta had caught the attention of fossil hunters worldwide. Between 1910 and 1917, the American Museum of Natural History sent Charles H. Sternberg and his sons to excavate Alberta’s badlands. 

Charles Hazelius Sternberg was a legendary fossil hunter and one of the most important figures in Alberta’s early paleontological history. Born in 1850 in Kansas, Sternberg began collecting fossils in the American West before being hired by the American Museum of Natural History to excavate in Canada. 

From 1910 to 1917, he and his three sons worked extensively in Alberta’s badlands, unearthing thousands of dinosaur fossils from the Belly River Group and other Cretaceous formations. He was a paleo legend and, by all accounts, the world's best dad!

Their discoveries included spectacular specimens of ceratopsians like Centrosaurus and hadrosaurs like Corythosaurus. Sternberg’s work helped establish Alberta as a global hotspot for dinosaur research, and his passion for fossils is reflected in his memoir, The Life of a Fossil Hunter (1909), which remains a classic of paleontological literature.

Their expeditions yielded thousands of fossil specimens, including ceratopsians like Centrosaurus and Chasmosaurus, and duck-billed hadrosaurs such as Lambeosaurus and Corythosaurus.

Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Dinosaur Provincial Park is one of the most productive fossil sites in the world. Over 50 species of dinosaurs have been found here, dating from around 76 to 74 million years ago during the Campanian stage of the Late Cretaceous.

The park preserves part of the ancient floodplain of the Western Interior Seaway, a vast inland sea that once split North America in two. The mix of river channels, swamps, and coastal habitats created ideal conditions for fossil preservation.

Famous finds from the park include:

• Gorgosaurus libratus – A fearsome tyrannosaurid predator
• Parasaurolophus walkeri – Known for its stunning cranial crest
• Styracosaurus albertensis – A ceratopsian with magnificent spiked frills

Alberta continues to yield spectacular discoveries. In 2020, a new species of meat-eating dinosaur was unveiled: Thanatotheristes degrootorum, nicknamed the “Reaper of Death.” Discovered by John De Groot along the Bow River, this tyrannosaur roamed Alberta about 79 million years ago—making it the oldest known tyrannosaurid from Canada.

Another remarkable find came in 2011 near Fort McMurray: the best-preserved armored dinosaur ever found, Borealopelta markmitchelli. This nodosaur, discovered by workers in the Suncor Millennium Mine, was so well preserved that its skin, scales, and even possible pigmentation patterns remain visible. The fossil is now housed at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller and has revolutionized our understanding of dinosaur defense and coloration.

In 2022, a new species of dome-headed pachycephalosaur, Acrotholus audeti, was described from southern Alberta. It revealed that these head-butting herbivores were more diverse and common than previously thought.

If you're captivated by Alberta's prehistoric past, you’re in luck—there are several world-class institutions where you can see these giants up close:

Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology (Drumheller)

• Home to over 160,000 fossil specimens, the museum showcases Alberta’s dinosaur heritage with life-sized displays, fossil labs, and immersive exhibits.

Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum (Wembley)

• Named after the renowned Canadian paleontologist Philip Currie, this museum focuses on the Grande Prairie region’s dinosaur discoveries, including those from the Wapiti Formation.

University of Alberta Paleontology Museum (Edmonton)

• Located on campus, this museum features a wide array of fossil vertebrates and invertebrates, and often highlights ongoing research from U of A scientists.

Dinosaur Provincial Park Visitor Centre

• Located within the fossil-rich badlands, this center offers interpretive displays and guided hikes to real fossil beds.

Many of Alberta’s groundbreaking discoveries are thanks to Canadian researchers like:

• Philip J. Currie, whose work on tyrannosaurs, especially Albertosaurus, has reshaped our understanding of predator behavior.
• Darla Zelenitsky, whose research on dinosaur reproduction, eggs, and nesting behavior continues to uncover intimate details of prehistoric life.
• François Therrien, a curator at the Royal Tyrrell Museum specializing in carnivorous dinosaur paleoecology.

Alberta's unique geological history, its rich fossiliferous formations—like the Dinosaur Park, Horseshoe Canyon, and Wapiti formations—and a legacy of active fieldwork and public engagement have made it a global hotspot for dinosaur discovery. Whether you're walking the trails of Dinosaur Provincial Park or marveling at life-sized skeletons in the Royal Tyrrell Museum, Alberta offers a front-row seat to the age of dinosaurs.

Fancy a read? Check out these Scientific Papers on some of the research being done:

Currie, P. J. (2003). Allosaurus, Saurophaganax, and other large theropods of the Morrison Formation. In The Carnivorous Dinosaurs. Indiana University Press.

Zelenitsky, D. K., & Therrien, F. (2008). “Oviraptorosaur dinosaurs from Alberta, Canada: Nesting behavior and diversity.” Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 28(3), 636-651.

Brown, C. M., Henderson, D. M., Vinther, J., Fletcher, I., Sistiaga, A., Herrera, J., & Summons, R. E. (2017). “An exceptionally preserved three-dimensional armored dinosaur reveals insights into coloration and biology.” Current Biology, 27(16), 2514–2521.e3.

Voris, J. T., Zelenitsky, D. K., Therrien, F., & Brown, C. M. (2020). “A new tyrannosaurine (Theropoda: Tyrannosauridae) from the Campanian Foremost Formation of Alberta, Canada.” Cretaceous Research, 110, 104388.

Evans, D. C., Ryan, M. J., & Anderson, J. S. (2013). “A new basal pachycephalosaurid (Dinosauria: Ornithischia) from the Oldman Formation, Alberta, Canada.” Nature Communications, 4, 1828.

MIGHTY EAGLE: KWIKW (KW-EE-KW)

Bald Eagle / Haliaeetus leucocephalus  @Paul McClure

A mighty Bald Eagle sitting with wings spread gazing intensely at his next potential snack.

Their wings are built for graceful soaring and gliding on updrafts of warm air called thermals. 

Their long feathers are slotted, easily separating so air flows smoothly and giving them the added benefit of soaring at slower speeds. 

As well as his wings, this fellow is also drying off his white head feathers. A bald eagle's white head can make it look bald from a distance but that is not where the name comes from. It is from the old English word balde, meaning white.

In the Kwak'wala language of the Kwakwaka'wakw, speakers of Kwak'wala — an eagle is known as kwikw (kw-ee-kw) and an eagle's nest is called a kwigwat̕si. 

Should you encounter an eagle and wish to greet them in Kwak'wala, you would just say yo. Yup, just yo. They would like your yo hello better if you offered them some fresh fish. They dine on all sorts of small mammals, fish and birds but are especially fond of pink salmon or ha̱nu'n (han-oon).

These living dinosaurs are a true homage to their lineage. They soar our skies with effortless grace. Agile, violent and beautiful, these highly specialized predators can catch falling prey mid-flight and dive-bomb into rivers to snag delicious salmon. 

Their beauty and agility are millions of years in the making. From their skeletal structure to their blood cells, today’s birds share a surprising evolutionary foundation with reptiles. 

Between 144 million and 66 million years ago, during the Mesozoic era, we see the first birds evolve. Eventually, tens of millions of years ago, an ancient group of birds called kites developed. Like today’s bald eagle, early kites are thought to have scavenged and hunted fish.

About 36 million years ago, the first eagles descended from kites, their smaller cousins. First to appear were the early sea eagles, which — like kites — continued to prey on fish and whose feet were free of feathers, along with booted eagles, which had feathers below the knee. Fossils of Bald Eagles are very rare and date to the late Pleistocene. Eagles are known from the early Pleistocene of Florida, but they are extinct species not closely related to the bald eagle.

Like the kites, bald eagles have featherless feet, but they also developed a range of other impressive adaptations that help them hunt fish and fowl in a watery environment. Each foot has four powerful toes with sharp talons. Tiny projections on the bottom of their feet called “spicules” help bald eagles grasp their prey. A bald eagle also has serrations on the roof of its mouth that help it hold slippery fish, and incredibly, the black pigment in its wing feathers strengthens them against breakage when they dive head first into water.

Obviously, there is much more than their striking white heads that sets these iconic raptors apart from the crowd. Their incredible physiology, built for life near the water, is literally millions of years in the making. 

The eagle in the photo you see here is a resident of Vancouver Island captured beautifully by photographer Paul McClure. Gilakas'la mula! 

TOP 10 FAMOUS CANADIAN FOSSIL FINDS

Canada, with its vast and varied landscapes, is a treasure trove of prehistoric wonders. 

From towering tyrannosaurs to exquisitely preserved marine creatures, the fossil record here is not only rich—it’s legendary. 

It is hard to choose our best fossils as there are so many. I have my personal favorites, some found by me, some by good friends and others that rank high simply by my having the good fortune to be there at the moment of discovery. 

These ten fossils stand out not only for their scientific value but also for the astonishing stories they tell about life on ancient Earth. Whether entombed in the Rocky Mountains, buried beneath Arctic permafrost, or hidden in coastal cliffs, each discovery shines a light on a world lost to time.

Honorable mentions are many for a list of this type. Dave Rudkin's find of the Isotelus rex, the largest known trilobite definitely ranks. There are some very fetching crabs and ammonites who deserve mention. As does the First Record of an Oligocene Chimaeroid Fish (Ratfish) Egg Capsule from Vancouver Island . 

The isopod found by the deeply awesome Betty Franklin that is getting ready for publication by Torrey Nyborg is another superb example and makes my personal list. He also has an unexpected fossil lobster in the cue to write up that I found in the South Chilcotin many moons ago, so I will add that here to remind him! 

On that note, Dr. Dave Evans has a paper in the works on the first dinosaur from Vancouver Island found by our own Mike Trask that will hopefully be out soon. There is a new paper by Phil Currie et al. on the fossil fauna from the Eager Formation near Cranbrook that bears mentioning as well as the work being done by Chris Jenkins, Chris New with Brian Chatterton on the Upper Cambrian fauna near there. We can add all the finds from Tumbler Ridge, Wapiti Lake and Miguasha National Park as well.

Oh, so many options!     

So, this is by no means a complete list, but if you are wanting to check out the fossil bounty that Canada has to offer, it is a wonderful place to start!

1. Scotty the T. rex (Saskatchewan)

Discovered in 1991 near Eastend, Saskatchewan, Scotty is the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex ever found in Canada—and one of the oldest individuals known of its species. Weighing an estimated 8,800 kg and measuring over 13 meters, Scotty was a bruiser of a predator. The fossil is housed at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum.

Reference: Funston, G. F., Currie, P. J., & Persons, W. S. IV. (2019). An older and exceptional specimen of Tyrannosaurus rex.

2. The Burgess Shale Fauna (British Columbia)

This World Heritage Site near Field, BC, offers a snapshot of the Cambrian Explosion (~508 million years ago), preserving soft-bodied creatures with extraordinary detail. Marrella, Opabinia, and Anomalocaris are just a few of the iconic oddballs discovered here by Charles Walcott in 1909. The site reshaped our understanding of early animal evolution. The fossils from this site have the most wonderous, albeit wacky, body plans see the world over!

Reference: Conway Morris, S. (1986). The community structure of the Middle Cambrian phyllopod bed (Burgess Shale). Paleontology, 29(3).

3. The Courtenay Elasmosaur (British Columbia)

Unearthed by my good friend Mike Trask along the Puntledge River in 1988, this long-necked marine reptile from the Late Cretaceous is one of BC’s most famous fossils—and its first major marine reptile discovery. Now housed at the Courtenay and District Museum, it inspired a new wave of paleontological exploration on Vancouver Island. 

Mike gets the credit for this find and the founding of the first paleontological society in British Columbia (VIPS), the British Columbia Paleontological Alliance (BCPA) and inspired us all with his incredible curiosity and zest for life. He passed earlier this year and is incredibly missed!

Reference: Arbour, V. M., & Trask, M. (2023). A new elasmosaurid from the Late Cretaceous of British Columbia. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences.

4. Dakota the Dinosaur Mummy (Alberta)

This extraordinary hadrosaur (Edmontosaurus annectens) found in 1999 features fossilized skin and soft tissue impressions. While partially excavated in North Dakota, it crossed into Canadian paleontological territory through the collaborative work between Canadian and American scientists. The mummy-like preservation gives unique insight into dinosaur musculature and skin texture.

Reference: Manning, P. L., et al. (2009). Mineralized soft-tissue structure and chemistry in a mummified hadrosaur. Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

5. Zuul crurivastator (Alberta)

Discovered in 2014 in Montana but now part of the Royal Ontario Museum collection due to fossil trade agreements, Zuul is an astonishingly complete ankylosaur with preserved skin and tail club armor. Named after the Ghostbusters demon-dog, it’s as fierce as it is beautifully preserved.

Reference: Arbour, V. M., & Evans, D. C. (2017). A new ankylosaurid with exceptional soft-tissue preservation. Royal Society Open Science, 4(5).

6. Tiktaalik roseae (Nunavut)

Found on Ellesmere Island in 2004, Tiktaalik bridges the gap between fish and land vertebrates. With its fish-like body and amphibian-style neck and limbs, it's a critical fossil in understanding the water-to-land transition in vertebrate evolution.

Reference: Daeschler, E. B., Shubin, N. H., & Jenkins, F. A. (2006). A Devonian tetrapod-like fish and the evolution of the tetrapod body plan. Nature, 440.

If you have not had the pleasure, also pick up a copy of Shubin's book, Your Inner Fish. It is a classic read with the amazing tale of this fossil's discovery and Shubin's journey in paleontology. 

7. Nodosaur from the Suncor Mine (Alberta)

In 2011, miners at a Fort McMurray oilsands site uncovered the best-preserved armored dinosaur ever found. The 110-million-year-old nodosaur is so well-preserved it looks like a sleeping dragon, with skin impressions, armor, and even stomach contents intact.

Reference: Brown, C. M., & Demarco, N. (2017). The rise of fossil preservation in Alberta’s oil sands. National Geographic, May Issue.

8. The Joggins Fossil Cliffs (Nova Scotia)

These coastal cliffs reveal the Carboniferous "Coal Age" (circa 310 million years ago) with fossilized trees, trackways, and even the oldest known reptile, Hylonomus lyelli. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Joggins provides unparalleled insight into early terrestrial ecosystems.

Reference: Carroll, R. L. (1964). The earliest reptiles. Journal of Paleontology, 38(1).

9. Parksosaurus (Alberta)

One of the lesser-known but scientifically significant dinosaurs from Alberta, Parksosaurus was a small, agile herbivore named after Canadian paleontologist William Parks. It contributes to our understanding of small ornithopods in the Late Cretaceous of North America.

Reference: Boyd, C. A. (2015). The systematic relationships and biogeographic history of ornithischian dinosaurs. Paleobiology, 41(3).

10. Blue Beach Fossils (Nova Scotia)

The Blue Beach site near Hantsport yields some of the oldest known tetrapod trackways in the world, from the Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous period. These fossils document early vertebrate life coming onto land.

Reference: Mansky, C. F., & Lucas, S. G. (2013). A review of tetrapod trackways from Blue Beach. New Mexico Museum of Natural History Bulletin, 61.

Canada’s fossil discoveries span more than half a billion years of life on Earth. They showcase evolutionary milestones—from the earliest invertebrates to apex dinosaurs, marine reptiles, and the first vertebrates on land. 

The fossils are the Rosetta stones of our country, unlocking the secrets of life's history.

FOSSIL HUNTRESS PODCAST: DEAD SEXY SCIENCE

Geeky goodness from the Fossil Huntress. If you love paleontology, you will love this stream. Dinosaurs, trilobites, ammonites—you'll find them all here!

Close your eyes & fly with me as we head out together to explore Earth's rich history written in her rock. Travel to extraordinary places, sacred sites & unearth mysteries millions of years old on the Fossil Huntress Podcast.

This stream is for those who share an enduring passion for our world's hidden treasures, its wild places & want to uncover her beauty stone by stone.

This is the story of the making of our Earth and the many wonderful creatures who have called it home.

Join in the exploration of the fascinating science of paleontology — that lens that examines ancient animals, plants & ecosystems from wee single-celled organisms to big & mighty dinosaurs. Save the stream to your favorites to listen while you drive, head out fossil collecting or snuggle in for the night!

​To listen now, visit: https://open.spotify.com/show/1hH1wpDFFIlYC9ZW5uTYVL

FOSSIL FRESHWATER SALMON FROM KAMLOOPS, BRITISH COLUMBIA

Fossilized Salmon gifted to the Huntress by John Leahy

Nestled in the interior of British Columbia, the region around Kamloops is a dry, sagebrush-studded landscape—and home to some of Canada’s most remarkable fossil fish discoveries. 

It is also home to many rattlesnakes, so if you are up that way, step lively!

Among the most fascinating fossils found here are fossilized salmonids, distant ancestors of the modern Pacific salmon that are iconic to the rivers of British Columbia today.

The fossils of interest date back to the Eocene, approximately 50 million years ago, and are primarily found in the Tranquille Formation, a part of the Kamloops Group. 

This ancient lakebed is located at McAbee Fossil Beds, near Cache Creek just west of Kamloops, and also in the nearby Driftwood Canyon and Princeton fossil beds, which together form part of British Columbia’s Eocene fossil record.

The Tranquille Formation preserves what was once a large, subtropical freshwater lake surrounded by lush forests. 

Volcanic ashfalls and fine silt periodically buried aquatic organisms and plant matter, preserving them in astonishing detail. Among the insects, plants, and other fish fossils, paleontologists have discovered fossil remains of early salmonids, the group of fish that includes modern salmon and trout.

A significant discovery was Eosalmo driftwoodensis, the earliest known fossil representative of the salmon family (Salmonidae). 

First described in 1977 by Canadian ichthyologist Mark Wilson, Eosalmo was recovered from the Driftwood Canyon site in northern BC but its relatives have been found in similar-aged formations across the province, including near Kamloops.

These fossils show that salmonids had already begun to diversify during the early Eocene. Eosalmo displays characteristics linking it to both trout and salmon, suggesting that the divergence between these lineages was already underway. Its morphology includes features like a terminal mouth, forked tail, and well-developed fins, hallmarks of active freshwater swimmers.

What’s particularly interesting about fossil salmonids in British Columbia is that they appear to have lived exclusively in freshwater during the Eocene. 

This contrasts with today’s Pacific salmon, which are famously anadromous—born in freshwater, migrating to the ocean, and returning to spawn. The fossil record suggests this sea-run lifestyle evolved later, possibly as a response to tectonic shifts and changing ocean currents in the Miocene, around 20 million years ago.

The lakes of Eocene BC, including the one preserved at McAbee, would have supported thriving fish populations in a warm, relatively stable climate. Fossil finds include not just salmonids but also bowfins, suckers, and small freshwater herring-like fish, painting a picture of a rich and diverse aquatic ecosystem.

The McAbee Fossil Beds, now designated as a provincial heritage site, continue to yield new specimens. Though public access is currently restricted to protect the integrity of the site, ongoing research continues to uncover new details about the ancient ecosystems of interior BC.

Institutions such as the Royal BC Museum and the University of Alberta have studied and preserved these fossil fish. Scientific papers by Mark Wilson, and others have helped place these finds into a broader evolutionary context, revealing how ancient fish faunas of western North America evolved over tens of millions of years.

The fossil salmon of Kamloops bones, entombed in rock for 50 million years, speak to a time when the interior of British Columbia was lush, warm, and teeming with life. 

As research continues, these fossil salmonids help illuminate the early history of a fish group vital not just to ecosystems, but to cultures and economies across the Pacific Rim.

The beauty you see here is a fossil salmon skull gifted to me by the remarkable John Leahy, who is much missed!

References:

Wilson, M. V. H. (1977). Eosalmo driftwoodensis, a new genus and species of fossil salmonid fish from the Eocene of British Columbia. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 14(5), 1213–1230.

Wilson, M. V. H., & Li, G. Q. (1999). Osteology and phylogenetic relationships of Eosalmo, the earliest known salmonid fish. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 36(10), 1559–1573.

Archibald, S. B., Greenwood, D. R., Smith, R. Y., Mathewes, R. W., & Basinger, J. F. (2011). Great Canadian Lagerstätten 1. Early Eocene Lagerstätten of the Okanagan Highlands (British Columbia and Washington State). Geoscience Canada, 38(4), 155–164.

McAbee Fossil Beds Provincial Heritage Site: https://www2.gov.bc.ca

If you’re ever driving through Kamloops, it’s humbling to think that beneath your feet lie the ancestors of today’s salmon—timeless travellers of BC’s ancient waterways.

CRUISIN THE FOSSIL FREEWAY: ALASKAN PALEONTOLOGY

Alaska, often called the "Last Frontier," is not only home to staggering wilderness and modern megafauna like bears and moose—it’s also a treasure trove of prehistoric life. 

From marine reptiles that swam in the Arctic seas to duck-billed dinosaurs that thrived in polar forests, Alaska’s fossil record paints a vivid picture of life at high latitudes during deep time.

Alaska’s geological history is a complex collage of terranes—fragmented pieces of crust that accreted onto the North American plate. This makes the state an exceptionally diverse fossil site, with deposits spanning from the Paleozoic to the Cenozoic. 

Some of the most significant fossil discoveries in Alaska come from:

• Prince Creek Formation (Late Cretaceous): One of the northernmost dinosaur-bearing formations on Earth, located along Alaska’s North Slope.
• Liscomb Bonebed: A hotspot for Arctic dinosaurs, discovered in the 1960s and later explored in detail by Kirk Johnson and colleagues.
• Tuxedni Group (Jurassic): Marine invertebrates, including ammonites and bivalves, are common here.
• Chickaloon Formation (Paleocene): Known for its beautifully preserved fossil plants, including fossilized redwoods and Metasequoia.

One of the most astonishing aspects of Alaskan fossils is the presence of polar dinosaurs. During the Late Cretaceous, the Arctic Circle was a much warmer place than it is today, but still experienced months of darkness. 

Herbivorous dinosaurs such as Edmontosaurus, Ugrunaaluk kuukpikensis (a newly named hadrosaur species from the North Slope), and Pachyrhinosaurus lived in herds in this high-latitude environment, while predators like Nanuqsaurus hoglundi, a smaller relative of T. rex, prowled the dark forests.

These animals were uniquely adapted to life in extreme conditions. Evidence from bone histology suggests that these dinosaurs had growth cycles influenced by the harsh Arctic climate—some may have hibernated or experienced slowed metabolism during the winter months.

Kirk Johnson’s research, alongside collaborators such as Tony Fiorillo and Roland Gangloff, has been central in understanding how these polar ecosystems worked. Johnson has led expeditions into the Arctic wilderness, collecting fossils and reconstructing ancient environments based on plant fossils, sedimentology, and isotope analysis.

Fossil Plants and Climate Clues

While dinosaurs grab the headlines, the fossilized flora of Alaska is equally important. Johnson is particularly renowned for his work on fossil plants, which he has used to reconstruct past climates and landscapes. In the Chickaloon Formation, for instance, fossilized leaves, cones, and wood fragments tell the story of an ancient rainforest-like environment that thrived just after the age of dinosaurs, during the Paleocene.

A paper of interest he co-authored with Dr. David J. Nichols—a distinguished paleobotanist and palynologist with the U.S. Geological Survey whose research significantly advanced the understanding of fossil pollen, spores, and Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary events. 

Over his career, Nichols became known for his expertise in using fossilized plant micro remains—such as pollen grains and spores—to reconstruct ancient ecosystems and trace climatic and environmental shifts through geologic time. 

His collaboration with Dr. Kirk Johnson on the Prince Creek Formation in northern Alaska combined his palynological skills with Johnson’s macrofossil plant research, providing a comprehensive view of Late Cretaceous polar flora and their ecological significance. 

Nichols’ meticulous work helped illuminate how vegetation patterns responded to ancient climate change and extinction events, making his contributions invaluable to studies of high-latitude paleoecology and Earth system history.

• Johnson, K. R., & Nichols, D. J. (2008). Plant fossils from the Prince Creek Formation, North Slope, Alaska: Implications for Late Cretaceous polar ecosystems. In: "Studies on Fossils in Arctic Environments." Geological Society of America Special Paper 442, pp. 155–170. DOI:10.1130/2008.442(10)

This paper documents high-latitude Cretaceous flora, revealing that Alaska once supported lush forests, with taxa such as Metasequoia (dawn redwood), ferns, and angiosperms flourishing under a warm polar regime. These fossils help scientists understand long-term climate dynamics and serve as analogs for future warming scenarios.

Marine Reptiles and Cretaceous Oceans

In southern Alaska, Jurassic and Cretaceous marine sediments have yielded remains of ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, and large ammonites. These fossils suggest that Alaska’s ancient seas were home to thriving marine ecosystems. Fossil localities near the Talkeetna Mountains and along the southern coast contain rich assemblages of mollusks and marine reptiles, providing a window into life in northern marine ecosystems during the Mesozoic.

The Role of Citizen Science and Indigenous Knowledge

Much of Alaska’s fossil record has been unearthed through the combined efforts of scientists, local fossil hunters, and Indigenous knowledge holders. Collaborative research involving Native Alaskan communities, especially in regions like the North Slope, has been critical in facilitating fieldwork, protecting fossil sites, and sharing discoveries with local schools and museums.

Kirk Johnson: Bringing Alaska's Fossils to the Public

Kirk Johnson’s contributions extend beyond fieldwork. He is known for making paleontology accessible and engaging to the public. He co-authored Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway with artist Ray Troll, a visually wild and informative tour of North American paleontology, including Alaskan fossil stops. Johnson has also hosted PBS documentaries like Making North America, in which Alaskan geology and fossils play a key role. 

To get your copy of Cruisin' the Fossil Freeway, here is the link:  https://www.amazon.ca/Cruisin-Fossil-Freeway-Kirk-Johnson/dp/1555914519

Additional publications by Johnson and his work in Alaska include:

Johnson, K. R. (2002). A North American perspective on the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in terrestrial settings. Geological Society of America Special Paper 361.

Fiorillo, A. R., & Gangloff, R. A., & Johnson, K. R. (2000). The role of polar dinosaurs in Mesozoic ecosystems: A synthesis. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 20(3), 34A.

Alaska’s fossil record is one of the most compelling in the world, telling stories of survival and adaptation in the face of darkness, isolation, and dramatic climatic shifts. 

Whether it’s a duck-billed dinosaur enduring polar nights or a fossil leaf bearing witness to ancient greenhouse climates, each discovery contributes to our evolving understanding of Earth’s history. Thanks to scientists like Kirk Johnson and their ongoing efforts, we can explore these icy time capsules and better appreciate the deep-time legacy of the Last Frontier.

KIRK JOHNSON: FOSSIL LEAVES TO ANCIENT ECOSYSTEMS

Dr. Kirk Johnson, the Sant Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, is a paleontologist, science communicator, and fossil enthusiast with a knack for making ancient life come alive—sometimes with a punchline. 

Known for his wide-ranging contributions to paleontology, his energetic public outreach, and his collaborative work with Alaskan artist Ray Troll, Johnson is a dynamic force in bringing prehistoric life into the public imagination.

Before taking the helm of one of the world’s premier natural history institutions, Johnson was a prolific field paleontologist. 

He earned his Ph.D. in geology and paleobotany from Yale University, but his fieldwork spans far beyond ivory towers and academic journals. 

His scientific contributions include extensive work on fossil plants and the reconstruction of ancient climates and ecosystems. Much of his research focuses on the time just before and after the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K-Pg) extinction event, offering insight into how life recovered after the asteroid impact that ended the age of the dinosaurs.

One of Johnson’s most notable research projects took place at the Hell Creek Formation in North Dakota, a hotspot for Late Cretaceous fossils. Here, he and colleagues studied the extinction horizon in unprecedented detail. Johnson helped reconstruct the rich ecosystems of the time, painting a vivid picture of a world teeming with dinosaurs, turtles, crocodiles, and flowering plants—right up until it was abruptly ended 66 million years ago.

The Troll-Johnson Dream Team

Science can be serious business, but it doesn’t have to be dry—and few partnerships prove this better than the one between Kirk Johnson and Ray Troll. Troll is a wildly imaginative Alaskan artist known for his “scientifically accurate yet deeply weird” art. 

Johnson and Troll first teamed up in the early 2000s, united by a shared love of fossils, fish, and the good old American road trip.

Together, they co-authored Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway and its sequel Cruisin’ the Fossil Coastline, books that blend science, art, and humor in a joyful celebration of paleontology. These works chronicle their fossil-fueled road trips across North America, meeting eccentric collectors, legendary scientists, and discovering unexpected fossil treasures. 

The books are peppered with Troll’s surreal illustrations and Johnson’s breezy-yet-accurate scientific commentary.

One of the standout aspects of their collaboration is how it brings out the human side of paleontology. You get the science, sure, but also the obsessive collectors who can spot a trilobite from 20 yards away, and the museums tucked behind gas stations with dinosaur bones in the backyard. 

It’s a mix of deep time and roadside kitsch—a combination that’s both hilarious and oddly profound.

Humor in the Bone Pile

Despite his lofty position at the Smithsonian, Johnson hasn’t lost his sense of humor or sense of wonder. He’s been known to give lectures dressed in head-to-toe fossil-print suits and frequently drops fossil puns into conversations with a perfectly straight face. 

In one memorable public event, while discussing the deep-time perspective of human evolution, he paused and said, “We’ve been around for such a short amount of time that if the history of Earth were a calendar, all of human history would happen in the last few seconds of December 31. So yes, geologically speaking, you just got here—and you’re already rearranging the furniture.”

His blend of scholarship and showmanship has made him a staple on PBS programs such as NOVA, Making North America, and Polar Extremes, where he leads viewers on immersive journeys through time, across continents, and into prehistoric oceans. 

With the enthusiasm of a kid showing off their favorite rock, Johnson makes even the most complex paleoclimatic data feel like an adventure story.

Leading the Smithsonian into the Future

Since 2012, Johnson has served as the Sant Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, one of the most visited science museums in the world. Under his leadership, the museum has revitalized its fossil halls, culminating in the stunning new David H. Koch Hall of Fossils – Deep Time, which reopened in 2019. 

This exhibit weaves 4.6 billion years of Earth’s history into a powerful narrative about evolution, extinction, and the role humans now play in shaping the planet’s future.

The exhibit doesn’t just show fossils—it tells stories. You’ll find dinosaur skeletons locked in combat, ancient mammal fossils displayed alongside their modern counterparts, and immersive displays that explain how everything from volcanoes to shifting continents has shaped life on Earth. 

It’s this kind of storytelling, infused with Johnson’s signature humor and clarity, that helps make Deep Time feel like our time. 

For a peek at the exhibits visit: https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/factsheets/david-h-koch-hall-fossils-deep-time

Whether he’s digging up a 55-million-year-old palm leaf in Wyoming, cruising for fossils with Ray Troll in a beat-up van, or explaining climate change to a packed theater with jokes and jawbones in equal measure, Dr. Kirk Johnson is a rare kind of scientist. He’s not just interested in what the past can teach us—he’s committed to making that knowledge engaging, memorable, and meaningful.

And, if you ever catch him at a fossil event, be sure to ask him about the “world’s oldest fish fart.” Odds are, he’ll have a story—and a Ray Troll illustration—to go with it.

Join in for Kirk Johnson's Keynote Lecture at the 15th BCPA Symposium

Kirk is the Keynote speaker at the 15th BCPA Symposium in Courtenay, August 22-25, 2025. For tickets, head to:  https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/15th-bc-paleontological-symposium-2025-keynote-speaker-kirk-johnson-tickets-1025014525037

Fancy some late night reading? Check out some of Johnson's publications:

Johnson, K. R. & Troll, R. (2007). Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway: An Epoch Tale of a Scientist and an Artist on the Ultimate 5,000-Mile Paleo Road Trip. Fulcrum Publishing.

Johnson, K. R. & Troll, R. (2018). Cruisin’ the Fossil Coastline: The Travels of an Artist and a Scientist along the Shores of the Prehistoric Pacific. Fulcrum Publishing.

Smithsonian Institution: https://naturalhistory.si.edu

PBS NOVA, Making North America and Polar Extremes (Available on PBS.org)