British Columbia
Scarred by fjords and dominated by mountains, Canada's dramatic Pacific coast is one of the most spectacular wildlife destinations in the world. Here be whales and bears galore.
1 GRIZZLY BEAR
Khutzeymateen Inlet Conservancy The first area in Canada to be designated as a grizzly sanctuary, Khutzeymateen protects a number of important salmon streams where bears come to feed.
2 TRUMPETER SWAN
Gitnadoiks River Provincial Park Described as the heaviest bird native to North America, the trumpeter was threatened with extinction in the early part of the 20th century. Its call really does sound like a trumpet...
3 HUMPBACK WHALE
Johnstone Strait Humpbacks spend the summer months in the cool waters off British Columbia (and Alaska), feeding before heading south to Baja California. You can kayak with them and with orcas here.
4 ORCA
Tofino, Vancouver Island One of the most reliable places in the world to see orcas, the waters off Vancouver Island have both resident pods and transient groups marauding in search of sealions.
5 SPIRIT BEAR
Princess Royal Island Roughly one in 10 of these black bears (also known as the Kermode bear) have the double recessive gene that gives them a creamcoloured coat, with the highest concentration – an estimated 120 individuals – on this island.
6 TUFTED PUFFIN
Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve With dramatic hair-dos sweeping back from their eyes, tufted puffins are real celebs of the wildlife world. And there are plenty more seabirds here.