Yukon Environment

09/01/2026

The Department of Environment’s Animal Health and Protection branch tests wild birds and mammals for avian influenza. Testing supports wildlife health monitoring, helps protect public health and contributes to avian influenza surveillance and prevention efforts across Canada.

A case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) was recently detected in an American Crow in Haines Junction. This is not unexpected as avian influenza viruses occur naturally in wild bird species and have been detected in the Yukon in the past.

What to do if you find a sick or dead bird:

- If you are unsure about handling a dead bird or you encounter a live bird that is sick or injured, avoid touching it and report it to the TIPP line at 1-800-661-0525.

- Dead birds can be submitted to the Animal Health and Protection branch at 10 Burns Road in Whitehorse, or your local Environment district office.

Always take safety precautions if you’ve decided to submit a bird carcass:
🐦 Always wear gloves if handling dead birds
🐦 Triple-bag the carcass before transporting it
🐦 Wash your hands thoroughly after handling
🐦 Never let children or pets interact with sick or dead birds

For more information and up-to-date monitoring results, visit: Yukon.ca/avian-flu

08/05/2026

Episode four of the Yukon Wildlife and Wildfire podcast is ready to go!

Takhini Valley Fire: Burnt pines and forest signs

The charred trees Carrie and Karen see in the Takhini Valley don’t look that old but are from a fire almost 70 years ago. The boreal forest is not a place of rapid change. This forest abounds with Lodgepole pine, which only the hardiest animals can get into without the help of fire.

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts or by visiting www.buzzsprout.com/2629336 or www.youtube.com//podcasts

Produced by the Government of Yukon’s Wildlife Viewing Program.
Episode five is a work-in-progress but coming soon!

Photos: Karen investigates a decades-old charred tree; Lodgepole Pinecones are extremely hard to open without the addition of heat; large areas in the Takhini Valley burned in 1958; porcupines eat the inner bark of trees but fresh greenery (photo of porcupine
by Traci Morgan); as their name implies, Spruce Grouse frequent coniferous forests (photo of Spruce Grouse by Kim Selbee).

08/05/2026

Calling all bird nerds 🐦‍⬛ We've got two great events coming up in Teslin that you don't want to miss.

Saturday, August 22: Join us for a campfire talk all about birds with our friends from the Society of Yukon Bird Observatories. Learn more: https://www.facebook.com/share/1NK2q3atFr/

Sunday, August 23: Get an up close look at bird research and conservation during a bird banding demonstration. Learn more: https://www.facebook.com/share/1DWg5DqwuC/

07/29/2026

Good news: episode three of the Yukon Wildlife and Wildfire podcast is out!

Fox Lake Fire: Aspen, Hare we come

The Fox Lake Fire of 1998 burned all summer. Almost 30 years later, the leafy forest growing back provides food and shelter for Snowshoe Hare (including a wrong-coloured one hiding from Carrie and Karen) and all the animals that eat hare — which is pretty much everything.

This forest is also primed for Northern Flickers, which have a very important job. But the show stealer is a mysterious fungus-filled tree and the wily rodent responsible for it.

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts or by visiting www.buzzsprout.com/2629336 or www.youtube.com//podcasts

Produced by the Government of Yukon’s Wildlife Viewing Program.

You guessed it – episode four drops next week!

Photos: A white-coloured Snowshoe Hare stands out against the fall foliage; lynx specialize in hunting Snowshoe Hare; Northern Flickers make cavities in aspen and poplar trees (photo of Northern Flickers by Adam Skrutkowski); with a shortage of White Spruce, a Red Squirrel built a nest in this Lodgepole Pine.

07/22/2026

Episode two of the Yukon Wildlife and Wildfire podcast is live!

After the fire: The plants came back

The boreal forest and wildfire tell a story of resilience that stretch deep in time. Karen tags along to a fresh burn with ecologist Jill Johnstone to unearth clues about the forest’s future.

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts or by visiting www.buzzsprout.com/2629336 or www.youtube.com//podcasts

Produced by the Government of Yukon’s Wildlife Viewing Program.

Episode 3 drops on Wednesday, July 29.

Photos: Ecologist Jill Johnstone points out a tiny Lodgepole Pine seedling; this willow may be ancient, having resprouted time and again after wildfire; a massive aspen leaf ferments in the fall; in a few years, the greenery in this forest will attract animals including Black Bear (photo of Black Bear by Gordon Court).

07/21/2026

The 2026-2027 Yukon Hunting Regulations Summary are now available online. More details 👇

Get ready for hunting season by reviewing the new 2026-2027 Yukon Hunting Regulations Summary online! This is a great time to brush up on the regulations ahead of the hunting season.

Printed copies of the regulations will be available soon at Department of Environment offices.

Read the online booklet in English here: yukon.ca/en/hunting-regulations

Read the online booklet in French here: https://yukon.ca/fr/regles-de-chasse

07/20/2026

Hot weather = smelly garbage ☀️🗑️ Secure your attractants to help keep wildlife wild.

☀ Hot weather tip: make bear-proofing your property part of this week’s plans.

Have you ever noticed that everything seems a little smellier when temperatures rise? Bears notice too.

In hot weather, the rotting fragrance of unsecured garbage, compost, or other human-related attractants can become an irresistible draw for bears. Removing or securing attractants helps prevent bear encounters and keeps wildlife wild.

Check out some of our tips for keeping your property bear safe: https://yukon.ca/en/outdoor-recreation-and-wildlife/wilderness-safety/stay-safe-bear-country -keep-your-property-bear-safe

If you see situations where wildlife or people could be at risk, or see a bear in a residential area, report it to the TIPP line at 1-800-661-0525.

07/15/2026

Hold onto your binoculars – we just launched the Yukon Wildlife and Wildfire podcast!

Wildfire can leave a landscape looking like a lifeless moonscape, but the forest isn’t dead. Beneath the blackened stumps and charred ground, new life emerges. Equipped with field guides, bear spray and a healthy does of curiosity, intrepid naturalists Carrie and Karen trek through post-fire landscapes to see what’s sprouting, who’s passing through and why it all matters for the boreal forest.

Catch episode one, Takhini Bridge Fire: Hoo is there?, here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2629336

Produced by the Government of Yukon’s Wildlife Viewing Program.

Episode two drops next week!

Photos: Charred Lodgepole Pine release seeds that draw animals into the burn; voles are quick to move into fresh burns (photo of Red-backed Vole by Alex Beatty); Carrie and Karen mic up; Elk in the Takhini Valley are drawn into fresh burns by the abundance of grasses.

07/07/2026

We’ve got two new Hunter Education and Ethics Development (HEED) courses coming up in Whitehorse this summer. More info 👇

Hunting season is coming up fast! Make sure you’re ready by taking a Hunter Education and Ethics Development (HEED) course.

While all hunters born after April 1, 1987 must complete this course to get a hunting licence, it’s also a great refresher for those who already have a hunting licence on:

• ethical hunting practices;
• firearm safety;
• hunting regulations; and
• wildlife identification.

📅 Monday, July 13 from 6 to 9:30 pm
Register and learn more: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/hunter-education-course-tickets-1991498173647

📅 Tuesday, August 18 from 6 to 9:30 pm
Register and learn more: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/hunter-education-course-tickets-1991498222794

07/02/2026

Family Fishing Weekend is here 🎣

🎣 Family Fishing Weekend starts Friday (try saying that 10 times fast)!

From Friday, July 3 to Monday, July 6, Yukon residents can fish without an angling licence across the territory during the annual Family Fishing Weekend! This is a great opportunity to get out on the water to try your hand at fishing, or to introduce your friends or kids to the sport.

A few things to know before you go:
✅ You must follow all Yukon fishing regulations.
✅ Be prepared to show proof of Yukon residency if requested by a conservation or fisheries officer.
✅ The licence exemption applies to freshwater fish only. If you plan to fish for salmon, you must still have a valid Yukon angling licence and a Salmon Conservation Catch Card.
✅ The sport fishery for Chinook and Chum salmon remains closed throughout the Canadian portion of the Yukon River.

Review the Yukon fishing regulations summary: https://yukon.ca/en/yukon-fishing-regulations-summary