January 28, 2025 | The Times Colonist via UVic News
A recent article delves into the effects of eco-tourism on grizzly bears in British Columbia’s Bella Coola Valley. It highlights the work of Dr. Kate Field, a dedicated researcher at the University of Victoria (UVic), who has been meticulously tracking grizzly bears and examining the impact of eco-tourism on these remarkable animals. Through a combination of fieldwork and DNA analysis, her research has demonstrated that the intersection of eco-tourism activities and grizzly bear habitats rarely leads to human-wildlife conflicts.. This study builds on the findings from the 2016 article, “Ecology of conflict: marine food supply affects human-wildlife interactions on land,” enhancing our understanding of the complex dynamics involved.
Dr. Kate Field recently completed her PhD at UVic, and is a conservation scientist with the Applied Conservation Science Laboratory. Her dissertation, titled “Applying predation risk theory to wildlife behaviour during non-consumptive ecotourism in Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, Nuxalk Territory: insights into risk, foraging, and conflict dynamics,” focuses specifically on human-wildlife interactions, making her a recognized expert on the matter. Throughout her doctoral research, she spent extensive periods in the Bella Coola Valley, collaborating with local communities and experts to collect data on grizzly bears. Dr. Field’s commitment to understanding bear behavior has provided valuable insights that can help mitigate human-bear conflicts and improve eco-tourism practices.
At UVic, Dr. Kate Field is actively involved in the Applied Conservation Science Laboratory, where she concentrates on conservation research. Her areas of expertise include wildlife ecology, DNA analysis, and human-wildlife interactions. Her work often involves partnerships with indigenous communities, conservation organizations, and fellow researchers to develop effective conservation strategies. Dr. Field’s supervisor, Dr. Chris Darimont, who holds the Raincoast Chair of Applied Conservation Science in the Department of Geography, contributed to the original 2016 study on human-wildlife interactions, ensuring continuity and depth in their research endeavors. Dr. Field’s dedication to applied conservation science guarantees that her research has practical implications for both wildlife preservation and community safety.
To read more of Dr. Field’s work, you can visit UVic’s institutional repository, UVicSpace, where her dissertation and other research publications are available for public access.
