Unique fish found only on Vancouver Island under threat, conservationists say
Tucked away on a small parcel of land on Vancouver Island is a creature you will only find in the Comox Valley.
It's called the Morrison Creek Lamprey, and it's a unique form of the Western Brook Lamprey.
Lampreys are a small type of parasitic fish that look like eels.
"Lamprey themselves are ancient in the evolutionary tree. They predate sharks," said Janet Gemmell, president of the Morrison Creek Streamkeepers.
"They’re jawless fishes, so it's even before any fish got jaws. They’re scaleless, they have cartilage, so they’re very primitive," she said.
SEEKING LAND PURCHASE
Volunteers with the Morrison Creek Streamkeepers and with the Comox Valley Land Trust are trying to preserve a forested area around the Morrison Creek headwaters.
"In 2019 we did our first land acquisition in the headwaters, which was about 50 acres," said David Stapley, director of the Comox Valley Land Trust.
"This piece here is 750 acres, or 280 hectares, and basically we're purchasing almost the rest of the headwaters," he said.
The groups have their sights set on land that is currently held by private forest companies so that the area doesn’t become logged or turned into industrial land.
"It’s really important for us to protect this area because of the threats of logging or industrial development, because it’s such a rich site for biodiversity," said Stapley.
"It’s not just the aquatic species here but all your major animals like the cougars and bears and martens," he said.
Through government and private funding, the two groups are trying to raise $4.75 million by Dec. 31. They've already raised millions and are down to the final $375,000 needed to meet their goal.
"About 40 per cent of the area is wetland, and of course these maturing second-growth forests of cedar and fir and alder and cottonwood, they’re all sequestering carbon and storing it in the soil," said Stapley.
"It’s really important that we maintain our natural areas so that nature can help absorb some of the CO2 in the atmosphere," he said.
Volunteers say they're dedicated to preserving the area for creatures that travel through the region both on land and in the water.
"This particular lamprey has adapted to this ecosystem and so if there are changes to this ecosystem then we might lose that amazing creature that’s a very niche creature – that’s like a boutique creature," said Gemmell.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trump making 'joke' about Canada becoming 51st state is 'reassuring': Ambassador Hillman
Canada’s ambassador to the U.S. insists it’s a good sign U.S. president-elect Donald Trump feels 'comfortable' joking with Canadian officials, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Mexico president says Canada has a 'very serious' fentanyl problem
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is not escalating a war of words with Mexico, after the Mexican president criticized Canada's culture and its framing of border issues.
Quebec doctors who refuse to stay in public system for 5 years face $200K fine per day
Quebec's health minister has tabled a bill that would force new doctors trained in the province to spend the first five years of their careers working in Quebec's public health network.
Freeland says it was 'right choice' for her not to attend Mar-a-Lago dinner with Trump
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says it was 'the right choice' for her not to attend the surprise dinner with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Mar-a-Lago with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump on Friday night.
'Sleeping with the enemy': Mistrial in B.C. sex assault case over Crown dating paralegal
The B.C. Supreme Court has ordered a new trial for a man convicted of sexual assault after he learned his defence lawyer's paralegal was dating the Crown prosecutor during his trial.
Bad blood? Taylor Swift ticket dispute settled by B.C. tribunal
A B.C. woman and her daughter will be attending one of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour shows in Vancouver – but only after a tribunal intervened and settled a dispute among friends over tickets.
Eminem's mother Debbie Nelson, whose rocky relationship fuelled the rapper's lyrics, dies at age 69
Debbie Nelson, the mother of rapper Eminem whose rocky relationship with her son was known widely through his hit song lyrics, has died. She was 69.
NDP won't support Conservative non-confidence motion that quotes Singh
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he won't play Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's games by voting to bring down the government on an upcoming non-confidence motion.
Canadians warned to use caution in South Korea after martial law declared then lifted
Global Affairs Canada is warning Canadians in South Korea to avoid demonstrations and exercise caution after the country's president imposed an hours-long period of martial law.