B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
As temperatures rise in the North, scientists say it's affecting how Arctic ground squirrels hibernate -- and it could have serious consequences for the species.
The furry critters survive the harsh Arctic winters by burrowing underground and hibernating for eight months before emerging in the spring ready to eat and breed. As the males go through seasonal puberty every year, they normally wake up about a month earlier so they are ready to mate when the female Arctic ground squirrels resurface.
But in a new study published in Science, researchers found that over the past 25 years, female squirrels have been ending hibernation about 10 days earlier in response to earlier spring thaw while the males have not.
"If this continues, females are going to be ready to mate with males before males are physiologically able to mate with females," said senior author Cory Williams, assistant professor in the department of biology at Colorado State University, who has been studying Arctic ground squirrels for more than 15 years.
Researchers said that could mean fewer "date nights," which could affect reproduction.
Williams said because male squirrels end hibernation early, they are less responsive to environmental cues than females. He said so far, the changes among female hibernation patterns haven't affected squirrel populations and, in the future, males could adapt to stay in phase with females.
"Predicting the long-term ecosystem consequences of climate change is incredibly difficult due to ecological interactions, but it is clear that Arctic systems are rapidly changing," he said.
Other potential consequences of a shorter hibernation season are that squirrels could increase their exposure to predators such as foxes, wolves and eagles.
However, it's not all bad news. It could also mean squirrels will not have to use as much stored fat and energy during hibernation. Beginning foraging earlier could also lead to healthier offspring.
Other changes researchers observed are that squirrels are delaying the timing and duration of heat production during hibernation in response to slower freezing of the permafrost. While squirrels drastically reduce their lung, heart, brain and body functions during hibernation, they do use some energy to generate heat from stored fat to keep from freezing, even as their body temperature drops below 0 C.
The study's authors analyzed 25 years of air and soil temperatures from two locations in the Alaskan Arctic. They also measured the abdominal and skin temperatures of 199 squirrels over the same period.
"These Arctic systems are changing relatively rapidly," Williams said, noting other studies have found it is warming four times faster than the global average.
"Our study really indicates that this is happening and it's happening rapidly, and we should expect for these ecosystems to change across time."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2023.
This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
A property tax bill is perplexing a small townhouse community in Fergus, Ont.
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.