Feb 25 - Island marmot baby boom

Good morning !

The city could someday join the likes of Berlin and Montreal, offering after-hours options for people who aren’t ready to call it a night when clubs close at 2am. The late-night events wouldn’t be able to sell alcohol but would allow people to keep dancing until dawn.

— Robyn

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌦️ 11 / 6

Tomorrow: ⛅ 10 / 8

Day after: 🌧️ 10 / 7

7-day forecast

NEWS

Late-night clubbing: councillor wants to bring a little Berlin to Victoria

Victoria Coun. Matt Dell is dusting off a little-used bylaw in the hope it will help spur more late-night nightlife in the city and get people dancing—booze-free—in the wee hours of the morning.

“A lot of music lovers don't shut down at 2am,” Dell tells Capital Daily. “They want to party late into the night, or they want to dance late into the night or socialize late into the night.”

Dells says “It would be really cool” if Victoria could develop a small late-night dance sector, because, “there's always people out there who are into that type of thing, whether that be someone who just wants to party all night long, or maybe a shift worker who doesn't get off shift until 10 at night, and they want to go out and stay out for a little longer.”

Dell says reviving the largely forgotten bylaw could help boost late-night arts and culture in the city, which would go a long way in expanding Victoria’s entertainment reach.

“Berlin is the classic city where there's a huge late-night industry that's world-famous, where dance halls happen all night long,” Dell says.

Read Mark Brennae’s full story here.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Missing person: Marcus, 51, was last seen on Jan. 27. [VicPD]

Obituary scam warning. [Consumer Protection BC]

Sunscreen recall: Kids by Babyganics SPF 50 mineral sunscreen recalled due to possible impurity. [Details] 

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

We are running a four-week supporter drive. Join us by supporting local journalism by supporting Capital Daily. Become a Capital Daily Insider member today and help bring local stories to life. 

NEWS

‘A remarkable year’ for Island marmots: Record highs for wild population

The unique Island species has been brought back from the brink; the new VI Marmot Recovery Foundation (VIMRF) report says that the wild population is now at 381 Vancouver Island marmots, up from just 22 confirmed individuals in 2003. That's the highest total since record collection began 45 years ago. Marmots in Strathcona Park have extensively recovered and now make up a slight majority of the wild population.

That rising population was bolstered massively last year by a record 106 births across 19 colonies. The wild population is also topped up by releasing marmots raised in captivity by the VIMRF, Calgary Zoo, and Toronto Zoo.

Adam Taylor from VIMRF told The Discourse that the population is believed to have been even higher before recording began, with Indigenous history implying a previous abundance.  

A human helping hand

The foundation has been supplementing the population in stages through “translocations.” It also manually clears trees to preserve the marmots’ alpine meadow habitat. In recent years the trees are not removed from mountainsides naturally by snow as often as in the past, because there is simply less snow on much of the Island—a trend expected to continue with climate change.

The foundation has also been topping up the marmots’ feeding sources when they emerge from a whopping 7 months of hibernation. They can lose 30% of their body weight in that time, so making sure they have enough food right away helps both ensure survival and ensure females can have a litter of pups that year. The foundation's report speculates that this additional feeding may have contributed to the record-high births.

“It’s really important to know that we can recover even the most critically endangered species,” Taylor said. “It’s not easy, it’s not quick, but it is possible.”

Read all about the conservation success story here.

⭐️ Capital Picks

📚 Freedom to Read Week: Amid a rise in censorship, Russell Books is displaying novels that have been banned. [Russell]

👂🏽 Despite being so common, many people affected by hearing loss are reluctant to get help. The Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre aims to address one of the most common yet stigmatized disabilities in the world. Read more here.*

🎶 Blue Moon Marquee: The Island blues duo has been nominated for a JUNO for their album New Orleans Sessions. [Listen here]

🏡 Transform your yard with Shield Landscaping! Their expert lawn maintenance services ensure lush, green, and healthy lawns all year round. Contact them for a beautiful lawn today!*

📸 Misty walk along the Sea Bluff trail in Metchosin. [Doug Clement Photography]

*Sponsored Listing

🗞️ In Other News

Scott Street homes dealing with sewage after city contractor's work under road
The city confirmed that four properties were affected, and at least one had sewage come into the basement. A neighbour describes often seeing plumbing vans on the street this month as issues crop up. [Times Colonist] 

Company working on asbestos abatement in Victoria fined $61K for violating WorksafeBC
The safety org says Van Isle Hazmat did not properly train, instruct, or supervise its staff during asbestos removal and was unable to stop the spread of contaminated dust. Violations were recorded during work in October and November. Asbestos is the No. 1 killer of workers in BC. [CHEK]

2 dogs saved in 2 weeks by Esquimalt Fire Dept.
During a structure fire earlier this month, crews gave on-site care to a dog, Cody, with a dog respirator and CPR before sending him to an emergency vet. Last week crews were called to help another dog, Cassie, who had fallen off the Gorge walkway and was trapped. Crews climbed down to retrieve her and warmed her up with heated blankets. [Victoria News]

🗓️ Things to do

🍝 Tuscan Supper Cooking Class: Join The London Chef for an immersive Italian cooking experience at Sea Cider Farm today. 6pm. [Info]

😆 Nikki Glaser: See the comedian—and recent Emmy host—perform her standup at the Royal Theatre. Thu. and Fri. 7pm. [Info]

🏈 Canada West Rugby 7s at UVic this weekend. [Tickets]

🖼️ Remembering Emily Carr: Carr House will host a special event in honour of the 80th anniversary of the artist’s death, with music, tea, and artwork. Sat. 10am-3pm. [Info]

🕺Coffee Dance Club: Join the first edition of the family-friendly dance party, with local DJs spinning and coffee brewing (no alcohol) at Serious Coffee Esquimalt. Sun. 10am-2pm. [Info]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Monday’s headlines: Whole lotta whale news; Ska and Reggae Festival lineups set for June; Refugee counsellors take pay cuts. [Feb. 24]

Victorian Epicure bankruptcy: Trustee sells $4.2M of products. [Times Colonist]

Alarm over BC provincial parks being listed as ‘state parks’: Google looking into issue. [CHEK]

Seagull tries to eat a sea star—unsuccessfully—in Nanaimo. [VanIsleWildlife]

BC’s water: Is Trump looking to quench his thirst? [Vancouver Sun]

Charelli’s Cheese Shop closing in May. [Tasting Victoria]