- Programs
- Undergraduate
- Graduate
- Professional Programs
- Community Economic Development
- Graduate professional programs
- Events
- Learning from the Global Pandemic
- Women Bending the Curve on Climate Change
- Engaging the Community to Build Flood Resilience: 12,000 Rain Gardens for the Puget Sound
- Engaging the university community in realizing sustainabiity: a transformational approach
- Engaging Citizens in Bike Lane Proposals: A Toronto Experience
- Climate Narratives
- Students
- Research
- Giving
- About
- Events
- News
- REDIRECT ONLY
- Sea, Land and Sky Initiative
Celebrating #EarthDay with Andrew Wright
Adjunct professor and wildlife photographer Andrew Wright shares some of his favourite moments of the wild world through his camera lens in celebration of Earth Day's 50th anniversary.
Resting Baby Gorilla
"Its an adage that we share 98% of our DNA with the great apes – the reality (google the Hillis Plot) is that we share a significant portion of our DNA with all life on earth. This resting baby gorilla (Rwanda) and I locked eyes – sometimes you do not need the science to know we are all kin and cousin."
Adams River Sockeye
"Salmon are central to the identity of many folks in British Columbia. For many First Nations the return of the salmon is a highly anticipated moment in the food harvest calendar. In 2014 the large Adams river run returned and I was adamant to capture this great migration. This picture was one of ten successful pictures taken from over ten thousand attempts and three days in the Adams River. Shooting blind and chilled to the bone, I was incredibly pleased to run out of memory cards on the third day. The ten successful pictures made it a totally worthwhile endeavour."
Bull Moose – Great Bear Rainforest Headwaters
"The Kliniklini river flows from the Chilcotin plateau into the headwaters of the Great Bear Rainforest. This bull moose was photographed in the heart of the remote Kliniklini valley during the fall rut. His calls had haunted us as we walked through the early morning mist. Finally, we were rewarded as he appeared in the meadow. They are truly magnificent to meet."
Oregon Spotted Frog Spawn
"There are just an estimated 300 breeding pairs of Oregon Spotted frogs in B.C. All located in the Fraser river valley. This picture of spawn in various stages of development was taken in the wild and underwater while looking up through the egg mass. The picture was taken to support the work of SFU’s Palen lab and their program to enhance conservation of the species."
Green Turtle Maui
"This moment is common to many folks swimming in the waters around Maui. For me Turtles and Tortoise are synonymous with Wallace and Darwin and the emergence of the understanding of evolution. There is a tangible resonance when you make eye contact with these worldly creatures and realize they were around in Darwin’s time too."
Spirit Bear
"I will never forget the summer of 2007 visiting polar bears only to return home to find my answer machine full of calls to come on a research trip into the great bear rainforest. Within three weeks I saw four species of bear. Culminating in a 30 second glimpse of the rarest bear on earth – The Spirit Bear of the great bear rainforest. Wow what a summer."
Mari River Crossing
"I have always wanted to spend time in the Serengeti – The drama of the Wildebeest crossing of the Mari river has defined Africa in my mind since childhood. We spent a full week camped on the river waiting for a crossing – finally they came and then they waited. The tension of crossing the crocodile infested river was palpable. Then they broke and charged the river – utter chaos and carnage. Ninety mins later and over ten thousand animals had crossed the river. The cycle of life had played out with predation and drowning deaths unfolding before us."
Leaping Pink Salmon
"I first witnessed this phenomenon in salmon bay salmon creek on the central coast in 2007. In the fall before the rains the pink salmon pool in the bay waiting to migrate upstream. Flexing they muscles they jump at random and in late afternoon they are gloriously backlit by the setting sun. I had to wait a decade to get this picture for technology to become fast enough to focus. Still this is just one of two successful attempts in over 400 shots."
"Enjoy, Andy"
About Andrew Wright
Andrew S. Wright is former high technology entrepreneur and currently an adjunct professor at SFU in the Faculty of the Environment and founding director of the Willow Grove Foundation. In addition to directly supporting the Great Bear Rainforest agreement via donation he has played a direct technical role in advancing land-based closed containment salmon aquaculture in BC. He is involved in a wide range of conservation endeavors and sits on the boards of various groups and initiatives. Additionally, he is a passionate conservation photographer and has produced two books, Emeralds at the Edge and Faltering Light, both arguing the case for increased conservation in British Columbia