#GetOntheWater with Diana Lukinuk!

She has a love for wildlife – and the credentials to back it up.  Meet Diana Lukinuk of West Coast Aquatic Safaris.

Growing up in a suburb of Edmonton, Diana earned her Bachelor of Science in animal biology at the University of Alberta, then headed west to British Columbia to put her education into practice.  The journey to Tofino can be be windy and adventurous, as Diana spent two years working toward wolf conservation at the Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre in B.C.’s ski-friendly East Kootenay region.  With the recent re-emergence of the endangered coastal grey wolf (Canis lupus crassodon) in Tofino, Diana is a strong advocate for seeking better understanding of this intelligent animal and is especially thrilled to spot a wolf on a marine excursion.  While working on Hornby Island, Diana started travelling to Tofino on surf trips, eventually leading to her permanent move here.

Diana has been an on-board naturalist with West Coast Aquatic Safaris since 2010 and now enters her second year as one of the growing group of female boat captains on Vancouver Island’s west coast.  She continues to deepen her knowledge with wildlife research projects, and devoted two winters to the Hawaii Whale Research Foundation, researching Humpback whales (who frolick in our waters alongside Grey whales).

She loves getting on the water for whale watching tours because every day brings a different experience.  As she says, “It’s more than just whale watching in Tofino.  Animals are always surprising us.”