Devon Bidal

Staff

Author bio

Devon Bidal is a British Columbia–based journalist and editor who focuses on archaeology, paleontology, culture, and climate. Her writing has been published in numerous outlets including Smithsonian, Atlas Obscura, The Tyee, Popular Science, Cottage Life, and more. When she’s not working, Devon can be found poking around tide pools, crocheting, cycling, and searching for the ultimate fish taco. Before joining the Hakai Magazine team full-time, she was a 2021 Tula Foundation Journalism Fellow and a Ma Murray New Journalist of the Year. Photo by Sam DeCosse

Devon Bidal’s Contributions:

Of Gitnuganaks, Glaciers, and Life at the End of the Last Ice Age

Off the British Columbia coast, scientists guided by Indigenous knowledge are unearthing evidence of island life long, long ago.

Mar 7, 2024 | 1,500 words, about 8 minutes

The Story of the Indigenous Wool Dog Told Through Oral Histories and DNA

A biologist, an anthropologist, Indigenous weavers, and an epic collaboration to unveil the life of an ancient dog breed found only in the Pacific Northwest.

Dec 14, 2023 | 1,300 words, about 7 minutes

In Graphic Detail: China’s Burgeoning Cruise Industry Is Booming

With marketing and government support, China has become the world’s second-largest cruise-consuming nation.

Aug 2, 2023 | 350 words, a quick read

The Lion, the Land Bridge, and the New World

Whatever happened to North America’s lions?

Mar 13, 2023 | 950 words, about 4 minutes

Scientists Had Never Seen This Elusive Whale Alive—Until Now

With DNA evidence, scientists confirm the first live sighting of the Sato’s beaked whale, which they previously knew only from whalers’ reports and carcasses.

Jul 14, 2022 | 650 words, about 3 minutes

illustration of a group of hunter gatherers in Baringia

Investigating Ice Age America’s Ancient Abattoir

Scientists know people were in Yukon 24,000 years ago. But what were they doing there?

Mar 2, 2022 | 1,300 words, about 6 minutes

North Atlantic right whale displayed at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

Whales in the Cliff Face

An exposed prehistoric seafloor is a hotspot for ancient whale remains, and now an international team is helping unravel their mysteries.

Feb 15, 2022 | 4,200 words, about 21 minutes

islands of Haida Gwaii, British Columbia

Archaeologists Have Unearthed Exciting Secrets on Haida Gwaii

Archaeological excavations have revealed the oldest domestic dog remains ever reported in the Americas, roughly 11,000-year-old stone tools, and the tantalizing signs of far more to come.

Dec 9, 2021 | 1,000 words, about 5 minutes

drone photo of humpback whales and research boat

We’ve Been Underestimating Whales’ Appetites

Baleen whales are eating, and pooping, three times more than scientists thought—which is surprisingly important.

Nov 3, 2021 | 500 words, about 2 minutes

Steller’s Sea Cows’ Ecological Legacy

A new paper explores the ways these extinct megaherbivores would have reshaped kelp forests across the North Pacific.

Oct 8, 2021 | 750 words, about 3 minutes

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