Khutzeymateen Inlet
Location: British Columbia
Approximate Area: 2,581 hectares
Date of Designation: 2008
Conservation Objectives
To protect the inlet’s biodiversity, including grizzly bears and salmon, as well as key areas of First Nations traditional use.
Prohibitions
There is no land access permitted to the Grizzly Bear Sanctuary in the inlet, and the Khutzeymateen River estuary is closed for public access. All tours must be with an official guide.
Why (environmental context for protection)
The inlet protects important grizzly bear habitat, with over 50 grizzlies frequenting the river and the inlet’s shores. The inlet also contains a number of locally important salmon streams. Wolves, moose, waterfowl and whales inhabit the area around the inlet. The Khutzeymateen Inlet is historically associated with the Gitsi’is Tribe and associated with Lax Kw’alaams and Metlakatla First Nations (collectively Coast Tsimshian).