Pioneering Wildlife Conservation Through Innovation and Dedication

Founded in 2006 by biologist David Hancock Hancockwildlife, the Hancock Wildlife Foundation represents more than six decades of passionate commitment to wildlife conservation. What began with a twelve-year-old boy catching his first hawk in the 1950s has evolved into a groundbreaking organization that reaches millions of people worldwide through the innovative use of technology and community engagement.

Our Story

David Hancock is a graduate of the University of British Columbia and has dedicated his life to studying west coast and arctic wildlife, with a particular focus on bald eagles and northern raptors. When David conducted his first aerial surveys in the early 1960s, he found only three pairs of nesting eagles in the Fraser Valley. Today, thanks to conservation efforts and changing attitudes toward wildlife, there are approximately 700 breeding pairs in the region—a remarkable testament to what's possible when science, education, and stewardship work together.

Our foundation was established to harness the power of the internet and live streaming technology to bring wildlife conservation into homes and classrooms around the globe. In David's words: "Our first live eagle nest cams reached and taught more people in a 4 month period than I had in all my years of lectures combined. This is the way of the future."

Located in British Columbia, Canada, we operate at the heart of one of the world's most spectacular wildlife regions. The Fraser Valley hosts the world's largest winter congregation of bald eagles, with thousands of birds arriving each year from as far north as Alaska and Yukon to feast on abundant salmon runs. We pioneered live streaming wildlife video on the Internet, operating multiple bald eagle nest cameras that engage millions of viewers worldwide. Our vibrant online community includes volunteers from multiple countries who monitor our cameras, share observations, and contribute to citizen science through one of the most active wildlife forums on the internet.

Our research initiatives include a monitoring database of over 400 pairs of nesting bald eagles in the Lower Fraser Valley and the Bald Eagle Tracking Alliance (BETA), which uses GPS technology to track eagle movements and migration patterns. We actively manage habitat by building artificial nests from scratch in areas where natural nesting options have been removed by human development, creating new opportunities where food supplies remain abundant. Through expert consultation services, we provide specialized guidance on human-wildlife conflict resolution, bald eagle mitigation programs, and habitat creation, bringing ecological understanding to development and conservation decisions.

Our educational outreach extends beyond our cameras to include wildlife books, educational materials, public forums, and partnerships with conservation organizations throughout the region. We share knowledge about ecological processes and natural history with diverse audiences, from school classrooms to professional conservation groups, ensuring that the next generation understands the critical connection between healthy ecosystems and thriving wildlife populations.