Shanna Baker
shannabaker.bsky.social
Shanna Baker
@shannabaker.bsky.social
Senior editor at bioGraphic, focussed on narrative features. Former features editor at Hakai Magazine 🐟
I am so honoured! And now I'm twitching to get back to the bog. Thanks for the great flashback, Tyee. I love the story you've written--can't wait to see where it goes
A segment of a weird novelette I've been working on here... an homage to Lord Dunsany called 'The High Mire.'

Inspired by Karen Russell, Liz Williams and this great photo essay by @shannabaker.bsky.social —many thanks Shanna.

hakaimagazine.com/videos-visua...
March 31, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Thank goodness for levelheaded art directors because I would def publish stories with 100+ photos crammed in them if I were left alone. Here's one of the outtakes from my recent feature story on the Nisga'a eulachon harvest: a fisherman enveloped by pungent steam as he cooks a batch of "grease"
March 10, 2025 at 10:43 PM
What a quote 🙌🏻 “If you’re not really scared by what’s going on in the world, you’re braindead.” www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
What is this era of calamity we’re in? Some say ‘polycrisis’ captures it
The term ‘polycrisis’ has gained traction as we face one disaster after another. It’s overwhelming – but diagnosing the catastrophe is the first step to addressing it
www.theguardian.com
March 6, 2025 at 9:30 PM
I knew ants were cool, but the tidbit in here about how they can propel themselves backward just by snapping their mandibles... 🤯
Nature fact of the day: leafcutter ants from a single nest can harvest up to two metric tons of leaves annually, mowing down so much vegetation that they alter forests' architecture. Learn more about the tiny ecosystem engineers keeping rainforests running smoothly in our latest Spotlight:
Pulling Their Weight - bioGraphic
Beneath the jungle’s colorful canopy, armies of ants clear dead material and keep ecosystems running smoothly.
www.biographic.com
February 27, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Reposted by Shanna Baker
Salmon get all the limelight on the Pacific Northwest coast, but for hundreds of years this tiny, lesser-known fish saved the lives of humans and predators, fueled a vast trade network, and played a critical role in cultural cohesion of Indigenous communities.

Our latest feature:
Where the Savior Fish Still Swims
In an era of collapse, a fabled fish keeps coming back to Nisga’a nation.
www.biographic.com
February 25, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Reposted by Shanna Baker
"Indigenous peoples relied on eulachon to deliver them from hunger at winter’s end, earning the fish the heady titles of 'savior' or 'salvation fish.'"

If you need a break from I recommend this @biographic.bsky.social fish feature.

www.biographic.com/where-the-sa...
Where the Savior Fish Still Swims
In an era of collapse, a fabled fish keeps coming back to Nisga’a nation.
www.biographic.com
February 26, 2025 at 3:39 PM
I'm so grateful to the amazing people who welcomed me to their territory and openly shared stories and knowledge. I recognize what an immense privilege it was as an outsider to be invited out on the river fishing and into Nisga'a camps, homes, and smokehouses www.biographic.com/where-the-sa...
Where the Savior Fish Still Swims
In an era of collapse, a fabled fish keeps coming back to Nisga’a nation.
www.biographic.com
February 27, 2025 at 11:23 PM
I’m just now wondering what the rental car company must have thought of me when I returned an SUV steeped for days in some very fishy gear 🐟
What @shannabaker.bsky.social does not share in this feature is that she smelled so strongly of fish grease after her reporting trip that the person sitting next to her on the airplane requested a seat change 🤪
Salmon get all the limelight on the Pacific Northwest coast, but for hundreds of years this tiny, lesser-known fish saved the lives of humans and predators, fueled a vast trade network, and played a critical role in cultural cohesion of Indigenous communities.

Our latest feature:
February 25, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Robert Capa's mantra—"If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough"—runs through the minds of photographers/videographers like tv ticker tape. It can be SO hard to self police and hold back, but when we get too close to wildlife, the animals suffer www.biographic.com/who-watches-...
Who Watches the Watchers? - bioGraphic
The recent charging of prominent documentarians in British Columbia court is raising important questions about the ethics of wildlife videography.
www.biographic.com
January 13, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Reposted by Shanna Baker
Many of you likely saw "Island of the Sea Wolves", the 2022 Netflix series about British Columbia's coastal wildlife.

But what you _didn't_ see was the three minutes of illegally-obtained killer whale footage that a BC court judge barred from being included in the series. 🧵🐙📷📽️🧪
Who Watches the Watchers? - bioGraphic
The recent charging of prominent documentarians in British Columbia court is raising important questions about the ethics of wildlife videography.
www.biographic.com
January 13, 2025 at 4:58 PM
“For me, Hakai was a sure bet for education. I learned about butterflies, bats, urchins, and rats, and loved every minute of it. I could count on awe and delight, often right from the headline”—what a heartwarming tribute to Hakai longreads.com/2025/01/10/l... Thank you @kristastevens.bsky.social
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week - Longreads
Featuring stories from Michelle Shephard, Adrienne Mason, Dylan Levi King, Sara Mitchell, and Saskia Solomon.
longreads.com
January 10, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Well, @hakaimagazine.com has reached the end of its lifespan. It pains me to see it slip into history, though I'm so grateful I was along for nearly the whole ride. We did important work, but also had a lot of fun. Indulge me in sharing a few fave behind-the-scenes memories, in no particular order?
December 31, 2024 at 4:43 AM
The final @hakaimagazine.com story acknowledges the critical role of First Nations rescuers. Beautifully written, deeply reported, and truly eye opening, this piece encapsulates what we have striven to achieve with our stories over the past 9+ years. hakaimagazine.com/features/the...
The First First Responders | Hakai Magazine
When disaster strikes along British Columbia’s coast, Indigenous rescuers are often the first on the scene. Government-led initiatives are now formally recognizing that work.
hakaimagazine.com
December 26, 2024 at 10:31 PM
"We are a team of people—flawed and forgetful, but also hopeful and cheerful—with big hearts, motivated by the belief that, through journalism, we can make the world a little bit better..." @judeisabella.bsky.social making me teary with the penultimate @hakaimagazine.com newsletter
December 20, 2024 at 9:35 PM
Reposted by Shanna Baker
I was deeply disappointed by the lack of nature/science/climate/enviro on many major end-of-year book lists—so I decided to make my own!

Introducing: ✨🎁📚 The 2024 Holiday Gift Guide to Nature & Science Books ✨🎁📚

Please share: Let's make this go viral in time for Black Friday / holiday shopping!
November 27, 2024 at 7:08 PM
I learned a new-to-me word today that is simultaneously jaunty like a holiday tune and cutting (and oh so timely). Jingoistic: extreme patriotism expressed with aggression.
November 27, 2024 at 9:52 PM
Reposted by Shanna Baker
Help fund one of the best journalism projects on the internet! So stoked that @hakaimagazine.com found a way to persist, by joining forces with bioGraphic under its banner. Be part of the movement today! They're about halfway to their $150k fundraising goal! www.biographic.com/hakai-magazi...
Hakai Magazine - bioGraphic
www.biographic.com
November 22, 2024 at 7:09 PM
Reposted by Shanna Baker
Here’s where you come in.

We have enough funding to bring some staff to bioGraphic, but not the whole team. We’re looking everywhere for financial support, and to bring more people over, we need to raise US $150,000.

Will you help us?

www.biographic.com/hakai-magazi... bsky-sos&c_src2=hakai
Hakai Magazine - bioGraphic
www.biographic.com
November 14, 2024 at 5:15 PM
Reposted by Shanna Baker
Two of my fave magazines to read and to write for -- Hakai and bioGraphic -- are joining forces! Journalism is a critical service, and it costs money to do it right. If you care about science and the natural world and can afford it, please subscribe to help keep their merger grow!
November 15, 2024 at 4:18 AM
Reposted by Shanna Baker
You guys. I just finished writing a memoir and now I consider myself an expert on the form. *shudders in horror* So I’m teaching a class about it. myfivethings.com/class/writin...
Writing a Memoir
Join acclaimed journalist and author Susan Orlean in this live, two-hour class and discover the Five Things She’s Learned while writing her forthcoming memoir, and about the approaches sure to be of h...
myfivethings.com
November 15, 2024 at 1:51 AM
I’ve been immensely proud of the work we’ve done at @hakaimagazine.com over the past 9+ years and similarly impressed with what colleagues at bioGraphic have accomplished. Now we have the opportunity to join forces! In 2025, the two magazines will operate as one—as the new and improved bioGraphic! 🎉
November 14, 2024 at 4:21 PM
Reposted by Shanna Baker
Best starter pack ever! And please stay tuned for GOOD NEWS on the future of our beloved magazine!

go.bsky.app/LwdshPR
Hakai Magazine alum and frequent contributors
Join the conversation
go.bsky.app
November 13, 2024 at 6:33 PM
Showing signs of life
November 13, 2024 at 8:22 PM