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Bruce Stanley Wright
was born in Quebec
City, Quebec. After receiving a BSc in forestry from the University of New Brunswick in 1936, he worked as a forest biologist with
the Dominion Forest Service. World War II interrupted his career. As a
Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Canadian Navy he developed and commanded a
frogman Unit. Following 5 years of distinguished military service, he studied
at the University of Wisconsin under Aldo Leopold and received an MSc in
Wildlife Management.
Returning to New Brunswick, Bruce became officer-in-charge of the eastern Canada waterfowl surveys for Ducks Unlimited. The
Wildlife Management Institute of Washington D.C. took over this work done by
Ducks Unlimited and formed the Northeastern Wildlife Station. Located at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, it would later (in 1962) become an adjunct of
the Department of Biology. Bruce was appointed Director of the Station in
1947.
As Station Director and Research
Associate in biology, he supervised the overall wildlife research program,
conducted personal research, directed the wildlife graduate program of the
University and taught at both undergraduate and graduate levels. His
appointment as Adjunct Professor of Wildlife Biology at the University came
in 1971. That same year he also received the John Pearce Memorial Award from
the Northeast Section of the Wildlife Society for contributions in the area
of wildlife administration, research and public education in eastern Canada.
Bruce was instrumental in spreading the
needs of conservation for safeguarding the natural resources of the province
and region, and for wise resource management in New Brunswick through radio, television, public lectures and
his prolific writings. He opposed polluting industries in the face of sever
repercussions and warned of the dire consequences of DTT to woodcock, years
before it became evident. Not all biologists accepted totally his eastern
cougar findings, nor did all industrialists accept his condemnation of
environmental contamination. But being a sometimes controversial figure did
not diminish his productiveness.
As a noted wildlife author he published
close to 100 scientific and semi-popular titles including six books on black
ducks, eastern cougars, and wildlife anecdotes. Well traveled, his research
interests were broad and included waterfowl, cougars, woodcock, bald eagles
as well as marine vertebrates.
Prompted by declining health, Bruce
retired after 27 years as the one and only Director of the Wildlife Station
in 1974. He passed away in April of the following year.
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