▁of ▁New found land ▁and ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁British ▁Columbia . ▁ ▁Career ▁Like ▁their ▁father , ▁ren owned ▁environmental ist ▁Stephen ▁C ann ings , ▁Richard ▁and ▁his ▁tw in ▁brother ▁Sydney ▁and ▁their ▁older ▁brother , ▁Rob , ▁were ▁born ▁and ▁raised ▁in ▁P entic ton ▁and ▁all ▁purs ued ▁care ers ▁in ▁bi ology . ▁Richard ▁earned ▁a ▁master ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁zo ology ▁from ▁Memorial ▁University ▁of ▁New found land . ▁He ▁taught ▁for ▁ 1 7 ▁years ▁at ▁University ▁of ▁British ▁Columbia ▁before ▁returning ▁to ▁P entic ton ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁to ▁work ▁as ▁a ▁consult ing ▁bi ologist , ▁including ▁doing ▁work ▁for ▁the ▁non - pro fit ▁Bird ▁Studies ▁Canada . ▁He ▁spent ▁ 8 ▁years ▁on ▁the ▁Committee ▁on ▁the ▁Status ▁of ▁End anger ed ▁Wild life ▁in ▁Canada , ▁ 1 1 ▁years ▁on ▁B . C . ▁Environment al ▁App e al ▁Board ▁and ▁five ▁on ▁the ▁B . C . ▁Forest ▁App e als ▁Commission . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁board ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Nature ▁Conserv ancy ▁of ▁Canada ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁ ▁C ann ings ▁author ed ▁or ▁contributed ▁to ▁numerous ▁books . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁he ▁co - author ed ▁with ▁his ▁brothers ▁Bird s ▁of ▁the ▁Ok an agan ▁Valley , ▁British ▁Columbia ▁which ▁was ▁published ▁by ▁the ▁Royal ▁British ▁Columbia ▁Museum . ▁Based ▁on ▁previous ▁work , ▁he ▁co - author ed