Feb 7, 2012-   The Haven Resort- Gabriola Island. Hosted Silva Bay Yacht Club. 7pm

Feb 11, 2012- The Gatehouse Theatre- Port McNeill. Hosted by the Young Naturalist Club of Northern Vancouver Island.  1pm

Feb 13, 2012- The Quatse Salmon Centre- Port Hardy.  7pm

Feb 15, 2012- The Old Fire Hall- Sointula.  Hosted by the Living Oceans Society. 7pm

Feb 17, 2012- St. Mary’s Anglican Church Hall, Nanoose Bay.  Hosted by the Nanoose Bay Probus Club. 9:30am

Northern and southern resident killer whales are listed as ‘Threatened’ and ‘Endangered’ respectively, and a recovery strategy for these populations is posted on the SARA National Registry: http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/species/speciesDetails_e.cfm?sid=699

The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada is required to develop a recovery strategy and action plan for all threatened or endangered aquatic species listed under the Species at Risk Act (SARA).  According to SARA, an Action Plan “outlines the projects or activities required to meet the goals and objectives outlined in the recovery strategy. This includes information on the species habitat, protection measures, and an evaluation of the socio-economic costs and benefits. It is the second part of the two-part recovery planning process and is used to implement the projects or activities to improve the species status.”

If you would like to know more about the northern and southern resident killer whale populations and would like to provide comments, feedback or input into the draft ‘actions’ supporting recovery of these populations, make sure to attend one of the upcoming meetings:

Public Consultations: (6:00pm-9:00pm)

February 2, 2012               Victoria, BC                       The Maritime Museum of BC
February 9, 2012               Vancouver, BC                  Vancouver Maritime Museum
February 23, 2012             Port Hardy, BC                 Quarterdeck Inn Marina Resort

First Nations Consultations: (10:00am-2:00pm)

February 3, 2012              Nanaimo, BC                      Best Western Dorchester Hotel
February 7, 2012              Campbell River, BC           Campbell River Lodge
February 10, 2012            Mission, BC                         Location TBD
February 16, 2012            Kamloops, BC                     Tentative
February 17, 2012            Quesnel, BC                         Tentative

Please see http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/consultation/sara-lep/index-eng.htm for further information.

November 19, 2011- Marine Mammal Symposium.  9:30 am-5pm.  UBC Fisheries Centre, Vancouver

December 2, 2011- Sunshine Coast Natural History Society .  7pm.  Arts Centre, Sechelt

Feb 7, 2012- Silva Bay Yacht Club.  Gabriola Island

February 17, 2012- Nanoose Bay Probus Club. 9:30am.  St. Mary’s Anglican Church Hall, Nanoose Bay.

Upon closer investigation, researchers from A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IEE RAS), Oregon State University Marine Mammal Institute, and NMFS were able to determine that Flex was photographed off Vancouver Island in 2008.  They also discovered 4 individuals from the Western (Sakhalin Island) population in the famous San Ignacio lagoon in Baja this past winter.  These discoveries have researchers reconsidering widely-accepted ideas of two geographically separate populations.  Still, distinct DNA and nuclear genetics do support the idea that the two populations are different.  A previous sighting of an individual from this population along the coast of Japan may indicate that some individuals do stay in the Western Pacific.

With more questions than answers, the research team returned to Sakhalin Island this year to tag more whales. Six whales were tagged in the fall but only two tags continued to transmit as those animals crossed the Pacific in the direction of North America.  Unfortunately, the tag on one of the animals (nicknamed ‘Agent’) stopped transmitting in the Gulf of Alaska.  Luckily, one animal continues to transmit its location and it has been tracked even further than Flex!

The whale in question is a young 8-year old female named ‘Varvara’.  After she crossed the Gulf of Alaska, she headed in towards the BC coast, coming close to shore around Haida Gwaii, crossing Hecate Strait and then made her way down Vancouver Island.  On Jan 13^thand 14^th, researchers from Oregon State were able to locate Varvara off southern Oregon and northern California.  With luck, Varvara’s tag will continue to transmit for weeks to come, shedding more light into this unexpected migration.

To follow Varvara’s travels as documented by the Marine Mammal Institute at Oregon State University, check here.

Help us learn about grey whale occurrence off the coast of BC by reporting your sightings here.

Note: This research was conducted by A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IEE RAS) and Oregon State University Marine Mammal Institute in collaboration with the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service, Kronotsky State Nature Biosphere Reserve and the Kamchatka Branch of the Pacific Institute of Geography. The research was contracted through the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with funding from Exxon Neftegas Ltd. and Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd

To wrap up the year, here is Part Two of some of our favorite sightings with photos from 2011 (see Part One here):

New calf for a small population.  Southern resident killer whales are in trouble.  With only 89 members in this genetically distinct population, they are listed as endangered in both Canada and the United States. As a result, it’s always good news to hear of a new calf being born.  In early July, we received word from many of our observers in the southern whale watching fleet that K27 was spotted with a new baby.  The calf was identified as a male and given the scientific number of K44 by the Centre for Whale Research. Mortality is high for killer whale calves in the first year, so we will keep our fingers crossed that this young male survives and thrives.  We don’t know yet who fathered this calf, but research published in 2011 looked specifically at mating systems in this small population, where inbreeding is of high concern.  See here for more information.

Introducing the little guys. Killer whales are the black and white icons of the coast, but they aren’t the only cetacean sporting these colours. The Dall’s porpoise is another monochrome speedster found in BC, often spotted zooming through the water throwing a ‘rooster-tail’ splash.  While Dall’s porpoises are fairly common, they aren’t reported as often as other species- probably because they are smaller, easier to miss, and often confuse observers who aren’t aware that they exist.  In early August we received a report of small cetaceans off Saturna Island, but the observer was unsure what species they were. The  animals were described as speeding through the water and bow-riding off a small vessel (behavior often observed with Dall’s).  The photo accompanying the sighting confirmed they were Dall’s and we were able to introduce these new observers to some of the lesser-known ‘little guys’ that share our coast.

Bubblenets!  Witnessing a humpback whale create a bubble net to feed is probably one of the most curious and exciting wildlife spectacles in BC.  Primarily observed from the central coast northwards, bubble net feeding is a technique used by humpbacks to concentrate their food. The whale (or whales for that matter, as in some areas like south east Alaska large groups will use this technique as a team) blows bubbles from its blow hole in a circular pattern around a school of fish. As the bubbles rise, they create a wall around the fish. The whale may continue to blow bubbles, spiraling inwards, making a tighter and tighter circle. The school then starts to condense as a response to the bubbles surrounding them, concentrating them into a nice tight ball. At the pivotal moment, the whale(s) lunge through the ball of fish, engulfing a mass amount of prey in one quick movement.  The photo here, submitted with a report from Calvert Island, depicts this spectacular behavior beautifully.

Slow down to spot the harbour porpoise.  Dall’s porpoise aren’t the only little guys that are sometimes overlooked.  Their cousins, the harbour porpoise, are even smaller and more elusive.  Harbour porpoises can be found around the coast, but sometimes an observer needs to slow down to see them. In fact, in 2011 nearly 20% of the harbour porpoise reports were from observers on land or in kayaks, two perfect vantage points to look for these creatures.  This photo, taken at the mouth of Esperanza Inlet in early September from a kayak, was a good reminder that what we see may sometimes be a function of how we look.

Hunters.  Sometimes a sighting report can make you feel like you are right there.  That was the case in early September when we received word from two mid-Island eco-tourism guides about the spectacle they observed when a group of transient (mammal eating) killer whales cornered approximately 200 Pacific white-sided dolphins in Phillips Arm. Transients have developed this specialized technique of trapping speedy dolphins in inlets since catching them in the open water is difficult.  The flurry of activity, tactical hunting, and hurried escape of many of the dolphins was surely a sight to see.  The observers were very lucky as well; this specialized hunting tactic is not often witnessed.

Big blue.  Rare sightings make our day, so you can imagine our excitement to receive word of a possible blue whale off the west coast of Haida Gwaii.  As described by the observer, “a large (LARGE) whale grey/blue in color was observed.  Two large blowholes and a body that continued flowing through the water after taking a breath then a tiny dorsal fin.”  Photos were the final confirmation that it was indeed a blue whale.  This sighting is only the 27^th blue whale in the BCCSN database!  Blue whale populations were severely decimated by commercial whaling.  While it is still unclear how many blue whales now exist, in December, six blue whales were documented off the coast of Washington by Cascadia Research! In the North Pacific, blue whales are more commonly seen off the coast of California, where the majority of the research on these behemoths is being conducted.

Thanks to all our observers for submitting their sightings in 2011, contributing to a better understanding of these incredible creatures.  Have a sighting to submit?  Do it here.

To wrap up the year, here is Part 1 of a collection of some of our favorite sightings with photos from 2011.  Some were intriguing, some were rare, and some were reminders of important lessons. Watch for Part 2 of our ‘favorites’ in early 2012!

1) An important reminder at the beginning of a new year. A sighting of a humpback whale near Nanaimo in January helped remind us that marine mammal science in BC is a team effort.  The helpful photos submitted by observer Maureen Thornton allowed us to work with colleagues from DFO and the Marine Education and Research Society to track the whale all the way up Vancouver Island into Johnstone Strait.  The whale, nicknamed Hunter, was later seen in July off northern Vancouver Island.  Humpback whales have made a big comeback in BC.  While most are only in our waters for the summer and fall, some do stay throughout the winter.  Working with partners, from observers to other researchers, is an important part of what we do and this sighting was a great example of just that.

2) A killer whale visit to the office.  All sightings are interesting, but it was quite exciting to receive a report of killer whales that swam right past our office at the Vancouver Aquaruim early one morning in May!   Through observer photos, the whales were identified as transients, including T102, T101B, and T123A (named ‘Stanley’ by the Wild Killer Whale Adoption Program after his visit).  It is rare to see killer whales in such a busy harbour, but there is no shortage of seals all the way up Indian Arm to attract them. In fact, sightings of transient killer whales in the Salish Sea were plentiful this year and with healthy harbour seal populations in the area, we suspect we will continue to see many more of them! There are approximately 300 transient killer whales along the west coast that have been identified by photo-identification.

3) Don’t worry, it’s just feeding.  With spring comes the arrival of hungry grey whales. After foraging very little while on their calving grounds in Mexico, they arrive back in the productive waters off of BC ready to eat.  How a grey whale feeds, however, can sometimes cause confusion or concern for observers.  Grey whales will often feed on tiny organisms (like crab larvae and amphipods) in sandy bottom sediment. To find this prey they will come in very close to shore and feed off the bottom by rolling on their sides, gulping large mouthfuls of mud and straining out the sediment and water through their tough baleen plates. From the surface, it’s common to see the whales thrashing around close to shore, rolling, and surfacing erratically- almost as if they are stranded!  Don’t worry, they are just eating.  Several sighting reports from May described this bizarre-looking foraging to a tee.

4) Strange stranding.  Can you imagine mowing your lawn and looking out to see a small group of Pacific white-sided dolphins stranded on the beach near your house? That is exactly what happened to a fellow living across the road from Oyster Bay, BC in late June.   When a group of four Pacific white-sided dolphins stranded on a sandy beach early in the morning, word spread quickly and about 80 people showed up on the beach to help. Volunteers with the Fisheries and Oceans Canada Marine Mammal Response Network also were on hand to help.  After consultation with the BCMMRN coordinator, the volunteers placed the dolphins back in the water. The cause of the stranding is still unknown. One of the dolphins had what appeared to be teeth marks from a killer whale on its back, and there had been several killer whale reports in the area the days leading up the stranding. It is possible, therefore, that the dolphins were taking refuge in waters too shallow for the killer whales to enter, a behaviour that has been documented before in B.C. Whether this is what happened or not, they were not re-sighted in the bay or along the nearby coast indicating that a re-stranding from injury probably did not occur.  Any dead, injured, stranded or distressed marine mammals should be reported immediately to 1 800 465 4336.

5) Caught on camera.  A set of sightings from a cruise ship passenger came into the Sightings Network in August and reported a plentitude of humpbacks along the coast.  Included with the reports was a set of photos, an important and valued tool to verify sightings! While most of the photos showed feeding and traveling humpbacks, several pictures stood out!  In these photos (all of one encounter), the animal photographed had a distinctive blow.  Instead of the tall, vertical plume of a humpback whale, this animal’s blow shot out to the front and side.  Indeed, the animal captured on film was not a humpback like the rest, but a sperm whale!  Sperm whales are not that rare in BC, but we don’t receive many reports of them at the Sightings Network because they tend to spend time well offshore along the continental shelf and away from the coastal range of most of our observers.   Their distinctive, off-kilter blow is a result of their blow hole being situated on an angle on the left side of their head. Sperm whales can dive for over 90 minutes and to depths exceeding 3km.  After these marathon dives, the animal rests at the surface, recovering from the dive before making another.

6) Holy mola mola! This summer, the Vancouver Aquarium’s cetacean research team spent time along the central coast surveying the area for whales.  In early September, they came across the B7 matriline of northern resident killer whales off the west side of Hakai Pass. While the research crew followed the whales as they slowly meandered along, they ran into a mola mola (also known as an ocean sun fish)! Slingsby (B10), an adult male in the group, detoured to check out the mola mola.  Mola molas probably don’t make for very good eating and Slingsby left it alone after a quick inspection.

Check back in early 2012 for 6 more of our favorite photo sightings from 2011. To all our observers, volunteers, colleagues and funders, thank you so much for your support in 2011!

Happy Holidays!

Each killer whale is unique and has its own story. Whales are identified by scientific number, adoption name, gender, and the year in which they were born. Sometimes adopters choose a whale whose birth year coincides with their own. That even works for senior citizens, says the Aquarium’s senior marine mammal scientist, Lance Barrett-Lennard, because whales can live into their 80s!

Adopters receive a package that contains a certificate, photograph, biography, and a list of the whale’s family members, as well as a CD of killer whale vocalizations and a newsletter.

Adopting a whale costs as little as $64. The money raised directly supports ground-breaking research on wild killer whales – research that is proving essential in the effort to protect these magnificent animals and their habitat. Funds raised through the program mainly support research on wild killer whales, but also includes other marine mammals that killer whales interact with – and sometimes prey on – in their marine environment.

Studying killer whales in the wild is expensive work. Travel, equipment, boat supplies and maintenance are some of the costs faced by researchers in the field. After the field season there are expenses for lab supplies and fees, software, student stipends and many other items. A membership in the BC Wild Killer Whale Adoption Program directly helps to offset these costs and make research possible.

To learn more or to adopt your wild killer whale, visit www.killerwhale.org or call the Vancouver Aquarium at 604-659-3430.

Suprisingly, in one week, two sea turtles washed up on beaches in Pacific Rim National Park.  Neither  were leatherbacks, but rather an olive ridley and a green sea turtle.  While olive ridleys and greens have been found in the Pacific Northwest, they do not have cold water adaptations the way leatherbacks do.  These “incidental” turtles may have ended up out of their range by following food, warm currents, or simply getting lost during their migration.  Due to cold water, the turtles typically go into “cold-shock” and their metabolic and motor activities becomes severely depressed.  This put them in a precarious position to avoid threats such as boats and predators, and can result in injuries causing death.

An olive ridley sea turtle was found on November 22, 2011 washed up on Long Beach near Tofino, which is the first documented sighting of an olive ridley in BC!  They have been seen in Washington and Alaska, so scientists have assumed that they must pass through BC from time to time.  This turtle was alive but had sustained serious injuries to its shell which had even perforated into its body cavity.  Parks Canada and DFO Marine Mammal Response Network officials transported the turtle to the Vancouver Aquarium for treatment and further examination.  The turtle was identified as a sub-adult  female, and although an electrocardiogram detected a weak heartbeat, it was extremely infrequent.  Despite efforts to re-hydrate the turtle and gently warm her body temperature, she was pronounced dead the next morning.  A necropsy revealed that she had died of blunt force trauma from an unknown source.  Two small pieces of hard plastic were also found in her stomach- a reminder that marine debris is a serious threat to marine animals.

Eight days later on November 30, 2011, a green sea turtle was found off Combers Beach in Pacific Rim National Park.  Parks staff were notified and the turtle was transported to the Aquarium with the help of DFO.  This turtle appeared to be in better shape than the olive ridley, with no obvious external injuries.  Vancouver Aquarium veterinarian Dr Martin Haulena administered fluids and antibiotics, and again looked for a heartbeat.  Unfortunately, this turtle did not survive the cold shock either and was pronounced dead on December  5, 2011.

Olive ridley sea turtles are the smallest sea turtle species and widespread in tropical waters around the world.  In Pacific waters, they nest in Central America and Mexico and have been found to migrate as far south as Peru.  They can dive up to 150m in search of crabs, sea urchins and other benthic creatures and also roam the open ocean in search of sea jellies.  Olive ridleys can be identified by the number of costal (side) scutes on their shell.  They usually have 6 to 9, which is much more than any other sea turtle (see diagram on the right).  Their shells are as wide as they are long and are highly domed.

Green sea turtles are the largest of hard-shelled turtles (leatherbacks are not considered hard-shelled) and are commonly seen in southern temperate waters around Mexico and Hawaii.  Green turtles are unique because their diet changes as they age.  Juveniles are invertivores, feeding mainly on jellyfish and other invertebrates.  Adult green turtles are the only turtles that are exclusive herbivores, feeding on kelp, sea lettuce and algae.  It is thought that this diet imparts a greenish colour to their skin and fat, giving them their name.  Greens have 4 costal scutes , and their shells are tapered at the rear (see diagram on the right).  Their heads are also smaller compared to other sea turtles.

Sea turtles worldwide face serious threats to their survival.  Habitat destruction and illegal harvesting of eggs and turtles still occur despite efforts to protect nesting beaches.  Entanglement in fishing gear, pollution, and especially ingestion of marine debris have all lead to dramatic decline in sea turtle populations.

Sea turtle species range from threatened to endangered in various part of the world.  You can directly participate in sea turtle conservation by reporting any sightings of sea turtles and cetaceans to the Vancouver Aquarium’s BC Cetacean Sightings Network at 1-866-I SAW ONE.  Reports of dead, injured, and distressed marine mammals and sea turtles should be reported to the Marine Mammal Response Network at 1-800-465-4336.

September 14th, 2011- Eldercollege @ Capilano University – Sechelt

September 30th, 2011- BC Nature Fall General Meeting – Delta

September 30th, 2011- Pacific Northwest Docents and Volunteers Association Conference – Vancouver Aquarium

October 26th, 2011 – Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference- Vancouver

October 28th, 2011- Alouette Power and Sail Squadron- Maple Ridge

Northern right whale dolphins have a characteristic black and white coloration with a white patch that runs along the underside of the body from the flukes to the throat and widens at the urogenital region.  There is another white patch underneath the rostrum and the flippers.  One of the most striking features (or lack thereof) is that they do not have a dorsal fin.  This feature alone can make them relatively easy to identify.  In fact, northern right whale dolphins were named after the massive right whale, another species lacking a dorsal fin.  Because this species of dolphin lives so far from the coast in oceanic environments, details of their overall biology, life history, and behavior is poorly understood.  Northern right whale dolphins also have a southern counterpart, the southern right whale dolphin.  This species is quite similar in appearance, but with more extensive white markings, and they live in the southern hemisphere.

Northern right whale dolphins are roughly 3m long, with males being larger than females.  They can be found in cool, temperate waters and sub Arctic regions from the Gulf of Alaska to Southern California.  Like the Pacific white-sided dolphin, the northern right whale dolphin is a highly gregarious species- and can be seen travelling in pods numbering 2000-3000 animals!  They are also extremely fast swimmers, reaching speeds of 40km/hr.  Observing aerial behavior like breaching and belly flops is common.  Similar to other toothed cetaceans, northern right whale dolphins rely on echolocation to navigate dark seas and locate prey.  Hydrophone recordings of these animals reveal pulsed vocalizations and clicks with high repetition.

Mating behavior is rarely observed in northern right whale dolphins; what scientists do know is that females reach sexual maturity slightly earlier than males, but both sexes are ready to mate around at 10 years of age.  Calves are seen in winter and early spring and born a grayish-brown color before developing the black and white adult coloration after 1 year.

Northern right whale dolphins have also been known to interact with other species; it is not uncommon for them to be spotted with Pacific white-sided dolphins, pilot whales, and Risso’s dolphin as they all occupy similar habitat which is typically deep water off the continental shelf or where deep waters approach the coast.  These areas tend to be highly productive in terms of food supply, and it is here where the dolphins can forage for their prey of choice- squid, and also hake, saury, and lanternfish.  The dolphins themselves have few predators, but killer whales and large sharks have been known to prey on them.  Unfortunately for northern right whale dolphins, accidental catch in the fisheries operations is their number one threat.  In fact, in the mid-1980’s, incidental takes of northern right whale dolphins by the squid driftnet fishery operated by Japan, Korea and Taiwan numbered 15,000-24,000 dolphins per year.  The good news is that in 1993, the UN issued a moratorium on large-scale high-seas driftnets.  This has reduced the danger to offshore cetaceans, however, the continued use of driftnets to catch billfish, sharks, squid, and tuna inside the exclusive economic zones of North Pacific countries, and some continued illegal fishing on the high-seas, may result in the killing of unknown numbers of northern right whale dolphins each year.

Reporting your sightings helps researchers understand the distribution and abundance of BC’s cetaceans.  You can participate directly in whale and dolphin conservation by reporting your sightings here.  So if you’re lucky enough to spot a northern right whale dolphin, or any type of whale, dolphin, or porpoise for that matter, let us know!