Over the past 20 years we have developed rigorous scientific projects aimed at monitoring the populations, sociality, and health of humpback whales, fin whales, and orca while addressing key threats facing each species. Current projects being undertaken from the Fin Island Research Station include land-based and marine surveys investigating habitat usage of both whales and vessels along the BC coast, investigating whale presence non-invasively through acoustic monitoring, and using novel techniques like the collection of eDNA and the use of drones to tackle critical investigations into the health of whales and their ecosystems. For more information about our research, please visit the “Our Projects” page at bcwhales.org

BC Whales maintains a dedicated outreach program and presentation series. If you are interested in coordinating a presentation for your classroom or group from BC Whales scientists please reach out to us via email to Grace@bcwhales.org

BC Whales is dedicated to supporting early career marine scientists and conservationists through our volunteer and internship program. Volunteers and interns join us for 8 or more weeks at our remote land-based whale research station on Fin Island, in Gitga’at Territory. Here they provide us with critical support in conducting all of our research projects and contribute directly to whale conservation. For more information about our volunteer and internship program and how to apply, please visit bcwhales.org/opportunities

There are many ways to get involved with BC Whales. By joining our newsletter, attending our presentations and webinars, sponsoring a whale, donating, or applying to join us in the field as a volunteer you directly support all of our research, conservation, and outreach efforts to better understand and protect whale species at risk in BC.

To learn more about the whales that inhabit BC coastal waters please visit the “Learn About Whales” page on our website at bcwhales.org

Yes you can! After you select your whale, you can change the delivery address to your giftee within the checkout page. After payment, your BC Whales Sponsor Kit will be delivered to them directly with a note from you (written in ‘Donation Notes’). Additionally, you can gift an account to your giftee as well. To do so, go to your account page and to “Donation Accounts”. From there, you will see “Account Members” and a link titled “Create an Account as a Gift”. In that link, you will be able to send your giftee their own sponsorship account to access the sponsored whale & see their acoustic data, migration data, and certificate for download/print. They will receive an email notifying them of the gift and a link to gain access to their account. 

Your sponsorship does not expire. For additional giving to BC Whales, you are welcome to donate as a monthly donor or sponsor another whale. 

Your sponsorship directly aids BC Whales’ research initiatives, including the hydrophone network, drone projects, land-based surveys, and marine surveys. These projects are instrumental in addressing and mitigating threats faced by whales, such as entanglements, ship strikes, ocean noise, and plastic pollution. Through your support, you’re actively participating in preserving and enhancing the lives of these majestic creatures.

With every whale sponsorship, you will receive a BC Whales Sponsor Kit, access to your own Account page and whale Sponsor Zone, plus news and updates from BC Whales.

• In the BC Whales Sponsor Kit, you will receive a BC Whales sticker and magnet, information about your whale and a personalized certificate.
• On your Account page, you will be able to access your sponsored whales, download tax receipts, and share an account as a gift.
• In your whale Sponsor Zone, you will receive exclusive access to Humpback Acoustic Data and your whale’s migration data, gaining insight into the life and habits of your humpback whale. You will also receive a digital Whale Sponsor certificate that you can print and save as a PDF.
• Finally, you will be subscribed to our e-newsletter, keeping you up-to-date on how your support impacts our work, and invitations to exclusive webinars and events where you’ll hear first-hand from our researchers and conservationists.
  

You can access your tax receipt in your account dashboard.

Certain species of whales in British Columbia undertake some of the largest migrations in the animal kingdom, and the migration patterns vary depending on the species. Humpback whales that feed in BC waters during the summer months migrate in the winter to their warmer breeding and calving habitats in Hawaii and Mexico. Gray whales are known for one of the longest migrations of any mammal. They travel between their feeding grounds in the Arctic, where they feed during the summer, and their breeding grounds in the lagoons of Baja California, Mexico, where they give birth and mate. This migration brings them along the west coast of North America, including the waters of British Columbia.

There are many ways to support the conservation of whales in BC. By joining our newsletter, attending our presentations and webinars, sponsoring a whale, donating, or applying to join us in the field as a volunteer you directly support all of our research, conservation, and outreach efforts to better understand and protect whale species at risk in BC.

If you have seen a marine mammal in distress, that is entangled, or that has been struck by a vessel in BC, it is of the utmost importance that this is reported immediately to the DFO incident reporting hotline by calling +1-800-465-4336, or contacting coastguard on VHF channel 16. To create your report, take note of the species, any entangling gear or visible injuries, the animal’s behaviour and direction of travel, the date, time, location, and GPS coordinates of the distressed animal.

When possible, the best and most resposible way to view whales and marine wildlife is from land whereby there is no human impact. There are various locations across the BC coast where viewing whales from land is possible, many of which have been included as part of the British Columbia Whale Trail (more information can be found here https://thewhaletrail.org/regions/british-columbia/). While on the water, it is crucial to be aware of the minimum approach regulations to all marine mammal species, which are specified by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and can be found here https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/species-especes/mammals-mammiferes/watching-observation/index-eng.html

Whale populations along the BC coast are faced with numerous threats including entanglement and ship-strikes, ocean noise, plastic pollution, and climate change. 

Whale species exhibit a wide range of feeding behaviours and diets. The primary distinction is between toothed whales (odontocetes), including orca and sperm whales; and baleen whales (mysticetes), which include species like humpback whales and fin whales. The specific diet of whales varies based on species, geographical location, and environmental conditions. Whales are adapted to their specific ecological niches, and their feeding behaviours reflect the abundance and distribution of their prey in their respective habitats. The BC coast provides critical foraging habitat for many whale species, and within our dedicated research areas this includes humpback whales feeding on small schooling fish (including herring) and krill; fin whales feeding on krill, plankton, and small schooling fish; northern resident orca feeding almost exclusively on salmon; and biggs orca feeding exclusively on marine mammals.

British Columbia supports a diverse range of whale species that inhabit its rich and productive waters. Commonly found whale species off the coast of British Columbia include: Humpback Whales, Orca, Fin Whales, Minke Whales, Grey Whales, and Sei Whales in addition to a number of dolphin and porpoise species. Humpback Whales, Fin Whales, and Orca are three of the most common species observed within the nearshore coastal waters along the north and central coast of BC, and are our three key study species. To learn more about our study species, please visit the Learn About Whales page at bcwhales.org