As an organization, we have relied upon marine surveys to reach the remote corners of the BC coast.
We conduct both opportunistic and systematic line-transect surveys, and at the core of this work is the collection of photographic data that is used for the individual identification of humpback whales, fin whales, and orca.
By understanding who each individual whale is, we can begin to understand population level trends and address key questions relating to the unique behaviours and cultures of whales along the BC coast.
The robust data that we collect during marine surveys supports the efforts of the Ships, Whales, and Acoustics in Gitga’at Territory (SWAG) project, the collection of environmental DNA at key locations within our research area, and supports all of our drone projects. Marine surveys allow us to dedicate special efforts towards studying bubble-net feeding behaviour in humpback whales along the north and central coast, and to investigate the profound social connections that exist within whale communities. From mother-calf bonds to relationships that span decades and transcend kinship, our research focuses heavily on the complexities and biological importance of whale social dynamics.”
