HEADLINE: Whale Protection in Nothern BC Waters
Subheading: Conservation plan to protect the Humpback Whales and Orcas in the Gitga’at First Nation land.
DATELINE: Kamloops, BC – November 8 2021
CONTACT: Jessica Lambie, BC Whales Public Relations Representative (jlambie@bcwhales.org)
ABOUT BC WHALES
- A non-profit whale-research organization dedicated to the research and protection of cetaceans along the northern coast of British Columbia.
- BC Whales researchers track and take samples of the whales (humpbacks, orcas and fin whales) to better understand these mammals
KEEPING TRADITION ALIVE
- The Gitga’at First Nations have had whales in their sotrytelling for many generations, telling the story of how we can learn from these animals and how we need to protect and respect it.
- These whales have been apart of giving them food and an ecomony.
PROTECTING THE ECOSYSTEM
- “There is so much left to know about whales. It has also been increasingly clear over the years just how distinctly unique the personality and culture of each individual species is and how they behave and interact with each other. Some whales display tendencies towards loneliness or shyness, while others choose a close circle of companions” (BCwhales.org, 2021)
- The sounds in the water greatly affect how the whales are able to fuction. “Noise from activities relating to construction, pile driving, dredging, sonar, nuclear testing, and all vessel movements introduce noise pollution into the aquatic realm and thereby threaten to interfere with natural biological processes and reduce acoustic signal propagation for marine organisms globally.”(BCwhales.org, 2021)