Comox Valley Nature will host an online lecture by humpback whale researcher Jackie Hildering on Sunday, Oct. 18.
The lecture, entitled “The Return of Giants!” will air from 7-9 p.m.
To register, go to https://bit.ly/2IgsqWh
The increase of humpbacks along B.C.’s coast is a game-changer for vessels of all sizes. It is essential for boaters to know how unpredictable humpbacks can be. They are often oblivious of boats and do not have the biosonar/echolocation of toothed whales like Orca. They can suddenly surface after long dives and are often moving in unpredictable patterns whereby, if it is assumed that they are travelling in a straight line, risk of collision is increased.
The preliminary results of Marine Education & Research Society (MERS) research also indicate how severe a threat entanglement is with an estimated 50 per cent of humpbacks having scarring from entanglement. These are the survivors. Most whales who die from collision or entanglement sink to the bottom of the ocean.
Join the webinar to learn about the wonder of humpbacks and about how to reduce threats to both whales and boaters.
Hildering is a cofounder of Humpback Whale Researcher & Education and is the communications director for MERS. She taught biology and administered international schools in the Netherlands for 14 years and since returning to B.C. in 1999, has worked as a marine naturalist and naturalist trainer striving to create positive environmental change. Her work has included being the local Department of Fisheries and Oceans education co-ordinator, communications director for the SOS Marine Conservation Foundation, and community liaison for the ‘Namgis First Nation’s KUTERRA land-based salmon farm. She uses her underwater photography and storytelling as “The Marine Detective” to increase awareness of the biodiversity, mystery and fragility of life in the NE Pacific Ocean.
For her full bio, visit https://www.mersociety.org/team
For more information on Comox Valley Nature, visit http://comoxvalleynaturalist.bc.ca/