Join Comox Valley Nature and Sarah Patton for an illustrated talk entitled The Whales in Our Waters.
The lecture takes place Thursday, May 30, 2 p.m. in the Denman Island Community Hall (1196 Northwest Road, Denman Island).
This lecture provides an excellent opportunity for the public to learn more about the threats facing whales in our waters and what local citizens can do to help to protect them.
Patton is a research biologist with Ocean Wise’s Marine Mammal Research Program, and co-ordinator of its Southern Vancouver Island Cetacean Research Initiative (SVICRI). Ocean Wise’s Marine Mammal Research Program has conducted conservation-oriented research on killer whales, belugas and other marine mammals since the mid-1980s.
The program focuses on long-term studies of marine mammal populations in B.C., and works across multiple science-based platforms to understand and mitigate the threats they face.
Patton’s experience in her field includes nearly 20 years working on marine research and conservation within governments in Canada, Australia and the U.S., with several Canadian and international non-profits, and within academia. She holds a master’s degree in marine conservation biology from James Cook University in Australia, which she took as a Rotary International Academic Ambassador representing Eastern Canada, an undergraduate degree in marine biology from Dalhousie University, and a diploma in adult education.
In her spare time, Patton is an avid outdoorswoman and naturalist, and an active member of Maritime Search and Rescue Station #35 in Victoria.
The lecture is free, though a $4 contribution from non-members is appreciated. New memberships are always welcomed.
For more information, visit http://comoxvalleynaturalist.bc.ca/