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Whales are admired by people all over the world. Beluga whales, gray whales and killer whales are the most common species found in Canadian waters.
Beluga
Whales
Beluga whales live in arctic and subarctic waters. They are a slate gray
colour, but turn white as they age. Males grow to approximately 5.0 m,
females to 4.0 m. Three out of eight Canadian beluga populations are endangered
– the ones that live in southeast Baffin Island, Ungava Bay and the
St. Lawrence River estuary in Quebec.
Gray
Whales
Gray whales are much larger than beluga whales. Adult males can grow to
14.6 m in length–longer than a city bus! Females are slightly larger.
Gray whales migrate farther than any other mammal; they cover a distance
of more than 9,000 km annually as they travel from their summer feeding
area to their breeding grounds in the winter. Like many humans, they prefer
warm winter temperatures: from December to February they live in the waters
off Baja, California.
Killer
Whales
Although they are called whales, because of their size, killer whales
are part of the dolphin family. They are easily distinguished by their
black and white markings. Male killer whales can reach almost 10 m in
length, while females can reach 8.5 m. Killer whales live in the North
Pacific with populations off the coasts of Alaska, Washington and British
Columbia. The largest population resides in B.C. marine waters.
British Columbia is the most notable and popular location to catch a glimpse of these magnificent mammals. Many whale watching tour companies offer guided tours off the coast of Vancouver Island, where whales are easy to spot. There are three pods of killer whales in the waters around Victoria. Dalls porpoise and Harbour porpoise reside off the B.C. coast year round and are also sighted on most whale watching trips. Gray whales may also appear in the west coast waters during their annual migration from Mexico to Alaska.
Research
If you’ve ever dreamed of becoming a marine biologist or if you’ve
always wanted to get closer to these splendid species, the Coastal Ecosystems
Research Foundation (CERF) can help you realize your dream. For a price,
you can become a biologist for a week on a gray whale research expedition.
Not only will you help scientists conduct their research, you will also
partake in a rugged wilderness adventure when you camp along a remote
stretch of the B.C. coast. CERF scientists are researching the biology
and ecology of gray whales, humpback whales and white-sided dolphins in
Canadian waters.
By: Tammy McCausland
Whales
online
Resource site for whales in Canada
Adopt
a whale
Help save whales
The
Marine Mammal Centre
Latest whale news, research and education
Coastal
Ecosystem Research Foundation
Become a biologist for a week and learn about whales
Le
Québec Maritime
Enjoy surfing your way through the Est-du-Québec region.
