This summer has proven to be an especially good one for Vancouver area whale watchers, with humpback whales having frequently been spotted throughout the local waters, including Howe Sound and the Strait of Georgia, a marine expert has confirmed.
In past years, the numbers of these marine mammals had fallen drastically, but according to Caitlin Birdsall with the Cetacean Sightings Network of the Vancouver Aquarium, their population has recovered somewhat over the past few decades, and this year has been especially good for those who wish to see them.
When commercial whaling came to an end, their numbers began to rise, and they went from as few as 1,500 individuals to as many as 20,000. This means that people will have a greater opportunity to view them in their natural habitat.
Though their numbers have increased, there are still human-made threats that they face. They suffer from marine pollution, being hit by boats, lack of food, and overexposure to noise in their environment. A poster printing firm can create materials that let the public know about the whales and what they can do to help make the ocean environment suitable for them and all the other living things that call it home.
Birdsall noted that, in spite of these pressures, she is optimistic that the humpbacks will keep increasing in number and that the public will continue to have a chance to observe them should they wish to do so.
