Ocean Wise and the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea have partnered to bring you Naturalist Night, an evening of learning and networking amongst marine conservationists and enthusiasts. Enjoy a cocktail from the Strait and Narrow while hearing from marine mammal researchers and experts in the field about some of the exciting work being conducted in BC. Stick around afterwards to check out the Shaw Centre’s various exhibits and socialize!

Presentations

Addressing winter data deficiencies on cetaceans within the Salish Sea: Dr. Chloe Robinson and Gary Sutton, Ocean Wise

Dr. Chloe Robinson started at Ocean Wise in the summer of 2021 and currently holds the role of Senior Manager of Conservation Impact for the Whales Initiative. She previously obtained a BSc in Zoology, MSc in Environmental Biology and a PhD in Molecular Ecology from Swansea University. Chloe’s research at Ocean Wise involves the application of non-invasive tools for cetacean monitoring, namely acoustics, environmental DNA, and drone-based morphometrics.

Gary joined the Ocean Wise Conservation Association in 2021 as a research technician and vessel operator with the body condition and health monitoring team. He also has worked with Bay Cetology since 2016 as a research assistant and data analyst and primarily works on the Bigg’s killer whale monitoring program. Occasionally, he works as a professional wildlife guide with Ocean Ecoventures based out of Cowichan Bay.

Subsurface humpback whale prey in the Salish Sea: Dr. Rhonda Reidy, University of Victoria

Rhonda Reidy completed her PhD in 2022 in the Department of Biology at the University of Victoria. Her work combines fisheries acoustics, biologging and fecal sampling methods for more comprehensive insights into humpback whale underwater foraging. Rhonda has authored publications about marine mammal-fishery interactions in B.C., and most recently published “Fine-scale diversity of prey detected in humpback whale feces” and “Integrating technologies provides insight into the subsurface foraging behaviour of a humpback whale feeding on walleye pollock in Juan de Fuca Strait, Canada.” She will present a short summary of these two independent, but complimentary studies.