Earlier this week, Mike Shannon might have been tempted to hang a “whale watching” shingle on the windows of his English Bay Launch water taxis.
On Sunday and twice on Monday, passengers were treated to the sighting of humpback whales off Atkinson Point.
Wendy Szaniszlo is a marine mammal biologist and research associate with the Vancouver Aquarium. In the 10 years she’s been monitoring humpback and gray whales in Barkley Sounds, she says she’s seen an increase in the number of humpbacks.
“Increased sightings are attributed to the species’ recovery, and humpback abundance and distribution in BC is influenced by their prey — small forage fish and krill. With increasing populations, coupled with prey sources close to shore, our chances to observe humpbacks increases.”
She says the boating public can help protect these magnificent animals by keeping their eyes open for whales and their blows, slowing down in the presence of whales and observing the Be Whale Wise guidelines.
