North Coast Cetacean Society Presents Discussion on Social Dynamics of Whales
North Coast Cetacean Society announces a presentation on whales’ unique social dynamics, including the dangers that whales in Hartley Bay face during noise from liquified natural gas tankers.
Hartley Bay, BC– Nov. 1, 2021
What if we lose the unique whale culture in Hartley Bay? This informative discussion will share how whales establish different cultures and define how whales socially interact. Presenters Janie Wray and Hermann Meuter will share all the stores they have gathered, from listening for thousands of hours over the years to orca and humpback whales. They will connect to our own cultures to demonstrate how similar whales are in their interactions with each of our interactions. The talk aims to illustrate how valuable whales are to understanding ourselves. The presenters will also detail LGN tankers’ impact on whales, including the ecological ramifications of failing to return to Hartley Bay.
The presentation is based on the research conducted by the North Coast Cetacean Society (NCCS) in Hartley Bay. NCCS was founded by marine researchers Janie Wray and Hermann Meuter in 2001 as a charitable organization dedicated to the research and protection of whales in BC coastal waters. With their funds, they built a research facility in Hartley Bay. They observed and listened to whale vocalizations for more than a decade. Their presentation is the result of years of research on the social interactions of whales in the bay. “It’s a community of whales sharing a coast as a habitat,” described Wray, “they arrange themselves without any aggression, without …fear”.
The recently released film, The Whale and the Raven documents Wray and Meuter’s research into whale vocalizations and what they mean for social interactions. The documentary illustrates how destructive considerable tanker noise is to the local whale community. In addition to documenting their research, the film also outlines how the pair of researchers are providing the Gitga’at First Nation with much-needed research that led to the protection of the whales from oil tankers and, hopefully shortly, will protect them from LGN tankers.
North Coast Cetacean Society is a charitable organization partnership formed by Janie Wray and Hermann Meuter. Janie Wray and Hermann Meuter formed North Coast Cetacean Society in 2001. Since then North Coast Cetacean Society has been dedicated to the research and protection of whales in BC coastal waters. In 2009, their determination was recognized, and funding was received to build Cetabealab and establish a hydrophone network. The research conducted by North Coast Cetacean Society demonstrated the harmful effects that oil tankers have on whale populations in Hartley Bay. North Coast Cetacean Society continues its research on Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) tankers’ impact on whales. It is determined to oppose the LNG tankers movement in Hartley Bay.
Please direct any media inquiries to North Coast Cetacean Society Public Relations Intern Jeffrey Hanson, (JHanson1980@NCCS.com)