Marine Mammals
Every spring and fall, over 20,000 gray whales migrate along
the coast of British Columbia on their voyage between Mexico’s
Baja and summer feeding grounds in the Bering Sea. Marine
mammals, such as gray whales, are particularly sensitive to
an offshore oil and gas industry. Studies in Russia show gray
whales will avoid an area where seismic
testing is occurring, even if the location is the site
of critical feeding grounds.
Click
here for more information about the impacts of seismic testing.
Gray whales are one of 29 marine mammal species found in
Canada’s Pacific Ocean, along the coast. Other species
include, humpback, orca, fin and minke whales, Pacific white-sided
dolphin, Dall’s porpoise, stellar sea lion and the northern
fur seal. These animals are an essential part of the marine
ecosystem, drawing thousands of visitors annually to the B.C.
coast where whale watching
has become an economic engine. More than 11 communities are
actively involved in whale watching.
It is estimated that over 2,000 harbour seals, 22 killer
or orca whales and 25 gray whales were killed because of the
oil that spilled from the Exxon Valdez.
