N 48 ??.??? W 123 ??.???
Most of our whale sightings from Pender are orcas. Since I have been coming here in the late sixties, their numbers have decreased due to habitat challenges. It would seem that increased boat traffic is partially to blame. The whales communicate using complex sounds, that are not words, but meaningful just the same. Trying to communicate beneath the ocean when very loud boat engines are passing above is an onerous task!
Research has been done on the effects of all this noise. Scientists give weight to the theory that this could be causing the orcas a great deal of distress. At the height of the tourist season, pleasure craft traffic increases dramatically. Even so, most of our future problems will likely be associated with increased tanker traffic. Passing freighters are very noisy right now, so imagine how cacophonous it will be for the orcas if the current pipeline is twinned and more fossil fuels are shipped right through their habitat.
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