To support field efforts and meet other demands for up to date demographic information about the northern resident killer whale (NRKW) population, we have developed an NRKW ID App in collaboration with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. It is now freely available to download from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. 

How will cetacean populations adapt to a quickly changing environment? We explored this issue on a global level with colleagues at Leiden University College in a recent publication. It is also a topic we will continue to address on a local level where cetacean populations are forced to adapt as their environments change.

To keep track of killer whales off northeastern Vancouver Island we have developed a live acoustic network of hydrophones with support from so many partners, volunteers and donors. This system alerts us to the presence of killer whales and aids in the collection of field data year-round. 

As field researchers, we are all too aware of the impacts we have on the cetaceans we study. They are typically minor but can become acute and chronic with invasive technologies and increased efforts. This is a topic that is not widely addressed, but one we intend to keep at the forefronts of our work.