As a marine mammal enthusiast, I had some explaining to do when it came to my decision to attend college Buffalo, New York.
I had explored colleges in more tropical locations, but none of them promised a program so rich in Animal Behavior as Canisius College did.Since then, the professor behind the amazing Zoo Biology and Animal Behavior programs has founded the ABEC program, which stands for animal Behavior, Ecology and Conservation. If you’re looking for a comprehensive undergraduate program that will provide ample opportunities for educational travel- this is the one!
Additionally, there are a few other programs of great interest to those in Animal Behavior and Zoo Biology: Canisius Ambassadors for Conservation (CAC), Canisius Zoological Society (CZS) and the Canisius-Marineland Orca Research Project (CMORP) – more about the last two later!
Canisius Ambassadors for Conservation opened up the opportunity for me to travel to amazing places I had always dreamed of visiting. The premise of CAC is to for students to venture to faraway places, learn of conservation issues and bring that information back to Western New York to develop an educational presentation that would be delivered to classrooms or guests at the nearby Buffalo Zoo or Aquarium of Niagara.
My first CAC trip was in 2005 to the Pacific Northwest. Our trip was focused on the various challenges that the resident Killer Whales face, inclduding fish farms, river dams and logging.
Yes- river dams and logging.
Southern resident killer whales only eat fish- primarily Coho salmon that live in Pacific Northwest waters. Unable to swim upstream due to river dams, the salmon have decreased habitat for spawning. Furthermore, logging efforts complicate situations and damage the cycle. As trees are removed, so are the root systems that hold soil together, resulting in erosion and streams being contaminated by pollutants like chemicals and fertilizers. These polluted streams are not good habitats for spawning salmon, which results in decreased viable eggs and fry. As salmon numbers decrease, there are less feeding opportunities for the piscivorian killer whales. This obviously equates to an increased foraging effort, and if ample food isn’t found, decreased calf survival and eventually, starving killer whales.
While all of those results are extremely depressing, it’s important to look deeper and find the Good News. When we talk to people about conservation, it’s important to stress the impacts upon the environment and animals, but give them the uplifting parts, too. Don’t leave them with the gloom and doom situation, but give them hope, inspiration and ways they can personally take action.
The good news for killer whales is that the cycle of habitat destruction–>food loss–>starvation is understood and steps are being taken to mitigate their challenges.
Loggers are strategically taking smaller portions of forrest so as to disturb the soil less, leaving clean streams for the salmon to spawn.
The Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife oversee salmon hatcheries that hatch, grow and release salmon to their native habitats.
Another challenge that native salmon face is that the Pacific Northwest is home to several fish farms that raise Atlantic salmon. These farms have a very negative environmental impact because they produce a lot of waste, and there is a large risk that Atlantic salmon could be accidentally released and devastate the ecosystem by out-competing Pacific salmon.
So, here’s what you can do to help:
Purchase only sustainably harvested wood and wood products- whether looking for lumber to build things, flooring or home accessories, do your research to be sure your purchase is eco-friendly. Bamboo is a great option- it grows quickly!
Only consume sustainable seafood. The Monterey Bay Aquarium has provided us with an excellent resource to help determine the best sea food options: Seafood Watch.
Go see the whales!! But please, do so responsibly. Whale watching tours are regulated by the United States and Canada to have as minimal of an impact on the whales as possible, but still I encourage you to do your research and choose the most ethical tour possible. Consider watching from shore- there are a few places that the killer whales regularly pass, including the Lime Kiln State Park in Friday Harbor, Washington.