This is a concept image of the seaside sanctuary we’ll be creating. (The final site has not yet been selected.)
The goal is to offer captive orcas and beluga whales a natural environment that maximizes their opportunities for autonomy, exploration, play, rest, and socializing.
Here are some of the elements we’ve been taking into consideration as we review our finalist sites in Nova Scotia, Washington State and British Columbia:
Space and depth: The sanctuary will be a netted off area like a bay or cove. Our finalist sites all have a minimum average depth of 50 feet and approximately 100 acres of water space (i.e. 484,000 square yards, compared to the 1,100 square yards of the large display tank at a typical high-end marine entertainment park).
Sanctuary environment: Instead of being surrounded by sterile concrete tank walls, the whales will live in a dynamic, complex physical world that has a natural sandy shore and is home to many kinds of plants and animals with whom they can interact.
Beyond the sanctuary: We are conducting rigorous environmental impact assessments at our finalist locations to ensure that there will be no negative effects on wildlife in and around the sanctuary or in the ocean beyond.
Finalist sites must demonstrate:
- Water temperature range of approximately 10–20° C and salinity in the range of 25-35 ppm;
- Protection from extreme weather;
- No ice cover;
- Avoidance of sewage or pollutants (chemical or acoustic);
- Good flushing rate;
- Accessibility;
- Utilities and infrastructure.
Sanctuary facilities will include:
- The main enclosure;
- An isolation area for new residents;
- Rehabilitation and veterinary care areas.
The first phase of building will include necessary infrastructure needed to care for residents. This includes the enclosure barriers, infrastructure, lab, medical and sanitation services, food prep services, security, and animal care staff facilities.
Future phases will provide for internship programs, visitors as appropriate to the location, and the kind of equipment (including land and water-based webcams) that will enhance broad and interactive educational outreach.
13 Comments
I think this will be wonderful and long overdue.
I so agree, beautiful isnt it? Please please please choose Washington, our Native peoples and animal activists have fought long and hard to return our whales to us.
Yes.
Orca Awareness Month B.C. West best.
Well, to be more specific, the southern resident killers whales swim between B.C. and the U.S.A. They are seen off the coast of Oregon, Washington, and Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Recently, they have been spotted as far south as the coast of central California and as far north as the coast of Haida Gwaii, British Columbia. During the spring, summer, and fall, the southern residents tend to travel around the inland waterways of Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and southern Georgia Strait. Little is known about their range and movements during the winter months. Only one captured whale, Lolita, from this population is still alive today, held at Miami Seaquarium.
Not all orcas in captivity are from this population – multiples are from Russian and other European waters, as well as alot are now part of the captive-bred population. There is still one captive orca – Corky – from the Northern Resident Killer Whale population off of northern Vancouver Island, B.C.
Looks fantastic so far but I think the viewing platform should be much bigger!
When it’s built, and depending on the actual location, it will certainly be as big as it needs to be.
what about pod members “visiting”?
no one is subject to be released back?
There will be a rescue and rehabilitation facility, and any whales who are candidates for release will have the opportunity. For more, check out the FAQ in the “Our Work” section.
Absolutely beautiful. Would love to see this become a reality for all our gorgeous captive cetaceans.
Looks good to me. How do you ensure animals will not jump the net ?
It will be high enough to ensure the sanctuary area is secure.
What safety measures will be taken, to prevent whales on either side of the net barricades from trying to force there way through the them and becoming entrapped?
The design for the barrier nets are such that the whales cannot become entrapped. The grid size of the net is small so that a whale cannot push its head through the grid nor get its flukes caught in the net. In addition, the net is weighted so that it does not “bag” during ebb tide. The design includes a security buoy line and net outside the primary enclosure net for security purposes and to maintain distance between sanctuary residents and any proximate wild marine mammals.