Over the last year, using nautical charts, computer maps and recommendations from residents, we researched more than 130 possible sanctuary locations in Washington State, British Columbia and Nova Scotia.
We narrowed the list down to 30 sites and then visited all of them.
Several that would be ideal for the whales would not be so good for the humans caring for them as they are too remote for year-round living and they lack basic infrastructure.
As we eliminated some, we also added a few more. And we’re now at the point where we are focused on three central considerations: physical criteria, potential impacts on wildlife, and compatibility with the local community.
Physical criteria: These include basic oceanographic and hydrologic analyses of depth, sea-floor conditions, tides and currents, run-off and pollution, flora and fauna, as well as where and how to build the nets, and access to fresh water and electric power.
Impacts on Wildlife: In addition to being concerned about how sanctuary residents might be affected by local wildlife, we also have to evaluate potential impacts they may have on free-ranging animals outside of the sanctuary.
This is particularly sensitive in areas that are critical habitat for endangered populations like the Southern Resident Killer Whales in the Northwest and North Atlantic right whales in the Northeast.
Community Interests: Equally important are the concerns of the local community: commercial and recreational fishing interests, access for boats, population density along the shoreline and other “stakeholder interests.”
So, it’s not just a matter of our selecting a site; the site also needs to select the sanctuary. When a local community embraces the idea of having a whale sanctuary and sees it as a long-term benefit to all that they hold dear for their community, then we have a partnership that will lead to successfully creating a home for captive orcas and belugas.
Once we have determined that a site is suitable both for the whales and for the human community, we can then proceed to apply for the necessary permits, acquisition of the actual site, and the most exciting part of all: creating the sanctuary itself and welcoming the first whales.
Sanctuary Specs
- 100 acres of water
- Minimum depth of 50 feet for at least half the sanctuary
- Protection from extreme weather
- Free of sewage, pollutants and noise
- Good flushing rate
- Ability to create separate areas for medical and management
- Not a lot of human activity or boat traffic.
This post is excerpted from our Fall Newsletter. We send the complete newsletter to everyone who’s donated in the last year, so if you’d like to receive a copy, please make your donation now. Your gift, large or small, will be worth twice as much since our lead sponsor, Munchkin, Inc, is matching all donations this year up to a total of $300,000.
Thank you for supporting the Whale Sanctuary Project.
4 Comments
Excuse my ignorance on this matter just trying to get up to speed. Imagine there is a cost consideration – one I am do doubt under estimating. However, would could a man made lake (filled with saltwater) not be created which would be designed especially with the animals in mind?
Something similar to what you’re describing is being pursued by the National Aquarium in Baltimore, whose staff are planning to relocate all the dolphins there to a sanctuary in Florida. Among the sites under consideration are a number of abandoned quarries next to the ocean. Check out the post here, where you can see an example of this. It includes a PBS Newshour video in which science reporter Miles O’Brien joins the National Aquarium’s CEO, John Racanelli, as they scout out some promising locations. The fact that they’re looking at seaside, not inland, quarries is important, since these connect to the ocean, and you’ll see that they’re full of ocean flora and fauna. An inland lake, even filled with salt water, would not easily provide an environment that’s close to what the whales would experience in the ocean.
So when will ground break on the sanctuary, it seems that it has been in the works for quite sometime. How can we entice them to be freed if there is no where for them to go?
My dream would be for you to make a sanctuary for Tokitae in her native San Juan Islands! Kanaka Bay on the west side of San Juan Island was a consideration at one point. Her family passes by there often.