Saving Atlantic Canada's Endangered Aquatic Species
Did you know that many aquatic species in Atlantic Canada are at risk of disappearing forever? These animals and plants are facing significant challenges, such as habitat loss and pollution caused by human activities.
Fortunately, the Species At Risk Act has been put in place to help prevent wildlife species from becoming extinct, provide for their recovery, and manage species of special concern. This legislation plays a critical role in protecting the biodiversity of our planet.
At Ingenium, we recognize the importance of taking action to protect endangered and threatened species, and are committed to raising awareness through education and research.
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Light upbeat ambient music |
Drone shot of a beautiful coastal land area with lush greenery beside a beach. Text on screen: Many aquatic species in Atlantic Canada are at risk of disappearing forever |
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Text on screen: But they don’t have to be. |
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Drone shot of a long bridge crossing a body of water with a forest in the background. Text on screen: The Greenwich Interpretation Centre on Prince Edward Island is showcasing some of these incredible creatures. |
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Various angles of the outside of the Greenwich Interpretation Centre. A group of guests walking into the centre. A few kids looking at life sized models of a wolffish, skate fish, leatherback sea turtle, and white shark. |
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Close ups of the models of the sea animals. The textures and ridges can be seen on their fins, backs, and teeth. Many visitors standing in front of the animals, taking photos, and pointing. |
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Drone shot of a beautiful coastal land area with lush greenery beside a beach. Text on screen: Visit and immerse yourself in the wonder of these species |
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White background. Text on screen: Presented by: Ingenium, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Parks Canada. Ingenium logo animation, Fisheries and Oceans Canada logo. |
Greenwich Interpretation Centre
The Greenwich Interpretation Centre in Prince Edward Island National Park showcases the beauty and fragility of aquatic, terrestrial and avian species at risk. The centre boasts five life-size models, along with interpretive displays along the trails, both inside and outside, that showcase the typical habitats of various species at risk.
This exhibit is a must-see for nature enthusiasts who are eager to learn more about these remarkable creatures and the challenges they face. Come visit us to view these models in person and immerse yourself in the wonder of conservation for species at risk.
Species at Risk in Canada
Welcome to Ingenium and Fisheries and Oceans Canada's joint effort to bring attention to the marine species found in Canadian waters listed as “at risk” under the Species At Risk Act. We're excited to offer a collection of stunning posters and videos that feature illustrations of some of these fascinating animals and provide information on their habitat, diet, the challenges they face, and more.
We encourage you to download and share these posters in PDF format and videos as often as you'd like, and we hope that they'll inspire you to learn more about the critical issue of species at risk in Canada.
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[Dramatic instrumental music begins to play.] |
Text on Screen: Species At Risk In Atlantic Canada – Leatherback Sea Turtle
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Leatherback sea turtles have been travelling the world's oceans for over 100 million years. |
The head of a leatherback sea turtle can be seen at the surface of the water. The turtle dives into the ocean.
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Their unique tear-dropped shaped bodies and long powerful front flippers are built for swimming long distances and diving to great depths. |
The turtle swims under the ocean. The ridges on the turtle’s shell and large flipper are visible.
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They can grow to be true giants, weighing in as much as 900 kilograms and up to two meters long. |
Over the video of the turtle swimming, on screen graphics show that 900 kg = a small red car. A graphic illustrates the turtle’s length is 2 metres.
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Leatherbacks spend their whole adult lives in the ocean, |
The leatherback turtle dives deeper into the clear blue ocean.
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except for mature females when they haul their large bodies ashore on warm, sandy beaches every two to three years to lay their eggs. |
A large grey turtle with white speckling is on a beach. Sand covers its back.
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When the turtles arrive on shore, females dig a deep nest cavity using just their flippers, |
The turtle moves the sand with its large front flippers. It digs a hole in the sand.
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before laying about 80 eggs, covering them, and returning to the sea. |
Black and white footage shows dozens of white, round eggs piled together. A turtle flipper is in the foreground.
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It is estimated that only one out of one thousand eggs will survive to be healthy, adult turtles. |
A grey baby turtle crawls along the sand, digging its large front flippers to propel itself.
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Leatherbacks are highly migratory animals, which means they travel long distances. |
An adult turtle dives from the surface into blue-green water.
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In the Atlantic Ocean, adult and subadult leatherback sea turtles move between the warm waters |
The adult turtle swims in blue ocean. Dozens of white and black striped tropical fish swim alongside it.
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off Central and South America, |
On the left side of the screen, there is a map showing North America and South America in white, with a navy-blue background. A red arrow points to the waters off the coast of Brazil. The right side shows a rolling hills with trees, a beach and the ocean.
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the Caribbean and Florida in the winter, where they feed and reproduce, |
The arrow on the map now points to the Caribbean Sea. The right side shows a close up of waves on a white sand beach.
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to temperate waters off Atlantic Canada in the late spring through fall. |
The arrow on the map now points to the North Atlantic. The right side shows waves crashing against rocks, with a Maritime settlement in the distance.
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Jellyfish are found in high concentrations in the Gulf of St. Lawrence |
A transparent jellyfish moves about in bright blue, calm waters.
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throughout the summer and fall, because of the currents around Nova Scotia and through the Gulf. |
A large, beige jellyfish with many long tentacles swims.
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While in Atlantic Canadian waters, leatherbacks love to eat jellyfish, eating more than their body weight in a single day. This helps to keep jellyfish populations from getting too big. |
Video from a camera mounted on a turtle’s back. The head of the turtle is visible as it swims forward toward a transparent jellyfish, which it eats.
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Leatherback turtles are an endangered species in Canada. |
A mature leatherback turtle dives into the deep blue water.
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Accidental capture and getting entangled in fishing gear like trawls, |
Two people in orange rain coats and yellow helmets collect a large fishing net. Seagulls flock in the background.
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long lines, and |
An aerial shot of a long line is shown. A series of white buoys in a diagonal line across the water.
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gill nets are major threats to sea turtles. |
A large fishing net is towed behind a boat. White buoys are visible on the top of the net.
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One way you can help to protect sea turtles is by using less plastic. |
A person wearing a black sweater takes produce from a red shopping basket and puts it into a white fabric bag.
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Plastic bags can resemble jellyfish and leatherbacks might mistake them for food. |
On the left side of the screen, a transparent jelly fish swims. On the right side of the screen, a white plastic bag bobs underwater. They appear similar.
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Bags and other plastic waste has been found in their digestive tracts, which can harm or even kill the turtles. |
An aerial shot shows hundreds of pieces of waste floating in the ocean.
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If you see a leatherback sea turtle in Atlantic Canada, please report the sighting to your regions' sea turtle network or coastguard. |
A leatherback sea turtle is swimming along the surface, and dives down under the water.
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We can all play an important role |
A close-up of the adult sea turtle digging in the sand.
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in keeping these prehistoric giants safe. |
The adult turtle with sand upon its back makes its way from the beach into the ocean.
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[Dramatic instrumental music.] |
Logos on screen for Ingenium, Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Government of Canada.
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[Music ends.] |
Text on Screen: With thanks to: Canadian Sea Turtle Network.
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[Dramatic instrumental music begins to play.] |
Text on Screen: Species At Risk In Atlantic Canada – North Atlantic Right Whale |
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North Atlantic right whales live in the Atlantic Ocean. |
Shot from above of a large whale and a baby whale swimming at the surface of the water. The baby whale is spray water out of its blowhole. |
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They are usually found in coastal waters between Florida and Newfoundland. |
On the left of the screen there is an illustration of blue map of North and South America. On the right there’s we see ocean waves crashes into the shore at sunset and birds flying overhead. |
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The right whale is one of the large whale species the most at risk of extinction. |
Shot from above of a right whale swimming slowly at the surface of green water. |
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In Canada, they are listed as Endangered under the Species at Risk Act. |
On the left we see a whale at the surface of the water spraying water out of its blowhole. On the left we see the Government of Canada logo with a paragraph about the Species at Risk Act. |
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Right whales were hunted to near extinction as they were considered the ‘right’ whale to hunt because they are slow-moving and their bodies float when they are dead. |
Black and white video clip of whalers on a ship hunting a whale. |
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Although whaling no longer occurs for right whales in North America, they are still critically endangered. |
Shot from above of a right whale swimming slowly at the surface of green water while spraying water out of his blow hole. |
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They may be accidentally caught in fishing gear |
A yellow fishing net floating on the surface of water. |
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or be harmed by vessel collisions. |
A vessel moving through the water with colourful shipping containers on it. |
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Ocean noise and climate change can also pose risks to these whales. |
A white offshore oil rig coming out of the water and a large vessel floating by it in the background. |
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Female right whales typically give birth to their calves in southern waters off the East Coast of the United States during the winter. |
A mother whale swimming at the surface of the water, a whale calf is swimming just in front of her. |
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In summer months, right whales move to cooler waters in places like Atlantic Canada to feed. |
A whale swimming at the surface, dives under water and their tail flips in the air. |
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Right whales feed on copepods, tiny aquatic animals about the size of a grain of rice that are full of fat. |
An illustration of a copepod, a white oval object emerges from the copepod it then shrinks to nothing. |
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Whales need to eat a lot of copepods to store fat and stay healthy. |
The illustration of the copepod multiplies into several copepods one on top of the other.
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An adult right whale can eat more than 900 kilograms of copepods in one day! |
A brown background with white lettering in the middle that reads 900 kg. |
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In the past, right whales almost always fed in the Gulf of Maine, |
A map of Maine, Nova Scotia and the Gulf of Maine, an illustration of a red arrow points to the Gulf of Maine. |
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the Bay of Fundy, |
A map of Maine, Nova Scotia and the Gulf of Maine, a small red dot points out the Bay of Fundy as an illustrated red arrow moves in an arc towards Nova Scotia, |
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and off the southern coast of Nova Scotia. |
A map of Maine, Nova Scotia and the Gulf of Maine, a small red dot points out the coat of Nova Scotia as an illustrated red arrow moves towards it. |
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Since 2015 however, a shift has happened that surprised scientists. |
A map sitting on a table on a boat, there are binoculars next to it and a tablet. We see the hands of two people on either side of the map and the ocean in the background. |
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The whales seem to have moved away from their traditional feeding areas. |
A map sitting on a table on a boat, there are binoculars next to it and a tablet. We see two hands pointing to an area on the map. |
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Climate change is causing ocean waters to warm |
A street runs in between several driveways and houses, there are poles on either side of the street and power lines stretched between them. In the background there are several industrial buildings with stack’s and smoke coming out of them. The image changes to a close up of exhaust coming out of a car’s exhaust pipe. |
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and marine animals are adapting to find different sources of food. |
An underwater view of several hammerhead sharks and small fish swimming. |
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Because of climate change, both the number of copepods available and their quality as a food source have changed. |
A close up view of several copepods set against a blue background. |
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As a result, right whales are eating different copepod species |
A side view of a whale coming up to the surface and spraying water out of its blowhole. |
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and large numbers of whales are now seen in areas where they were less common in the past. |
View through binoculars of the ocean set against brown rocking shoreline. |
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In recent years, more right whales have been seen in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, most likely to find new food sources. |
A map of Maritimes with the Gulf of St Lawrence in the middle, a moving red arrow arcs and moves towards the Gulf. |
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This area is now considered important to the survival of right whales. |
A whale’s tail is seen flipping in the air and disappears as it dives into the water. |
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Scientists, industry and the public are working together, and using information gathered through research and monitoring, |
A man on a boat with a grey toque, red jacket and red gloves is holding a walkie talkie and talking into it. There is a video camera on a long piece of metal being used to take video. |
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to better understand the North Atlantic right whale population. |
Two large whales swimming one in front of the other at the surface of the water. One of them is spraying water out of its blowhole. |
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They are also finding ways to manage human activities |
On the left of screen there is a black background with white writing that reads “altering shipping routes.” On the right there is a video of a right whale swimming at the surface of the water. |
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so that they have less of an impact on right whales. |
On the left of the screen there is a black background with white writing that reads “altering shipping routes. Slowing ocean bound traffic. Closing regions when whales are sighted.” On the right there is a video of a right whale swimming at the surface of the water. |
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The Government of Canada is continuing to track and study North Atlantic right whales and is developing new ways to protect them. |
On the left of the screen there is a black background with white writing that reads “altering shipping routes. Slowing ocean bound traffic. Closing regions when whales are sighted. Researching ropeless fishing gear. Rescheduling fishing seasons around whale migration timing.” On the right there is a video of a right whale swimming at the surface of the water. |
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With all the efforts being made to help them, |
A close up of a whale swimming at the surface of the water. |
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there is hope that North Atlantic right whales |
View from above of a whale calf swimming over a larger whale’s head. |
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can grow in number to become a healthy and stable population. |
View from above of two whales swimming in tandem on the surface of the ocean. |
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[Dramatic instrumental music.] |
Logos on screen for Ingenium, Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Government of Canada. |
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[Music slowly fades out.] |
Text on Screen: With thanks to: Nick Hawkins |
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[Dramatic instrumental music begins to play.] |
Text on Screen: Species At Risk In Atlantic Canada – White Shark |
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Perhaps no other animal in the ocean is more well-known than the white shark, |
Head on view of the shark swimming through the water. |
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also known as the great white shark, thank |
The view from below of a shark’s white belly as it swims underwater. |
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but despite their fame and reputation, they may also be the least understood. |
A shark jumping out of the water with its mouth open, followed by diving back into the water. |
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White sharks, aptly named for their bright white bellies, are actually two different colors. |
Shot taken from below of the white belly of a shark as it swims through the water. |
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Their top half is dark gray brown while their lower half is white. |
Side view of a brown shark with a white belly swimming underwater. |
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This allows them to blend in with deep water from above |
Shark swimming under water, we see its fin and tail and the water is murky. |
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and with the sky from below. |
Shot taken from below of a shark’s white belly as it swims in the water. The background is a bright white similar in colour to the belly. |
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This colouration makes them harder to detect by their prey |
Shot taken from below of a shark’s white belly as it swims in the water. The background is a bright white similar in colour to the belly. |
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which consists mainly of fish, |
A large school of fish swimming through the water. |
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sea birds, |
A number of white sea birds are sitting on the surface of the water, some are flying out of the water. |
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and seals. |
A brown rock coming out of the water with several brown and cream speckled seals sitting on top of it, one of the seals dives into the water from the rock. |
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As predators at the top of the food chain, sharks play an important role in maintaining the health of the entire ocean ecosystem. |
Shark swimming through the deep blue ocean. |
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White sharks have a notable impact on the behaviour of their prey, changing their feeding habits and diet, |
A speckled seal swimming underwater close to the ocean floor. |
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and helping to remove the weak and the sick. |
A close up of a shark swimming through several large silver fish. |
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These large fish have probably been in Atlantic Canadian waters for longer than we thought, |
Shot from above of a shark swimming close to the surface of the ocean, there are several smaller fish also swimming close by. |
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but technology and media coverage is increasing our awareness of their presence. |
A person in scuba gear is standing on the ocean floor with a large camera pointed at a shark as it swims by. |
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While the movies and the media often portray these large predators as ruthless killers |
Screen shot of a table from the Florida Museum detailing the risk of death during one’s lifetime of certain things, it scrolls down to row that says “shark attack” and the number is 1 in 3,748,067. |
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situations where white sharks injure humans are extremely rare |
The screens shows a close up of a table titled “Annual Risk of Death During One’s Lifetime,” it says “shark attack”, “annual deaths are 1” and “death risk during one’s lifetime is 1 in 3,748,067.” |
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and often occur when people are mistaken for seals. |
A group of four people in swim trunks standing and swimming in waves, in front of them are a group of seals swimming. |
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The currents that flow through the Gulf of St. Lawrence. |
Zooming into a map of the Gulf of the St. Lawrence. |
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bring an abundance of fish and marine life. |
A shore line with hundreds of white sea birds sitting on rocks overlooking the blue ocean. |
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The rocky and tidal coastlines are ideal for colonies of seals to come ashore to mate and rest. |
Overhead shot of a rocky shoreline with waves crashing up onto it. There are several seals sitting on top of the rocks. |
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The coastal and offshore waters here also provide an abundance of food for seals. |
Close up a speckled seal swimming at the floor of the ocean as it eats a fish. |
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The large number of seals in the Gulf is an inviting feeding ground for white sharks. |
A seal is coming out of the water and perching itself onto a small rock coming out of the water, another seal is sitting on a rock next to it. |
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White sharks are listed as endangered in Canada under the Species At Risk Act. |
Close up of the underbelly and sharp teeth of a shark as it swims by. |
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Threats to their populations include fishing, |
Overhead shot of a fishing boat driving through the water. |
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marine pollution, |
Underwater shot of plastic bottles and bags on the ocean floor. |
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and climate change. |
A chunk of ice is falling off of an iceberg into the ocean. |
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While the habits and migrations of white sharks are still largely a mystery, |
Overhead shot of two sharks swimming close to the edge of green ocean water. |
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science is helping us to better understand their movements. |
A person wearing a toque with sun glasses is typing something onto a screen. |
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In 2018, the first white shark |
A shot of a person’s rubber boots standing on the metal plank on a boat. |
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was tagged off the coast of Nova Scotia in Canada. |
A shark quickly swimming through the water. |
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That shark stayed in Canadian waters for two months |
Shark swimming slowly underwater through the deep blue ocean. |
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allowing scientists from Fisheries and Oceans Canada |
Close up of a person with short dark grey hair and a cap on a boat looking ahead. |
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and their partners to collect valuable information on water temperature, |
A close up of an open silver case with a small screen and several buttons. A person on one knee presses a few buttons then it zooms out to and you see a person with a camo hat and a pony tail closing the case. |
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diving behaviour, |
A shark diving through the deep blue ocean. |
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and the shark's location as it travelled through the area. |
Close up of an screen that has a map with radar on it, there are hands typing on a keyboard. |
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Tagging white sharks is helping us to understand why and how they are using the Gulf of St. Lawrence |
An over head shot from high up of green water and two sharks can be seen swimming in the water. |
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and giving us information about these animals that are an integral part of our ocean’s ecosystems. |
Overhead shot of two sharks swimming close to the edge of green ocean water. |
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[Dramatic instrumental music.] |
Logos on screen for Ingenium, Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Government of Canada. |
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[Dramatic instrumental slowly fades out.] |
Text on Screen: With thanks to: Atlantic White Shark Conservancy The Malibu Artist. |
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[Dramatic instrumental music begins to play.] |
Text on Screen: Species At Risk In Atlantic Canada – Wolffish |
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Wolffish are large unique fish that live at the bottom of the Atlantic and Arctic oceans in waters as deep as 1000 meters. |
A wolffish at the bottom of the ocean, to the left we see a white arrow pointing down that says 1000 m. |
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Wolffish can tolerate the cold by making antifreeze proteins in their blood. |
A close up of wolffish, the camera pans up close to the fish and shows an illustration of protein chains. |
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Wolffish get their name from their sharp wolf-like teeth. |
A close up of a wolfish with its mouth opened and sharp teeth sticking out. |
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In the waters off Canada's east coast, |
A shot from above of the ocean and a rocky shoreline with waves hitting the rocks. |
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there are three different species of wolffish |
A divided screen with an image of three different types wolffish. |
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the spotted wolffish named for the spots on its skin, |
Close up of a spotted fish at the bottom of the ocean. |
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the northern wolffish which has darkly coloured jelly-like flesh, |
Close up of a large dark grey fish at the bottom of the ocean. |
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and the Atlantic wolffish which is striped. |
A stripped fish swimming between rocks at the bottom of the ocean. |
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Wolffish eat shellfish and urchins that are too hard for most other fish to eat |
A grey fish emerges from a hole and puts a large shell in its mouth. |
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and this has a positive impact on their ecosystem. |
A grey fish moves back into its hole at the bottom of the ocean. |
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Seaweeds like kelp can thrive when the sea urchins that eat them |
A bird diving under yellow kelp in the water. |
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are kept in check by predators like wolffish. |
A bird dives further underneath the yellow kelp. |
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The presence of seaweed helps to maintain a healthy and diverse ecosystem. |
A school of fish swim through seaweed in a dark area underwater. |
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Recently, there has been a decline in wolffish numbers that has been most dramatic for spotted and northern wolffish. |
A split screen, on the left there is a spotted fish and on the right there is a grey fish. |
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Under Canada's Species At Risk Act, |
A Government of Canada web page highlighting a list of species at risk. |
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the spotted and northern wolffish are listed as threatened. |
The web page scrolls through and the words “Spotted Wolffish (Anarhichas minor) Loup tacheté” and “Wolffish, Northern (Anarhichas denticulatus) Loup à tête large” come up on the screen. |
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The Atlantic wolffish is currently listed as a special concern. |
Three large stripped fish are swimming closely together at the base of the ocean. |
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This means it is at risk of becoming a "threatened" or "endangered" species. |
Three large stripped fish are swimming closely together at the base of the ocean, the one of the right swims forward slowly. |
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Wolffish are often caught by mistake in nets or other fishing gear meant for catching other fish species. This is one of their greatest threats in terms of human activities. |
A fishing trap sits at the bottom of the ocean. |
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Today, fishers are learning more about wolffish and their importance in the ecosystems they live in. |
A large grey fish at the bottom of the ocean where it is very dark. |
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One-way fishers are helping with the recovery of wolffish is by safely releasing them when they are caught. |
A person on a fishing boat is picking up a fish and throwing it back into the water. |
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When they are placed back in the water quickly and with minimal handling, they have a good chance of surviving. |
A close up of a blurred fisherman pulling a large net towards himself. |
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When fishers record and report interactions with spotted and northern wolffish to Fisheries And Oceans Canada, |
Close up of a person sitting on a boat writing in a notepad with a blue pen. In the background the ocean is visible. |
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the recovery of the species is easier to track. |
Close up of a person sitting on a boat writing in a notepad with a blue pen. In the background the ocean is visible. |
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Management measures like these along with continued research will help ensure wolffish continue to survive and thrive in Canadian waters. |
Close up of two grey wolffish sitting in a hole as they open and close their mouth. |
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[Dramatic instrumental music slowly fades out.] |
Logos on screen for Ingenium, Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Government of Canada. |
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| [Dramatic instrumental music begins to play.] | Text on Screen: Species At Risk In Atlantic Canada – Blue Whale |
| Blue whales are found in oceans around the world. | Large blue whale and baby whale swimming in the blue ocean. |
| Atlantic blue whales are listed as endangered in Canada under the Species at Risk Act. | Blue whale comes to the surface of the ocean and sprays water out of its blowhole. |
| There are likely less than 250 mature animals. | Blue whale swimming quickly on its side underwater. |
| The number of Atlantic blue whales decreased in the 1800's because of whaling, | Black and white video footage of a whale splashing its tail at the surface of the ocean. |
| but whaling in Canada came to an end in 1966. | A large rusted vessel chained up on a partly snow-covered shore. Next to the boat there’s an old dock and in the background, we see snow caped mountains. |
| Today, blue whales still face many threats caused by humans. These include vessel strikes, | Above view of a blue whale swimming at the surface of the water. In the distance there are two large vessels, one on the left and another on the right. |
| pollution in the water from chemical spills, | A large vessel on fire with lots of smoke, sinking into the ocean. |
| and getting tangled in fishing gear. | A yellow fishing net sitting at the surface of the water. |
| The food sources for blue whales are also being affected by climate change. | Large chunk of iceberg is melting into the ocean. |
| Blue whales live off the coast of Eastern Canada, including the Gulf of St. Lawrence. | Still image of a rock formation coming out of the ocean. In the background the sun has set and the sky is an orange around the clouds. |
| They are found in these waters especially during the summer months. | A close up of a whale coming to the surface of the water and blowing water out of its blowhole. |
| The blue whale is the largest animal that has ever existed on Earth! | Shot from above of a blue whale swimming near the surface of the water as a tourist boat with several people on it watch. |
| The longest blue whale seen so far was 30 meters long. | A blue whale swimming under water through the blue ocean. |
| That’s about the length of 3 school buses! | A full image of a blue whale underwater with a picture of three school buses over it. |
| Blue whales are usually found alone, and often hundreds of kilometers apart. | Overhead shot of a blue whale swimming at the surface, the sun is reflecting off the water. |
| To communicate with each other over these long distances, they use sound. | A blue whale swimming under water with its back to the camera. |
| Sound can travel up to 5 times further through water than it can through air. | A whale swimming under water as sound waves are super imposed above it. |
| Blue whales use loud, low-frequency songs and calls that are heard deep in the oceans from thousands of kilometers away. | A blue whale swimming under water through the blue ocean. |
| Some of their calls are louder than a space shuttle launch! | A space shuttle taking off from a launch pad with lots of smoke underneath it. |
| Scientists can even use their songs to tell where they come from because their songs often vary from one region to another. | A whale swimming underwater. |
| Blue whales make sounds and calls to find food, | Hundreds of small white fish swimming underwater. |
| to socialize, | View from above of two blue whales swimming side by side close to the surface. |
| to attract a mate, | The backs of two whales swimming side by side at the water’s surface. |
| and to navigate. | View from above of a blue whale swimming at the water’s surface. |
| Their calls can sound a lot like noisy human activities in the ocean. | Camera panning towards a large orange and white vessel, in the background there are mountains along the shore and the sky is very overcast. |
| These include ship noises, | View from above of a large vessel with several colourful shipping containers on it. |
| sonar used for navigation, | A submarine moving under water, as a sonar target is super imposed over it. |
| and sounds used in seismic surveys to find marine oil and gas sources. | View from the deck of a ship looking into the ocean as a large explosion causes oil to explode into the air. |
| Noisy environments can change whale behaviours and activities. | A large landing vessel moving through the ocean. |
| This includes making whale to whale communication harder. | A mother whale is swimming above her baby whale underwater. |
| That can force blue whales to increase the number and volume of calls. | Close up of a mother whale swimming with her baby whale underwater. |
| It might also make them avoid noisy areas altogether. | Shot from above of 5 vessels moving through the ocean. |
| Today, all these new noises in the ocean mean that a blue whale call might be heard from only 200 kilometers away, or even less! | An illustration with a white background, blue lines delineating a map, two blue whales in the centre and the word 200 km in between them. |
| This is a big change compared to blue whale songs travelling up to 2000 kilometers two centuries ago. | An illustration with a white background, blue lines delineating a map, two blue whales in the centre and the word 2000 km in between them. At the top right the word “Europe” is written in blue and the bottom left the word “North America” is written in red. |
| Fisheries and Oceans Canada as well as Transport Canada are | Three people in uniform sitting in the bridge of a ship looking at a computer screen, one of them is clicking on a mouse. |
| helping to address ocean noise by funding research and additional work with partners throughout Canada | Two workers standing on a working vessel with lots of machinery, are reeling in a large circular metallic object. |
| which will help blue whales communicate easier and help other marine animals that depend on quieter oceans to survive! | Blue whale swimming at the surface of the water and spraying water out of its blowhole. |
| [Dramatic instrumental music.] | Logos on screen for Ingenium - Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Government of Canada. |
| [Music slowly fades out.] | Text on Screen: With thanks to: NOAA |
Resources
For Teachers
Discover the wonders of aquatic science with our digital learning kit. Created by Ingenium in partnership with the Atlantic Science Enterprise Center, these activities provide a fun and interactive learning experience for students grades 6 to 10. With adaptable activities suitable for any age group, our kit is a valuable resource for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of aquatic ecosystems.
SPECIES ID CARDS
Don't miss an opportunity to help protect marine life! Keep these ID cards handy in your bag or on your boat so you can easily identify the species you encounter and report them. By reporting sightings, you're taking a crucial step in preserving and protecting species at risk.
Want to learn more about protecting marine life?
Visit our Aquatic Science page for resources, activities, and programs that will help you discover the wonders of aquatic ecosystems and how we can preserve them for future generations.