Recognizing Indigenous Science for World Whale Day

World Whale Day falls each year on the third Sunday in February. This year, World Whale Day was on Sunday, February 18th. This is a great opportunity to celebrate and learn more about the amazing cetaceans we have here in the Salish. It is also an opportunity to learn about the threats they face in this changing world. For the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW), World Whale Day is a day to reflect on their conservation status, their historical population decline, and the effectiveness of current management measures put in place to protect them, their habitat, and their prey.

However, the Government of Canada has failed to recognize the importance of Indigenous science for the improvement of restoration initiatives for the SRKW. This, along with lack of enforcement and compliance, has resulted in ineffective protection measures for the SRKW.

In order to protect the KELȽOLEMEĆEN (our relatives of the deep), we need to work together and incorporate not only western but Indigenous knowledge in the planning and implementation of successful management measures.

To learn more about some of the partnerships and groups working to save the KELȽOLEMEĆEN in the Salish Sea (including our own QENTOL,YEN team), you can check out Nature Canada’s latest blog post (linked below) as a first step in celebrating this day. May it spark your interest and curiosity to learn more about these amazing creatures and inspire you to take action, not only on World Whale Day but for every day to come. The KELȽOLEMEĆEN need us all.