Join a Whale Blitz event near you - July 14 - 17, 2023
Join a Whale Blitz event and help us collect important information about whales in our waters
In British Columbia, many cetacean (whale, dolphin, and porpoise) species are endangered or threatened. The Ocean Wise Whale Blitzes are a fun way for us to connect within our communities while collecting important information on species distributions and habitat use throughout the coastal waters of Southern B.C. and Northern Washington State.
By participating and reporting whale sightings to the Ocean Wise WhaleReport app, you can help collect information that is vital for their protection and recovery while learning more about these wonderful species. Read all about our 2022 Whale Blitz in our Summary Report.
2023 Whale Blitz locations
| July 14 | Sidney, BC – Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea, Sidney Waterfront | 1:00pm – 3:00pm |
| July 14 | Campbell River, BC – Discovery Passage Aquarium, Discovery Passage Pier | 3:00pm – 7:00pm |
| July 14 | Quadra Island, BC – Rebecca Spit Marine Provincial Park Presented with the Cetus Research and Conservation Society | 10:00am – 2:00pm |
| July 16 | West Vancouver, BC – Whytecliff Park Presented with Parks Canada | 10:00am – 2:00pm |
| July 16 | Salt Spring Island, BC – Ruckle Provincial Park Presented with Ocean Networks Canada | 11:30am – 3:30pm |
| July 16 | Sidney Island, BC – Gulf Islands National Parks Reserve, day-use area on Sidney Island | 11:00am – 2:00pm |
| July 17 | Campbell River, BC – Discovery Passage Aquarium, Discovery Passage Pier | 3:00pm – 7:00pm |
| July 17 | Mayne Island, BC – Georgina Point Heritage Site Presented with the Cetus Research and Conservation Society and Mayne Island Conservancy | 12:00pm -3:30pm |
About the Whale Blitz
Land-based whale watching is an inclusive and non-invasive way to collect important information about the whales in our waters. Whale Blitz participants will have the chance to learn species ID skills, contribute to citizen science, and hopefully see spot some marine mammals in their natural habitats!
The Ocean Wise Whale Blitz consists of numerous whale BioBlitz events. These events will run from the 14-17 July 2023 to coincide with both the anniversary of northern resident killer whale A73 “Springer” being re-released back to her pod after rehabilitation and World Orca Day (14th).
About the Ocean Wise Sightings Network
The Ocean Wise Sightings Network (formerly known as the BC Cetacean Sightings Network) was established by Ocean Wise in 2000 and is one of Canada’s most enduring and successful citizen science programs. The OWSN has built a diverse and dedicated network of coastal community members who regularly report their cetacean and sea turtle sightings via the WhaleReport app. The OWSN regularly conducts community events throughout BC to educate coastal citizens about everyday actions they can take to become stewards of the marine environment.
The OWSN maintains a database of over 300,000 verified sighting reports from approximately 7,700 observers and shares this valuable information with government organizations, ENGOs, marine industry, and researchers. These sighting reports are an important means of identifying and protecting critical habitat, highlighting areas of high risk, and organizing outreach and mitigation efforts that reduce anthropogenic threats to at-risk species.
Funding provided by
