Whidbey Island whale lovers are invited to hear noted author and marine conservationist Erich Hoyt, the featured speaker when The Whale Trail’s Orca Tour 2014 comes to the Port Townsend Marine Science Center’s annual meeting.
Hoyt is the author of the book “Orca: The Whale Called Killer and Marine Protected Areas for Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises.” He will speak on “Adventures with Orcas in the North Pacific—From Al Stubbs to Iceberg, the White Russian Bull.”
Hoyt is a research fellow with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation, or WDC, in the United Kingdom. He is co-founder of the Far East Russia Orca Project which has recorded the Russian Killer Whale pods and photo-IDed some 1,500 orcas off Kamchatka and in the Commander Islands, including three white orcas found so far in the study areas.
The Orca Tour event is presented by the Port Townsend Marine Science Center and The Whale Trail. The tour’s goal is to promote awareness of the southern resident killer whales throughout their range along the Pacific Coast from Vancouver Island to Monterey, Calif., and to inspire stewardship of the marine environment.
“This year the Port Townsend Marine Science Center launches our Gone Green? Go Blue! initiative,” said Marine Science Center executive director Janine Boire.
“We want to inspire people to go above and beyond in working together for the health of our oceans, and Erich Hoyt’s work is a perfect illustration of what it means to Go Blue! Countless people around the world are better informed and called to action to support the wellbeing of whales due to Erich’s work,” she said. “We are honored to help him reach an even broader audience by bringing him to Port Townsend as part of Go Blue!”
Hoyt’s talk begins at 5 p.m., Wednesday, May 7 at Fort Worden, Building 204, immediately following the Marine Science Center’s annual meeting. Hoyt will be selling and signing his books following his talk. Admission to the talk is free for Marine Science Center members; admission for adults is $7; youth under 18, $3.
The Whale Trail is a series of sites around the Northwest where people can view orcas and other
marine mammals from shore.
From 16 inaugural sites, including Langley and Coupeville, The Whale Trail has grown to include more than 50. This spring, The Whale Trail is expanding to California, with new sites in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Francisco.
“Our vision of promoting awareness of the Southern Resident orcas throughout their range is quickly coming true,” said Donna Sandstrom, executive director of The Whale Trail. “We’re thrilled to partner with Port Townsend Marine Science Center to bring Erich to his many fans in the Northwest.”
The Orca Tour will continue through May with a presentation in Port Angeles on May 8, then continue to Newport, Ore., San Francisco, Monterey and Santa Cruz, Calif., Seattle and Vancouver, B.C.
Orca Tour information and local event information can be found at www.orcatour.org
