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INTERESTED IN STUDYING GREAT WHALES IN THEIR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT?
Join an ORES whale research field course in Canada!
Meet different marine mammals during daily trips on the protected waters of the St. Lawrence Estuary, support researchers in data collection during daily boat-based surveys, learn about research methods, and gain insight into the unique lives of minke whales.
There are still spaces available in our two-week field courses from July to September.
For more information and photographs click www.ores.org
The Canadian non-for-profit organisation ORES (Ocean Research and Education
Society) is dedicated to the study of free living whales and seals of the
St. Lawrence Estuary (Quebec) in Eastern Canada. The farthest southerly population
of beluga whales live year-round in these waters, while blue, finback,
humpback and minke whales as well as harbour porpoises and occasionally
sperm whales visit these highly dynamic and nutrient rich waters during the summer
months. The study area lies within the first and only Canadian Marine Park, the St. Lawrence – Saguenay Marine Park, just 220km east northeast of Quebec City.
Scientific studies focus on the agile and highly interesting minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) which frequent these waters daily in high numbers to hunt schooling fish and occasionally krill. Unique environmental parameters such as tidal currents, areas of upwellings, and fronts often concentrate the prey at the surface where the agile and highly creative minke whales coral, entrap and engulf the prey while lunging into the air. Under the permit of Fisheries & Oceans and the Marine Park ORES conducts long-term studies on the distribution, ecology and conservation of minke whales which are based on the most comprehensive photo-identification program of minke whales.
Since 1990, ORES offers two-week field courses for academic and non-academic students who not only encounter different marine mammals and observe different behaviours but also learn what the whales are doing and why while helping to collect important research data. Throughout the course ORES staff present comprehensive lectures on research results, marine mammal biology, data sampling, breathing and diving ecology, hunting strategies and techniques and individual habitat use. A special focus is given to the photo-identification program allowing participants to identify individual whales within a few days.
The courses include
- daily boat-based surveys in protected waters (no seasickness)
- data collection in the field
- primary data processing on land
- comprehensive lectures on
o the marine ecosystem
o marine mammal biology
o feeding and breathing ecology
o distribution and habitat use
o photo-identification
o scientific sampling methods
o primary data analysis
- trips to museums and local attractions
‘Every day when we got back to the harbour, I would think "Wow! What a great
day! It can't get any better than this." Then the next day would come and
it would be more amazing then the day before. Watching the minkes as they
surface feed or when they are moving up the St. Lawrence was great. But
when I started learning the history of the individual whales like Loca and
Double Scoop, and then when I was able to identify Owl Eyes, I knew I was
making a difference.’ (Testimonial Wendy Beltz, USA)
Course dates 2009:
Group 1: July 5 – 17
Group 2: July 19 – 31
Group 3: August 2 -14
Group 4: August 16 – 28
Group 5: August 30 – September 11
Group 6: September 13 - 25
The course fee of Swiss francs 1600 (~ € 1100, £ 1050, US 1500) include accommodation, all transports on land and on water and special trips to museums and local events, all safety equipment and several multi-media lectures given by marine biologists.
Everybody with basic English and between 16 to 70+ years old is eligible.
No special skills or knowledge are needed!!
For more information visit www.ores.org or contact: [log in to unmask]
Ursula Tscherter, project director, Canada, Switzerland