What makes the region so special? There are two main reasons. Unlike most of Canada, parts of the archipelago were not covered with ice during the last Ice Age. This, coupled with the islands' isolation, has resulted in Haida Gwaii having a high number of endemics. Endemic species and sub-species are those that are found in a particular geographic location, but nowhere else on Earth. In fact, there are more unique sub-species in Haida Gwaii per square kilometre than on any other equal-sized area in Canada. Examples include unique sub-species of Steller jay, northern saw-whet owl, short-tailed weasel, and black bear.
One of the highlights of any visit to Haida Gwaii is the opportunity to see wildlife, and for many visitors, there is a particular interest in seeing marine mammals. Over twenty species of marine mammals inhabit the archipelago’s waters.
But what exactly is a marine mammal? Simply speaking, they are mammals that rely on the ocean for their existence. They include whales, dolphins, and porpoises (cetaceans); seals, sea lions, and walruses (pinnipeds); manatees and dugongs (sirenians) as well as polar bears and sea otters. On the west coast of British Columbia, we don’t have walruses, polar bears, manatees, or dugongs. You need to go much further north to find polar bears and walruses and you’d need to go to warm waters to see manatees or dugongs. It is true that at one point in time, a now extinct species of sirenian, the Steller sea cow, was found in these waters, but we’ll leave that story for another time.
There is a quiz coming up where you can test your knowledge about the marine mammals of Haida Gwaii. If you feel you already have enough background and want to go right to the quiz you are welcome to do so, but if you feel it would be helpful to have a bit more background on marine mammals then continue reading. The choice is yours!
Let’s start with cetaceans and the use of the term whale. When we think of whales what comes to mind for many of us may be the large charismatic giants like the humpback or blue whale. However, whale is actually a very general term that includes dolphins and porpoises. You may be wondering “aren’t porpoises and dolphins the same thing?” The answer is “no.” Biologists classify them into two different families and there are some key physical differences that help with their identification. Generally, dolphins have curved dorsal fins and longer beaked mouths. Porpoises, on the other hand, have triangular dorsal fins and a blunt non-beaked mouth. They also differ in terms of their behaviour. Dolphins commonly leap completely out of the water while porpoises may splash at the surface, but do not clear the surface.
Thus, all cetaceans, no matter their size, are considered to be whales. Biologists divide cetaceans into two groups: toothed whales and baleen whales. Toothed whales obviously have teeth and include dolphins and porpoises and the largest toothed whale of them all, the sperm whale. If you have travelled to the Arctic with Adventure Canada, you may have seen other species of toothed whales; the beluga and narwhal.
Baleen whales on the other hand, don’t have teeth, but instead have sheets of baleen, similar in composition to your fingernails, hanging from the roof of their mouths that act as sieves to capture prey. Humpback and blue whales are examples of baleen whales. If you have been to the Arctic, you may have had the good fortune of seeing the massive bowhead whale, one of the heaviest of the baleen whales.
Finally (before the quiz), just a few thoughts about pinnipeds (seals and sea lions). Scientists break down this large group of marine mammals into two: true seals and eared seals. Examples of true seals on the British Columbia coast include the harbour seal and the northern elephant seal. Examples of eared seals are the northern fur seal and the Steller sea lion. And yes, one of the key differences between the two groups is that one has visible external ears (eared seals), and the other does not (hair seals).
Two seal species we are almost guaranteed to see are the harbour seal and the Steller sea lion. Both are found in large numbers in Haida Gwaii. But, if we are lucky, we could also see the massive northern elephant seal and the much smaller northern fur seal. If we did see northern elephant seals or northern fur seals, we would most likely see them in the water, and not on land. As for the Steller sea lion and harbour seal, we could see them either in the water or hauled out on shore.
Based on experience, I would suggest that there is no better way to see marine mammals than from a comfortable motor or sailing vessel! Our vessel currently used on the Adventure Canada Haida Gwaii expedition, was purpose-built for eco-tourism and is not just comfortable and spacious, but with its extensive deck space is ideal for wildlife viewing.
Are you ready to test your knowledge? There will be a series of quizzes on the wildlife of Haida Gwaii. The first is on marine mammals, and this one will be followed by others on terrestrial mammals, birds, and perhaps marine invertebrates. Are you ready?