Let’s face it we all come here to see the whales, and I admit it they do steal the show! However, they are wild and because of this unpredictable. So on occasion, we end up with a no whale day like today. Even though it can be disappointing we have so much biodiversity in the Salish Sea I get excited to point out some of the other residents.

Today I’ll start with the Belted Kingfisher who was waiting at the dock in the morning to send us off! This amazing little bird is unique, as it is one of the only species of bird where the female is the colourful one. This beautiful bird is a female as we can see her brightly coloured blue and chestnut bands across her chest. The male of the species is a blue-grey colour with one blue band across the chest. They are common along shorelines and streams in North America, easy to spot by their Mohawks! The Belted Kingfisher nests in burrows along earthen banks, because of this they actually benefit from human activity. Specifically, road building and gravel pits as this creates suitable nesting sites where there would not be naturally occurring. In return, they have contributed to the human world as well! How, did the Kingfisher do this? Well, it all has to do with that large impressive beak used to catch aquatic prey by diving. Sometimes into goldfish ponds in backyards, to the dismay of the owners. None of us want to pass up an easy meal, am I right? Back to the beak and what it has done for us! The bullet trains are modelled after the Kingfishers’ beaks because of their incredible aerodynamics. This is called biomimicry.

Alright, now let us talk a little bit more about biomimicry! This time it’s the glass sponge that has something to offer! Another animal that fascinates us, and yes the glass sponge is an animal! The strong yet flexible lattice formations of the glass sponge are being studied by bioengineers for future use in infrastructure. What amazing things nature has to teach us. These glass reef structures can also reach heights of 8 stories and stretch hundreds of kilometres across the seafloor! These rare living reefs were once thought to be extinct here in the Salish Sea, until one day in 1987. Prior to this, they were thought to have gone extinct 40 million years ago, what a surprise! Glass sponges are found worldwide, but the reef-forming glass sponges are unique to BC and Alaska. These reefs provide critical habitats for many other species as well. The endangered rockfish call them home. These reefs not only provide habitat but are also incredibly efficient at nutrient cycling. As if they could get any more fantastic, they also remove 90% of bacteria from seawater. A single reef can filter an entire swimming pool every 40-60 seconds. Are you sitting down? This next fun fact is gonna blow your mind! The lifespan of this amazing animal is up to 15 000 years…WOW!

Next up is our beloved Harbour Seal, affectionately nicknamed our Happy Little Rock Sausages. What have these abundant little guys given to us, you ask? Well, let us talk about their big eyes designed for the refracting light below the surface, meaning they have excellent sight underwater. However, the rich nutrient environment makes our waters so dark and murky. So they have a specific adaption that helps them hunt even in the darkest of water. Even with zero visibility, these seals can keep up their plump sausage figures! They are able to hunt successfully using their bristly highly sensitive whiskers that sense vibrations. Researchers studying the Harbour Seals whiskers are wanting to apply this technique to underwater tracking and navigation devices in another case of biomimicry. When studied these seals can still successfully catch their prey with all visual and auditory input blocked, just relying on signals from those whiskers. Who knew the adorable Harbour Seal would contribute to safety on the Ocean?

These are just a few of the unique wildlife encounters we can expect on our tours, never a dull moment on the Salish Sea!

All photos were taken by Marine Naturalist Vanessa Vereschahen.