Join noted author and marine conservationist Erich Hoyt on the whale trail when Orca Tour 2014 comes to the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport Saturday, May 10. Hoyt is the author of the books, Orca: The Whale Called Killer and Marine Protected Areas for Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises, and will speak on “Adventures with Orcas in the North Pacific—From A1 Stubbs to Iceberg, the White Russian Bull.” Hoyt is a Research Fellow with Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) in the UK. He is co-founder of the Far East Russia Orca Project which has recorded the Russian Killer Whale pods and photo-IDed some 1500 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 Oregon Chapter of the American Cetacean Society (ACS) 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, California, and to inspire stewardship of the marine environment. The Newport Orca Tour program is sponsored by Sunwest, Umpqua Bank, Hallmark Resort Newport, Oregon Coast Aquarium, Marine Discovery Tours and Anchor Pier Lodge, La Quinta Inn & Suites, and private donors. Aquarium doors will open at 6 PM and the program begins at 6:30 PM. Admission is $5 adult, with children 12 and under free. Tickets are available at Brown Paper Tickets, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/610791 “We are honored to bring orca expert Erich Hoyt to Oregon to discuss Killer Whales around the world,” said Orca Tour partner Joy Primrose of the Oregon Chapter of the American Cetacean Society. “The ACS Oregon Chapter promotes shore-based whale watching, and we are excited that this event officially brings The Whale Trail to Oregon.” According to Primrose, the ACS protects whales, dolphins, porpoises and their habitats through public education, research grants, and conservation actions. One of the goals of the Oregon Chapter is increasing awareness of the diversity of cetaceans found in Oregon waters, such as endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales and Bigg’s (transient ) and Offshore Killer Whales. The Whale Trail is a series of sites where people can view orcas and other marine mammals from shore. From 16 inaugural sites, 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. “Extending The Whale Trail down the Pacific coast is an important step that strengthens the Killer Whale sighting network,” said Brad Hanson, NOAA Fisheries wildlife biologist. “At The Whale Trail markers people spend more time looking and they see and report more whales. I think this is an excellent opportunity for citizen-scientists to provide valuable data on the distribution and seasonal occurrence of Killer Whales, particularly Southern Residents, as well as other species along the U.S. West Coast.” “Recent research has confirmed that the endangered Southern Resident orcas spend a significant amount of time along the Pacific Coast,” said Donna Sandstrom, The Whale Trail’s executive director and Orca Tour organizer. “Newport residents can contribute to the recovery of J, K and L pods simply by watching for them from Yaquina State Park and other local vantages, especially during the winter.” The Orca Tour began with events in British Columbia and Washington state and will continue in May to San Francisco, Monterey and Santa Cruz CA, Seattle WA, and Vancouver BC. Orca Tour information and local event information can be found at http://www.orcatour.org
