by Heather Harbord, 24 October 2013.
Susan MacKay is the founder of Whales and Dolphins BC and President of the non-profit Wild Ocean Whale Society (WOWs). She is also a member of the Marine Mammal Response Network, a group that responds to reports of injured, distressed or dead marine mammals.
Susan spoke about Pinnipeds, the group of marine mammals that have front and rear flippers such as seals, sea lions and walrus. Of the 33 species globally, there are five species of Pinnipeds that frequent our local BC waters while a few of the others migrate through our waters, to and from their breeding grounds. While some of these are considered true seals, some are not.
Apart from local species information, Susan spoke about their cute and quirky behaviors, as well as specifics of how they relate to nature’s balance in our oceans.