Latest news with #VancouverAquarium
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
50 years after Jaws, will B.C. ever see more great white sharks?
Fifty years after Steven Spielberg's Jaws set the template for the Hollywood summer blockbuster movie, the spectre of a great white shark attack still looms over anyone who goes swimming in the sea. Jaws was released on June 20, 1975, and the film is set in New England as a vicious great white shark kills summer beachgoers, and a police chief takes on the scary task of tackling it. Scientists say B.C.'s waters are still too cold for the great white shark to proliferate on Canada's West Coast, but that they could become more common as the Pacific Ocean warms due to climate change. Still, they say over a dozen sharks call B.C.'s waters home, and measures to protect them from hunting are resulting in more of them recovering in population. "Sharks are part of what brings natural balance to ecosystems by exerting this top down predation pressure, so species never get out of control," said Andrew Trites, a professor at the University of B.C. Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries. "We are seeing a recovery of sharks, I would say probably worldwide, but particularly in North America." Among the most common sharks that call B.C. home is the spiny dogfish, which Trites says many fishermen have accidentally caught in the Salish Sea. LISTEN | How Jaws shaped the movie industry — and our perception of sharks: Danny Kent, curator of fishes at the Vancouver Aquarium, says another common shark is the sixgill shark, which divers may have encountered in the Howe Sound region. But the curator says many sharks in B.C. waters thrive on the open ocean, and not close to land. "I think most people would be lucky to see [a shark] just cause they're not often seen," he said. "They might be common, but not commonly seen." Other sharks that inhabit B.C. waters, according to Kent, include the salmon shark, the mako shark and the thresher shark. Another is the basking shark, a 12-metre long shark that is one of the largest fish in the world. Kent said basking sharks used to be plentiful in B.C. waters, feeding on plankton. "They were almost completely eradicated and ... almost nobody ever sees them anymore," he said. "And, you know, if we started seeing them coming back, I think that would be a good sign, just like we're seeing other marine mammals coming back that haven't been around for a while." Trites said the great white is very uncommon in B.C. waters, and even though their prey of seals and sea lions are recovering in population, the ocean on Canada's West Coast is simply too cold for them to become a regular feature. "The great white is really, really rare — although maybe it'll become more common in another 50 years when we do another anniversary for the movie Jaws," he said. "Maybe [then], we can talk about great whites, because what is changing is the waters are warming."
CBC
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
50 years after Jaws, will B.C. ever see more great white sharks?
Fifty years after Steven Spielberg's Jaws set the template for the Hollywood summer blockbuster movie, the spectre of a great white shark attack still looms over anyone who goes swimming in the sea. Jaws was released on June 20, 1975, and the film is set in New England as a vicious great white shark kills summer beachgoers, and a police chief takes on the scary task of tackling it. Scientists say B.C.'s waters are still too cold for the great white shark to proliferate on Canada's West Coast, but that they could become more common as the Pacific Ocean warms due to climate change. Still, they say over a dozen sharks call B.C.'s waters home, and measures to protect them from hunting are resulting in more of them recovering in population. "Sharks are part of what brings natural balance to ecosystems by exerting this top down predation pressure, so species never get out of control," said Andrew Trites, a professor at the University of B.C. Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries. "We are seeing a recovery of sharks, I would say probably worldwide, but particularly in North America." Among the most common sharks that call B.C. home is the spiny dogfish, which Trites says many fishermen have accidentally caught in the Salish Sea. Danny Kent, curator of fishes at the Vancouver Aquarium, says another common shark is the sixgill shark, which divers may have encountered in the Howe Sound region. But the curator says many sharks in B.C. waters thrive on the open ocean, and not close to land. "I think most people would be lucky to see [a shark] just cause they're not often seen," he said. "They might be common, but not commonly seen." Other sharks that inhabit B.C. waters, according to Kent, include the salmon shark, the mako shark and the thresher shark. Another is the basking shark, a 12-metre long shark that is one of the largest fish in the world. Kent said basking sharks used to be plentiful in B.C. waters, feeding on plankton. "They were almost completely eradicated and ... almost nobody ever sees them anymore," he said. "And, you know, if we started seeing them coming back, I think that would be a good sign, just like we're seeing other marine mammals coming back that haven't been around for a while." Trites said the great white is very uncommon in B.C. waters, and even though their prey of seals and sea lions are recovering in population, the ocean on Canada's West Coast is simply too cold for them to become a regular feature. "The great white is really, really rare — although maybe it'll become more common in another 50 years when we do another anniversary for the movie Jaws," he said. "Maybe [then], we can talk about great whites, because what is changing is the waters are warming."
CTV News
20-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
What do I do if I see a seal pup on the beach? Vancouver rescue launches awareness campaign
In this file photo, a seal pup sits on the boat launch before heading back into the water after being released by the Vancouver Aquarium into Burrard Inlet in North Vancouver, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014. (Jonathan Hayward / The Canadian Press)
Cision Canada
20-05-2025
- General
- Cision Canada
Be Seal Smart This Summer: What to Do If You See a Seal on the Beach
VANCOUVER, BC, May 20, 2025 /CNW/ - The Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society (VAMMR) is pleased to launch a new public awareness video as part of its Be Seal Smart campaign, which helps the public respond appropriately when they encounter a lone seal pup on British Columbia beaches this summer. With harbour seal pupping season underway, members of the public may come across pups resting alone on shore. In most cases, the pup is not abandoned — but it's important to know how to respond in a way that protects both the animal and your own safety. The new video helps the public understand how to respond safely and responsibly when they encounter a seal pup. It comes down to three simple steps: Don't Touch Do not approach, pick up, feed or return the animal to the water. In Canada, it is against the law to disturb a marine mammal. Never attempt to rescue a marine mammal on your own. Stay Back Keep a safe distance from the animal. If the animal reacts to your presence, you're too close. Stay back and keep others and pets away as well. Use your camera's zoom if you're taking photos. If the animal is a seal pup, it may be resting while its mother is nearby in the water. Call and Report Call VAMMR's 24-hour hotline at 604-258-SEAL (7325) and provide details about the pup and your location. VAMMR responders can assess whether the pup needs help — so it's always better to report, even if you're unsure. To report a marine mammal disturbance, you can also contact Fisheries and Oceans Canada at 1-800-465-4336. VAMMR is Canada's only dedicated marine mammal rescue facility. Each year the team responds to over 300 marine animal emergencies, including the rescue and rehabilitation of sick, injured, or orphaned animals and the disentanglement of sea lions trapped by marine debris. The Be Seal Smart video is available online, and the public is encouraged to watch and share it to help protect B.C.'s marine wildlife. The video can be found here. The Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society ("VAMMR") runs Canada's only dedicated marine mammal rescue facility. Each year the team responds to over 300 marine animal emergencies, including the rescue and rehabilitation of sick, injured, or orphaned animals and the disentanglement of sea lions trapped by marine debris. Hundreds of marine mammals (from seals, sea lions, and sea otters to small cetaceans) have been given a second chance at life thanks to VAMMR. VAMMR is an independent registered charity proud to be working in partnership with the Vancouver Aquarium. Donations will go directly to VAMMR and help rescue, rehabilitate, and release marine mammals in distress. You can provide your support by donating today at Since opening in 1956, the Vancouver Aquarium has connected more than 40 million people from around the world to our oceans and inspired them to take action to address key threats. Located in Stanley Park, the Vancouver Aquarium is home to hundreds of incredible species. The Vancouver Aquarium is a fully accredited member of Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA), Canada's Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA), and Humane Conservation Certified by American Humane.
