I am a Canadian whale researcher based in the Mennill Lab at University of Windsor, working in collaboration with Raincoast Conservation Foundation, Oceans North, and Frontiers North Adventures.
I have been studying belugas since 2017. Much of my past work focused on the St. Lawrence beluga population, an endangered population facing many threats including anthropogenic disturbance and climate change. I am now focused on the Western Hudson Bay beluga population, specifically the 3000-4000 belugas that summer in the Churchill River estuary. Although the Western Hudson Bay population is healthy, these whales face mounting threats due to climate change and increased human activities in arctic and sub-arctic waters. I use hydrophones and cameras to study the vocal and social behaviour of Churchill belugas, and how they respond to anthropogenic disturbance. I hope to help create a future where humans and belugas can coexist sustainably.
