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130-403: Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area, and Haida Heritage Site , usually referred to simply as Gwaii Haanas ( / ˌ ɡ w aɪ ˈ h ɑː n ə s / ), is located in southernmost Haida Gwaii (formerly known as Queen Charlotte Islands ), 130 kilometres (81 miles) off the mainland of British Columbia , Canada. Gwaii Haanas protects an archipelago of 138 islands,
260-637: A lek mating system. Another possibility is that songs bring in foreign whales to populate the breeding grounds. It has also been suggested that humpback whale songs have echolocating properties and may serve to locate other whales. A 2023 study found that as humpback whales numbers have recovered from whaling, singing has become less common. Whale songs are similar among males in a specific area. Males may alter their songs over time, and others in contact with them copy these changes. They have been shown in some cases to spread "horizontally" between neighboring populations throughout successive breeding seasons. In
390-433: A "spillover" of mobbing behavior intended to protect members of its species. The powerful flippers of humpback whales, often infested with large, sharp barnacles , are formidable weapons against orcas. When threatened, they will thresh their flippers and tails keeping the orcas at bay. The great white shark is another confirmed predator of the humpback whale. In 2020, Marine biologists Dines and Gennari et al. , published
520-648: A K/4 through grade 5 (and grade 6 as of the 2023-24 school year) school. Higher education programs are offered at the Haida Heritage Centre in partnership with the University of Northern British Columbia , and with the Haida Gwaii Higher Education Society. Publicly funded health services are provided by Northern Health , the regional health authority responsible for the northern half of the province. Haida Gwaii
650-675: A distinctive body shape, with long pectoral fins and tubercles on its head. It is known for breaching and other distinctive surface behaviors , making it popular with whale watchers . Males produce a complex song typically lasting 4 to 33 minutes. Found in oceans and seas around the world, humpback whales typically migrate up to 16,000 km (9,900 mi) each year. They feed in polar waters and migrate to tropical or subtropical waters to breed and give birth. Their diet consists mostly of krill and small fish , and they use bubbles to catch prey. They are promiscuous breeders, with both sexes having multiple partners. Orcas are
780-435: A documented incident of a group of great white sharks exhibiting pack-like behavior to attack and kill a live adult humpback whale. A second incident regarding great white sharks killing humpback whales was documented off the coast of South Africa. The shark recorded instigating the attack was a female nicknamed "Helen". Working alone, the shark attacked a 33 ft (10 m) emaciated and entangled humpback whale by attacking
910-402: A laryngeal sac. Humpback whale groups, aside from mothers and calves, typically last for days or weeks at the most. They are normally sighted in small groups though large aggregations form during feeding and among males competing for females. Humpbacks may interact with other cetacean species, such as right whales , fin whales , and bottlenose dolphins . Humpbacks are highly active at
1040-622: A mutual commitment to the protection of Gwaii Haanas. Because the park reserve and the Haida Heritage Site nearly coincide (on land), its official name reflected both designations: Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site . Based on the Agreement, Gwaii Haanas is cooperatively managed by the Archipelago Management Board (AMB), which is made up of an equal number of representatives from
1170-569: A phrase. Similar-sounding phrases are repeated in a series grouped into themes, and multiple themes create a song. The function of these songs has been debated, but they may have multiple purposes. There is little evidence to suggest that songs establish dominance among males. However, there have been observations of non-singing males disrupting singers, possibly in aggression. Those who join singers are males who were not previously singing. Females do not appear to approach singers that are alone, but may be drawn to gatherings of singing males, much like
1300-415: A touring exhibition that traveled to Edinburgh and London . The whale was dissected by Professor John Struthers , who wrote seven papers on its anatomy and an 1889 monograph on the humpback. An albino humpback whale that travels up and down the east coast of Australia became famous in local media because of its rare, all-white appearance. Migaloo is the only known Australian all-white specimen, and
1430-426: A weight of 680 kg (1,500 lb). The body is bulky with a thin rostrum and proportionally long flippers, each around one-third of its body length. It has a short dorsal fin that varies from nearly non-existent to somewhat long and curved. As a rorqual, the humpback has grooves between the tip of the lower jaw and the navel. They are relatively few in number in this species, ranging from 14 to 35. The mouth
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#17327933282611560-872: A wide feeding range but most travel to southeast Alaska and northern British Columbia. The wintering grounds of the Okinawa/Philippines population are mainly around the Russian Far East . There is some evidence for a fifth population somewhere in the northwestern Pacific. These whales are recorded to feed off the Aleutians with a breeding area somewhere south of the Bonin Islands . In the Southern Hemisphere, humpback whales are divided into seven breeding stocks, some of which are further divided into sub-structures. These include
1690-595: Is a true albino. First sighted in 1991, the whale was named for an indigenous Australian word for "white fella". To prevent sightseers from approaching dangerously close, the Queensland government decreed a 500-m (1600-ft) exclusion zone around him. Migaloo was last seen in June 2020 along the coast of Port Macquarie NSW in Australia. Migaloo has several physical characteristics that can be identified; his dorsal fin
1820-478: Is a very remote location, accessible by sea kayak , boat, or chartered floatplane only. An orientation is mandatory for all visitors before entry. The museum is affiliated with: CMA , CHIN , and Virtual Museum of Canada . Haida Gwaii Haida Gwaii ( / ˈ h aɪ d ə ˈ ɡ w aɪ / ; Haida : X̱aaydag̱a Gwaay.yaay / X̱aayda gwaay , literally "Islands of the Haida people "), also known as
1950-525: Is also frequently seen on large monumental-sized cedar totem poles and dugout canoes, hand-crafted gold and silver jewellery, and even as cartoons in the form of Haida manga . The Buxton Museum and Art Gallery in England repatriated items in its collection to the Haida people. The Museum returned the items as part of its initiative to return Native American and First Nation artefacts. The Haida language
2080-609: Is also regular BC Ferries service between Skidegate and Alliford Bay on Moresby Island. Floatplane services connect to facilities such as the Alliford Bay Water Aerodrome and Masset Water Aerodrome . There are 120 km (75 mi) of highway on Graham Island. On Moresby, only 20 km (12 mi) of paved road line the coast. The economy is mixed, including art and natural resources, primarily logging and commercial fishing . Furthermore, service industries and government jobs provide about one-third of
2210-766: Is considered to be endangered . In most areas, humpback whale populations have recovered from historic whaling, particularly in the North Pacific. Such recoveries have led to the downlisting of the species' threatened status in the United States, Canada, and Australia. In Costa Rica, Ballena Marine National Park was established for humpback protection. Humpbacks still face various other man-made threats, including entanglement by fishing gear, vessel collisions, human-caused noise and traffic disturbance, coastal habitat destruction, and climate change. Like other cetaceans, humpbacks can be injured by excessive noise. In
2340-685: Is featured on the reverse of Canadian $ 20 bills produced between 2004 and 2011. It depicts a Haida chief in a canoe, accompanied by the mythic messengers Raven, Frog and Eagle (the first casting of this sculpture, Spirit of Haida Gwaii: The Black Canoe , is on display in the atrium of the Canadian Embassy in Washington DC, the other, Spirit of Haida Gwaii: the Jade Canoe , is on display in Vancouver Airport). Haida art
2470-489: Is forested, with 9% alpine and sub-alpine tundra. The remaining 1% is made up of lakes and wetlands. As water drains from the highest mountains - including the rugged San Christoval Range with peaks over 1,100 metres (3,609 feet) - it helps fill over 40 freshwater lakes. In turn, this water drains through more than 100 salmon spawning streams. The reserve also includes Hotspring Island , also called G̱andll K'in Gwaayaay in
2600-560: Is further divided into C1, C2, C3, and C4 subpopulations; C1 occurs around Mozambique and eastern South Africa, C2 around the Comoro Islands , C3 off the southern and eastern coast of Madagascar and C4 around the Mascarene Islands . The feeding range of this population is likely between coordinates 5°W and 60°E and under 50°S . There may be overlap in the feeding areas of stocks B and C. Stock D whales breed off
2730-449: Is lined with baleen plates, which number 270–400 for both sides. The dorsal or upper-side of the animal is generally black; the ventral or underside has various levels of black and white coloration. Whales in the southern hemisphere tend to have more white pigmentation. The flippers can vary from all-white to white only on the undersurface. The varying color patterns and scars on the tail flukes distinguish individual animals. The end of
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#17327933282612860-454: Is prone to fair geological activity, there is little infrastructure set up to gather accurate information to warn locals of possible threats. Many residents, notably from First Nations communities, have been critical of the fact that they must rely on information coming from neighbouring American states such as Washington or Alaska and from the USGS (United States Geological Survey). Regardless of
2990-546: Is rain, though snow is possible. May through July represent a markedly drier season; July, the driest month, averages about 46.4 millimetres (1.83 in) of rain. Snowfall is generally moderate, averaging from 10 centimetres (4 in) to 70 centimetres (28 in), though at northerly Langara Island , it averages around 100 centimetres (40 in). Precipitation is typically extremely frequent (especially from autumn to mid-winter), occurring on around two-thirds of all days even in relatively shielded areas, and direct sunlight
3120-575: Is reference to a humpback-blue whale hybrid in the South Pacific , attributed to marine biologist Michael Poole. B. acutorostrata/bonaerensis ( minke whale species complex) [REDACTED] B. musculus ( blue whale ) [REDACTED] B. borealis ( sei whale ) [REDACTED] Eschrichtius robustus ( gray whale ) [REDACTED] B. physalus ( fin whale ) [REDACTED] Megaptera novaeangliae ( humpback whale ) [REDACTED] Modern humpback whale populations originated in
3250-592: Is scarce, averaging around 3 to 4 hours per day. The islands are located along the Queen Charlotte Fault , an active transform fault that produces significant earthquakes every 3–30 years. This is the result of the converging of the Pacific and North American Plates along the archipelago's west coast. Major earthquakes have occurred in the Haida Gwaii in 1949 and 2012 . Though the region
3380-595: Is served by two hospitals, The Northern Haida Gwaii Hospital and Health Centre in Masset and the Haida Gwaii Hospital in Daajing Giids which was completed in fall 2015. Haida Gwaii has four British Columbia Ambulance stations. They are staffed by approximately 36 casual emergency medical responders (EMR), and one part-time community paramedic based in Masset. At the time of European contact in 1774,
3510-452: Is somewhat hooked, and his tail flukes have a unique shape, with edges that are spiked along the lower trailing side. In July 2022, concerns arose that Migaloo had died after a white whale washed up on the shores of Mallacoota beach, however after genetic testing, and noting that the carcass was of a female whale while Migaloo is male, it was confirmed by experts to not be Migaloo. In 1985, Humphrey swam into San Francisco Bay and then up
3640-405: Is that when humpbacks suffered near-extinction during the whaling era, orcas turned to other prey but are now resuming their former practice. There is also evidence that humpback whales will defend against or mob killer whales who are attacking either humpback calves or juveniles as well as members of other species, including seals . The humpback's protection of other species may be unintentional,
3770-472: Is the older name Xaadala Gwayee or, in alternative orthography , Xhaaidlagha Gwaayaai , meaning "islands at the boundary of the world". Xhaaydla ("worlds") refers here to the sea and sky. Research by Simon Fraser University concludes that Haida Gwaii around 55,000 BCE was likely covered with tundra and low meadows that were populated by grazing mammals including caribou and mammoths . Although no mammoth or mastodon fossils were found,
3900-564: Is their primary deity. Most of the Raven myths are similar to those of the Koryak . The group of people inhabiting these Islands developed a culture made rich by the abundance of the land and sea. These people became the Haida. The Haida are a linguistically-distinct group, and they have a complex class and rank system consisting of two main clans, the Eagles and Ravens. Links and diversity within
4030-788: The Alexander Archipelago in the U.S. state of Alaska . Haida Gwaii consists of two main islands: Graham Island ( Kiis Gwaay ) in the north and Moresby Island ( T'aawxii X̱aaydaɢ̱a Gwaay.yaay linaɢ̱waay , literally: south people island half, or Gwaay Haanas "Islands of Beauty") in the south, along with approximately 400 smaller islands with a total landmass of 10,180 km (3,931 sq mi). Other major islands include Anthony Island ( Ḵ'waagaaw / Sɢ̱ang Gwaay ), Burnaby Island ( Sɢ̱aay Kun Gwaay.yaay ), Langara Island (Kiis Gwaay), Lyell Island, Louise Island, Alder Island ( Ḵ'uuna Gwaay / Ḵ'uuna Gwaay.yaay ), and Kunghit Island . On June 3, 2010,
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4160-826: The Arabian Sea around Oman . This population has also been recorded in the Gulf of Aden , the Persian Gulf , and off the coasts of Pakistan and India. In the North Atlantic, there are two separate wintering populations, one in the West Indies , from Cuba to northern Venezuela, and the other in the Cape Verde Islands and northwest Africa. During summer, West Indies humpbacks congregate off New England , eastern Canada, and western Greenland , while
4290-431: The Arabian Sea has been isolated for 70,000 years. The adult humpback whale is generally 14–15 m (46–49 ft), though longer lengths of 16–17 m (52–56 ft) have been recorded. Females are usually 1–1.5 m (3 ft 3 in – 4 ft 11 in) longer than males. The species can reach body masses of 40 metric tons (44 short tons). Calves are born at around 4.3 m (14 ft) long with
4420-544: The Haida language, an island with a hot spring . A small off-the-grid community, located in Rose Harbour , Kunghit Island , is on the only private piece of land in the Southern Gwaii Haanas area. The community's economy is mostly based on small-scale ecotourism, where it is possible to find accommodation, meals, guides and sea kayaking. The Rose Harbour property was an important whaling station off
4550-601: The Haida Gwaii Reconciliation Act formally renamed the archipelago to Haida Gwaii as part of the Kunst'aa guu – Kunst'aayah Reconciliation Protocol between British Columbia and the Haida people. The previous official name Queen Charlotte Islands was given by British explorer George Dixon in 1787 and the islands are known colloquially as "the Charlottes". The islands form the heartland of
4680-770: The Haida Gwaii Watchmen Program. Between two and four Watchmen live at each site serving as guardians to protect the natural and cultural heritage of these sites. Other historical villages within the boundaries of Gwaii Haanas included Cumshewa , Clew (Tanu) and Djí-gua . In 2004, Parks Canada, on behalf of the Government of Canada, added the entirety of Gwaii Haanas to its tentative list of potential future World Heritage Sites , pending approval by UNESCO. The landscapes of Gwaii Haanas vary from deep fjords to rugged mountains, salmon spawning streams to sub- alpine tundra . Close to 90% of Gwaii Haanas
4810-436: The Haida ermine ( Mustela haidarum haidarum ), both endemic to the islands. Black-tailed deer , elk, beaver, muskrat, two species of rats, and raccoon are introduced species of mammals that have become abundant, imparting many ecological changes to the ecosystem. There is no public transportation on Haida Gwaii. Taxis and car rentals are available, and shuttles can be arranged. The primary transportation links between
4940-557: The IUCN Red List lists the humpback whale as least-concern , with a worldwide population of around 135,000 whales, of which around 84,000 are mature individuals, and an increasing population trend. Regional estimates are around 13,000 in the North Atlantic, 21,000 in the North Pacific, and 80,000 in the southern hemisphere. For the isolated population in the Arabian Sea, only around 80 individuals remain, and this population
5070-545: The International Whaling Commission (IWC) was founded to oversee the industry. They imposed hunting regulations and created hunting seasons. To prevent extinction , IWC banned commercial humpback whaling in 1966. By then, the global population had been reduced to around 5,000. The Soviet Union deliberately under-recorded its catches; the Soviets reported catching 2,820 between 1947 and 1972, but
5200-600: The Last Glacial Maximum , and gave rise to Eskimo-Aleuts and Na-Dené Indians. Although unsubstantiated, an oral tradition told by the Haida Chief, Albert Edward Edenshaw, says that the Haida came from northern Alaska and travelled to Haida Gwaii in search of new territory. Underwater archaeologists from the University of Victoria are seeking to confirm that stone structures discovered in 2014 on
5330-544: The Queen Charlotte Islands , is an archipelago located between 55–125 km (34–78 mi) off the northern Pacific coast in the Canadian province of British Columbia . The islands are separated from the mainland to the east by the shallow Hecate Strait . Queen Charlotte Sound lies to the south, with Vancouver Island beyond. To the north, the disputed Dixon Entrance separates Haida Gwaii from
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5460-565: The Ross Sea to the Antarctic Peninsula. Humpback whales were hunted as early as the late 16th century. They were often the first species to be harvested in an area due to this coastal distribution. North Pacific kills alone are estimated at 28,000 during the 20th century. In the same period, over 200,000 humpbacks were taken in the Southern Hemisphere. North Atlantic populations dropped to as low as 700 individuals. In 1946,
5590-737: The Sacramento River towards Rio Vista . Five years later, Humphrey returned and became stuck on a mudflat in San Francisco Bay immediately north of Sierra Point below the view of onlookers from the upper floors of the Dakin Building . He was twice rescued by the Marine Mammal Center and other concerned groups in California. He was pulled off the mudflat with a large cargo net and the help of
5720-605: The South Orkney Islands and to a lesser extent the Tierra del Fuego of southern Chile. Stock A winters off Brazil and migrates to summer grounds around South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands . Some stock A individuals have also been recorded off the western Antarctic Peninsula, suggesting an increased blurring of the boundaries between the feeding areas of stocks A and G. Stock B breeds on
5850-554: The gold rush on Moresby Island in 1851. No separate administration or capital for the colony was ever established, as its only officer or appointee was James Douglas , who was simultaneously Governor of Vancouver Island . In essence, the colony was merged with the Vancouver Island colony for administrative purposes from the 1850s to 1866 when the Colony of Vancouver Island was merged with the mainland, which until that point
5980-506: The humpback whale (North Pacific population) protected by Canada's Species at Risk Act (SARA). With the NMCAR established, nearly 5,000 square kilometres of Gwaii Haanas are protected. This is one of the only places in the world where a representative area is protected from mountain top to ocean depth. The AMB's crest, crafted by local Haida artist Giits x aa , was created to represent the unique joint management relationship. The AMB chose
6110-441: The 19th century, two humpback whales were found dead near repeated oceanic sub-bottom blasting sites, with traumatic injuries and fractures in the ears. Saxitoxin , a paralytic shellfish poisoning from contaminated mackerel, has been implicated in humpback whale deaths. While oil ingestion is a risk for whales, a 2019 study found that oil did not foul baleen and instead was easily rinsed by flowing water. Whale researchers along
6240-629: The Atlantic Coast report that there have been more stranded whales with signs of vessel strikes and fishing gear entanglement in recent years than ever before. The NOAA recorded 88 stranded humpback whales between January 2016 and February 2019. This is more than double the number of whales stranded between 2013 and 2016. Because of the increase in stranded whales, NOAA declared an unusual mortality event in April 2017. Virginia Beach Aquarium 's stranding response coordinator, Alexander Costidis, stated
6370-450: The BC coast. Facilities are minimal, and access is via boat or seaplane. Also protected, but under provincial jurisdiction, are several provincial parks, the largest of which is Naikoon Provincial Park on northeastern Graham Island. The islands are home to an abundance of wildlife, including a large subspecies of black bear ( Ursus americanus carlottae ), and the smallest subspecies of ermine,
6500-476: The Bering Strait. At this time Haida Gwaii was likely not an island, but connected to Vancouver Island and the mainland via the now-submerged continental shelf. It is unclear how people arrived on Haida Gwaii, but archaeological sites have established human habitation on the islands as far back as 13,000 years ago. Populations that formerly inhabited Beringia expanded into northern North America after
6630-598: The Cape Verde population gathers around Iceland and Norway. There is some overlap in the summer ranges of these populations, and West Indies humpbacks have been documented feeding further east. Whale visits into the Gulf of Mexico have been infrequent but have occurred in the gulf historically. They were considered to be uncommon in the Mediterranean Sea , but increased sightings, including re-sightings, indicate that more whales may colonize or recolonize it in
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#17327933282616760-482: The Council of Haida Nation and the Government of Canada. The AMB is responsible for all aspects of planning, operation, and management of Gwaii Haanas. For the Haida, the marine and terrestrial environments are inseparable. The boundary between earth and ocean exists only on a map. Such is not the case with the park reserve. While the heritage site includes both land and sea, the national park reserve overlaps with only
6890-476: The Gwaii Haanas NMCAR will balance protecting marine ecosystems, while also allowing ecolgocially sustainable use. This includes traditional harvesting, recreational and commercial fishing. The appearance of "Haida Heritage Site" in both the names of the national park reserve and the marine reserve is a duplication of name, but not of reference. As part of the national park reserve name, it refers to
7020-654: The Haida Nation were gained through a cross lineal marriage system between the clans. This system was also important for the transfer of wealth within the Nation, with each clan reliant on the other for the building of longhouses, the carving of totem poles and other items of cultural importance. Noted seafarers, the Haida occupied more than 100 villages throughout the Islands. The Haida were skilled traders, with established trade links with their neighbouring First Nations on
7150-453: The Haida Nation, upon which people have lived for 13,000 years, and who currently make up approximately half of the population. The Council of the Haida Nation (CHN, X̱aaydaG̱a Waadlux̱an Naay ) was established in 1974 to "strive for full independence, sovereignty and self-sufficiency of the Haida Nation". As recently as 2015, the Haida Nation hosted First Nations delegations such as the potlatch and subsequent treaty signing between
7280-492: The Haida and Heiltsuk Nation . A small number of Kaigani Haida also live on the traditionally Tlingit Prince of Wales Island in Alaska. In a deal negotiated between the government and the Haida nation over the preceding decades, British Columbia in 2024 transferred the title over more than 200 islands off Canada's west coast to the Haida people, recognizing the nation's aboriginal land title throughout Haida Gwaii. Some of
7410-422: The Haida people. By 1900, only 350 people remained. Towns were abandoned as people left their homes for the towns of Skidegate and Masset, for cannery towns on the mainland, or for Vancouver Island. Today, around 4,500 people live on the islands. About 70% of the indigenous people (Haida) live in two communities at Skidegate and Old Massett , with a population of about 700 each. In total the Haida make up 45% of
7540-505: The IWC chair asking the Japanese for their co-operation in sorting out the differences between pro- and anti-whaling nations on the commission, the Japanese whaling fleet agreed to take no humpback whales during the two years it would take to reach a formal agreement. In 2010, the IWC authorized Greenland's native population to hunt a few humpback whales for the following three years. Much of
7670-670: The Islands and mainland British Columbia are through the Sandspit Airport , the Masset Airport and the BC Ferries terminal at Skidegate . The westernmost leg of Highway 16 connects Masset and Skidegate on Graham Island, and Skidegate with Prince Rupert on the mainland via regular BC Ferries service by the MV Northern Adventure . Reservations are strongly recommended for the ferry. There
7800-693: The North Coast of British Columbia until the 1940s. The west coast of Gwaii Haanas can receive over 4,000 millimetres (157.5 inches) of rain annually. Extreme exposure to wind and rain makes the forests on the west coast boggy and stunted, and tree species are dominated by western red cedar and hemlock . Forests of the leeward (eastern) side of Gwaii Haanas are classic coastal temperate rainforest . Dominant overstory species include large western hemlock , Sitka spruce and western red cedar trees. Distinct island flora and fauna have evolved over thousands of years. Species here often differ from those found on
7930-528: The Queen Charlotte Islands to the new name "Haida Gwaii". The legislation received royal assent on June 3, 2010, formalizing the name change. At an official Giving Back the Name ceremony, the name, written on a piece of paper and placed in a bentwood box, was handed to the premier of British Columbia. This name change is officially recognized by all levels of Canadian governments, and also by
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#17327933282618060-406: The United States' National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency name database. The name Haida Gwaii is a modern coinage and was created in the early 1980s as an alternative to the colonial-era name "Queen Charlotte Islands", to recognize the history of the Haida people. "Haida Gwaii" means "islands of the people", while Haida on its own means not only "us" but also "people". Still in use
8190-466: The center, often containing at least one fragile hair that erupts 1–3 cm (0.39–1.18 in) from the skin and is 0.1 mm (0.0039 in) thick. The tubercles develop early in the womb and may have a sensory function as they are rich in nerves. Sensory nerve cells in the skin are adapted to withstand the high water pressure of diving. In one study, a humpback whale brain measured 22.4 cm (8.8 in) long and 18 cm (7.1 in) wide at
8320-528: The conclusion that the two causes of these unusual mortality events were vessel interactions and entanglements. In December 1883, a male humpback swam up the Firth of Tay in Scotland, past what was then the whaling port of Dundee . Harpooned during a failed hunt, it was found dead off Stonehaven a week later. Its carcass was exhibited to the public by a local entrepreneur, John Woods, both locally and then as
8450-399: The equator; their summer feeding areas are found in colder waters, including near the polar ice caps. Humpbacks go on vast migrations between their feeding and breeding areas, often crossing the open ocean. The species has been recorded traveling up to 8,000 km (5,000 mi) in one direction. An isolated, non-migratory population feeds and breeds in the northern Indian Ocean, mainly in
8580-612: The first concerted efforts to protect Gwaii Haanas. The "South Moresby Wilderness Proposal" was drawn up in an effort to stem natural resource exploitation. To prevent logging, the Haida Nation designated the "Haida Heritage Site" in 1985, encompassing roughly the southern third of the archipelago. Importantly, the Heritage site included a swath of land and sea, both terrestrial and marine areas. However, logging continued, amidst legal and political battles. In 1987, logging ended when
8710-443: The first trees arrived at Xaagyah Gwaay.yaay (Bolkus Islands) as glaciers retreated. Pollen samples indicate trees first arrived 14,500 years ago. Numerous films have covered Gwaii Haanas, including the 2011 short National Parks Project , directed by Scott Smith and scored by Sarah Harmer , Jim Guthrie and Bry Webb . From the 1970s through the early 1980s, plans to expand logging to Burnaby Island led to controversy, and
8840-694: The future. The North Pacific has at least four breeding populations: off Mexico (including Baja California and the Revillagigedos Islands ), Central America, the Hawaiian Islands , and both Okinawa and the Philippines . The Mexican population forages from the Aleutian Islands to California. During the summer, Central American humpbacks are found only off Oregon and California. In contrast, Hawaiian humpbacks have
8970-446: The genital slit of the female is marked by a round feature, known as the hemispherical lobe, which visually distinguishes males and females. Unique among large whales, humpbacks have bumps or tubercles on the head and front edge of the flippers; the tail fluke has a jagged trailing edge . The tubercles on the head are 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) thick at the base and poke up to 6.5 cm (2.6 in). They are mostly hollow in
9100-434: The genus Megaptera , classifying the humpback as Megaptera longipinna , but in 1932, Remington Kellogg reverted the species names to use Borowski's novaeangliae . The common name is derived from the curving of their backs when diving. The generic name Megaptera from the Ancient Greek mega- μεγα ("giant") and ptera / πτερα ("wing") refer to their large front flippers. The specific name means "New Englander" and
9230-406: The governments of Canada and British Columbia signed the South Moresby Memorandum of Understanding . This accord led to the South Moresby Agreement a year later, which created South Moresby National Park Reserve . It was not a full national park; it was an area reserved to become a national park, because there were outstanding claims to land ownership among federal and tribal governments. But
9360-582: The grooves. Water is pushed out through the baleen. In the southern hemisphere, humpbacks have been recorded foraging in large compact gatherings numbering up to 200 individuals. Humpbacks typically hunt their prey with bubble-nets , which is considered to be a form of tool use . A group swims in a shrinking circle while blowing air from their blowholes , capturing prey above in a cylinder of bubbles . They may dive up to 20 m (70 ft) performing this technique. Bubble-netting comes in two main forms; upward spirals and double loops. Upward spirals involve
9490-488: The group over 27 years in response to a change in primary prey. The tubercles on the flippers stall the angle of attack , which both maximizes lift and minimizes drag (see tubercle effect ). This, along with the shape of the flippers, allows the whales to make the abrupt turns necessary during bubble-feeding. At Stellwagen Bank off the coast of the US state of Massachusetts , humpback whales have been recorded foraging at
9620-601: The growth of commercial whale watching was built on the humpback whale. The species' highly active surface behaviors and tendency to become accustomed to boats have made them easy to observe, particularly for photographers. In 1975, humpback whale tours were established in New England and Hawaii. This business brings in a revenue of $ 20 million per year for Hawaii's economy. While Hawaiian tours have tended to be commercial, New England and California whale watching tours have introduced educational components. As of 2018,
9750-474: The inconsistencies, Environment Canada does regularly do field tests across the Pacific coast of British Columbia relating to this matter. The Cascadia subduction zone does pose some additional earthquake risks, but, most importantly, the subduction zone poses direct tsunami risks to the coastal settlements on the western side of the islands. The artwork known as Spirit of Haida Gwaii , by Bill Reid ,
9880-542: The island via a 150 km (93 mi) microwave relay. This enables interactive research to be carried out on the more than 80 CDs of language, story and spoken history of the people. Humpback whale The humpback whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) is a species of baleen whale . It is a rorqual (a member of the family Balaenopteridae ) and is the only species in the genus Megaptera . Adults range in length from 14–17 m (46–56 ft) and weigh up to 40 metric tons (44 short tons). The humpback has
10010-601: The islands are protected under federal legislation as the Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site , which includes the southernmost part of Moresby Island and several adjoining islands and islets. Coastal temperate rain forest at the shore, the preserve also includes the San Cristoval Mountains, so named by the first European explorer, Juan José Pérez Hernández , and the oldest surviving European place name on
10140-659: The islands in the days of the marine fur trade and considered the islands part of the US-claimed Oregon Country . Following the 1846 Oregon Treaty , which established the current international borders and made the islands definitively part of the British empire, the "Queen Charlotte Islands" name became official. On December 11, 2009, the British Columbia government announced that legislation would be introduced in mid-2010 to officially rename
10270-651: The jobs, and tourism has become a more prominent part of the economy in recent years, especially for fishing and tour guides , cycling, camping, and adventure tourism . Aboriginal culture tourism has been enhanced with the establishment of the Haida Heritage Centre at Kaay Ilnygaay. Public education is provided through School District 50 Haida Gwaii , which operates elementary and secondary schools in Masset, Port Clements , Daajing Giids (formerly called Queen Charlotte), Sandspit , and Skidegate. The Old Masset Village Council operates Chief Matthews School,
10400-515: The largest being Moresby Island and the southernmost being Kunghit Island . "Gwaii Haanas" means "Islands of Beauty" in X̱aayda kíl , a southern dialect of the Haida language . The Haida Heritage Site is within the territory of the Haida people , who have lived in Haida Gwaii for at least 14,000 years. Ḵ'aygang.nga (the Haida canon of oral histories) say Haida lived in Gwaii Haanas when
10530-438: The latitude is lower than the west coast of Scotland; it is 52° 39', the same as southern Ireland . In the relatively shielded areas around Tlell and Sandspit annual rainfall averages from 1,200 millimetres (47 in) to 1,400 millimetres (55 in). Average monthly precipitation is markedly concentrated from October to January, with December the wettest month, averaging about 198 millimetres (7.8 in), most of which
10660-408: The main natural predators of humpback whales. Like other large whales, the humpback was a target for the whaling industry. Humans once hunted the species to the brink of extinction ; its population fell to around 5,000 by the 1960s. Numbers have partially recovered to some 135,000 animals worldwide, while entanglement in fishing gear , collisions with ships, and noise pollution continue to affect
10790-488: The mainland to California. The Haida people regularly took slaves from their wars with other peoples around them. The archipelago was first sighted by Europeans in 1774 by Juan Pérez , at Langara Island, in 1778 by James Cook and in 1786 by Lapérouse . In 1794, the Haida captured and sank two American maritime fur trade vessels seeking to acquire sea otter pelts, Ino , under captain Simon Metcalfe , which
10920-560: The mainland, encouraged Haida indigenous and environmental activists in the 1970s to use the term " Galápagos of the North", a unique biocultural zone with many endemic plants and animals. The climate of this temperate north hemisphere forested region, like that of much of the British Columbia and Alaskan coast in the area, is moderated by the North Pacific Current , with heavy rainfall and relatively mild temperatures throughout
11050-503: The mainland. Many common continental species are not found on the islands, or have evolved into unique subspecies such as the black bear which is larger than its mainland cousin. Other species have been introduced relatively recently, such as the Sitka deer , ermine , raccoon , squirrel and beaver . Introduced species now exist in large numbers, much to the detriment of native plants and animals. An estimated 750,000 seabirds nest along
11180-419: The male that is closest to the female is known as the "principal escort", who fights off the other suitors known as "challengers". Other males, called "secondary escorts", trail further behind and are not directly involved in the conflict. Agonistic behavior between males consists of tail slashing, ramming, and head-butting. Males have also been observed engaging in copulation with each other . Gestation in
11310-550: The measure safeguarded the area, and permitted shared stewardship. It would be managed as if it were a national park, pending land claims. In 1993, the Government of Canada and the Council of the Haida Nation signed the Gwaii Haanas Agreement , which changed the name of the national park reserve to a native name. This Agreement expresses respect for both Canadian and Haida designations and interests, and includes
11440-605: The movements of the tail fluke. Humpbacks are able to flap and rotate their flippers in a manner similar to California sea lions . Humpbacks rest at the surface with their bodies lying horizontally. They frequent shallow seamounts, commonly exploring depths of up to 80 meters (260 feet) and occasionally venturing into deep dives reaching up to 616 meters (2,020 feet). These deeper descents are believed to serve various purposes, including navigational guidance, communication with fellow humpback whales, and facilitation of feeding activities. Dives typically do not exceed five minutes during
11570-609: The myths, rituals, and dwelling types of the Koryaks —inhabitants of the Kamchatka Peninsula —and those of the native peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast. At this time the island was twice as large as today. There is strong genetic evidence for these early people having an origin there. The Koryaks were a matrilineal seafaring people hunting whales and other marine mammals. Kujkynnjaku, the Raven,
11700-692: The nation's aboriginal land title throughout Haida Gwaii. The deal was the first of its kind in Canada. In 1787 Captain George Dixon surveyed the islands. He named the islands the Queen Charlotte Islands after his ship, the Queen Charlotte , which was named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz , wife of King George III of the United Kingdom . Another name, "Washington's Isles," was commonly used by American traders, who frequented
11830-467: The natural balance between species in the community was disturbed. As a result, the sea urchin population has increased dramatically over time and the health of kelp forests is threatened. The loss of the sea otter is a powerful reminder of the vulnerability of individual species and entire ecosystems. Ninstints ( Nan Sdins ) or SG̱ang Gwaay Llnaagay on Anthony Island , located in the southernmost part of Gwaii Haanas, just west of Kunghit Island ,
11960-1347: The northern hemisphere, songs change more gradually while southern hemisphere songs go through cyclical "revolutions". Humpback whales are reported to make other vocalizations. "Snorts" are quick low-frequency sounds commonly heard among animals in groups consisting of a mother–calf pair and one or more male escort groups. These likely function in mediating interactions within these groups. "Grumbles" are also low in frequency but last longer and are more often made by groups with one or more adult males. They appear to signal body size and may serve to establish social status. "Thwops" and "wops" are frequency modulated vocals, and may serve as contact calls both within and between groups. High-pitched "cries" and "violins" and modulated "shrieks" are normally heard in groups with two or more males and are associated with competition. Humpback whales produce short, low-frequency "grunts" and short, modulated "barks" when joining new groups. Visible scars indicate that orcas prey upon juvenile humpbacks. A 2014 study in Western Australia observed that when available in large numbers, young humpbacks can be attacked and sometimes killed by orcas. Moreover, mothers and (possibly related) adults escort calves to deter such predation. The suggestion
12090-727: The ocean. Lawyers, environmentalists, and civil society groups are calling the dumping a "blatant violation" of two international moratoriums. George said that the Old Massett Village Council and its lawyers approved the effort and at least seven Canadian agencies were aware of it. In May 2013, the Haida Salmon Restoration Corporation removed George as a director of the company and ended his employment. The 2013 salmon runs increased from 50 million to 226 million fish, but research conducted on 13 major iron-fertilization experiments in
12220-399: The open ocean since 1990 concludes that the method is unproven, and with respect to the Haida Gwaii project, "scientists have seen no evidence that the experiment worked". In a deal negotiated between the government and the Haida nation over the preceding decades, British Columbia in 2024 transferred the title over more than 200 islands off Canada's west coast to the Haida people, recognizing
12350-534: The population of the islands. Anthony Island and the Ninstints Haida village site were made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006; in the decision, the decline in population wrought by disease was referenced when citing the "vanished civilization" of the Haida. Haida Gwaii is considered by archaeologists as an option for a Pacific coastal route taken by the first humans migrating to the Americas from
12480-450: The population was roughly 30,000 people, residing in several towns and including slave populations drawn from other clans of Haida as well as from other nations. It is estimated that ninety percent of the population died during the 1800s from smallpox alone; other diseases arrived as well, including typhoid , measles , and syphilis , affecting many more inhabitants. The 1862 Pacific Northwest smallpox epidemic alone killed over 70% of
12610-403: The region. In Hawaii, humpback whales have been recorded vocalizing for as long as seven hours. Songs are divided into layers; "subunits", "units", "subphrases", "phrases" and "themes". A subunit refers to the discontinuities or inflections of a sound while full units are individual sounds, similar to musical notes . A succession of units creates a subphrase, and a collection of subphrases make up
12740-631: The research discovered dung-eating fungi underground in ancient peat by the Cape Ball site in Naikoon Provincial Park on Graham Island. The tundra-like landscape then evolved to a mix of alpine forest and meadows. The last Pleistocene glaciation receded from the archipelago about 16,000 BCE, about 2,000 years earlier than the rest of the British Columbia Coast's ice age. That, and its subsequent isolation from
12870-482: The sea otter and the sea urchin because of the creatures' significance in the history and tradition of the protected area, and because of their ecological significance. Populations of sea urchin , a kelp-grazing species, were once kept in check by sea otters , ensuring an abundance of kelp and species that depend upon kelp communities. With the extirpation of sea otters during the Maritime Fur Trade ,
13000-455: The seabed of Hecate Strait may date back 13,700 or more years ago and be the earliest known signs of human habitation in Canada. Coastal sites of this era are now deep underwater. The coastal migration hypothesis of the settlement of the Americas suggests that the first North Americans may have been here as the oldest human remains known from Alaska or Canada are from On Your Knees Cave . Anthropologists have found striking parallels between
13130-448: The seafloor for sand lances. This involves the whales flushing out the fish by brushing their jaws against the bottom. Mating and breeding take place during the winter months, which is when females reach estrus and males reach peak testosterone and sperm levels. Humpback whales are promiscuous , with both sexes having multiple partners. Males will frequently trail both lone females and cow–calf pairs. These are known as "escorts", and
13260-520: The shoreline of Gwaii Haanas from May through August. Many are burrow-nesters, such as the rhinoceros auklet , ancient murrelet and tufted puffin . Bald eagles are a common sight and nest in trees along the coastline. Because the islands are situated along the Pacific Flyway , dozens of species of migrating birds stop here in spring and fall. Gwaii Haanas has been recognized for its pristine environment and sustainable management practices. It
13390-530: The southeastern Pacific (stock G), southwestern Atlantic (stock A), southeastern Atlantic (stock B), southwestern Indian Ocean (stock C), southeastern Indian Ocean (stock D), southwestern Pacific (stock E), and the Oceania stock (stocks E–F). Stock G breeds in tropical and subtropical waters off the west coast of Central and South America and forages along the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula ,
13520-437: The southern hemisphere around 880,000 years ago and colonized the northern hemisphere 200,000–50,000 years ago. A 2014 genetic study suggested that the separate populations in the North Atlantic, North Pacific, and Southern Oceans have had limited gene flow and are distinct enough to be subspecies , with the scientific names of M. n. novaeangliae , M. n. kuzira and M. n. australis respectively. A non-migratory population in
13650-474: The southern hemisphere is the Antarctic krill . Further north, the northern krill and various species of Euphausia and Thysanoessa are consumed. Fish prey include herring , capelin , sand lances and Atlantic mackerel . Like other rorquals, humpbacks are "gulp feeders", swallowing prey in bulk, while right whales and bowhead whales are skimmers. The whale increases its mouth gape by expanding
13780-617: The species lasts 11.5 months, and females reproduce every 2 years. Fetuses start out with teeth and develop their baleen during the very last months of their gestation. Humpback whale births have been rarely observed. One birth witnessed off Madagascar occurred within four minutes. Mothers typically give birth in mid-winter, usually to a single calf. Young start out with furled dorsal fins which straighten and stiffen as they get older. Calves with furled fin spend more time traveling and surfacing to breathe while calves with straighter fins can hold their breaths longer and can rest and circle around at
13910-503: The species. The humpback was first identified as baleine de la Nouvelle Angleterre by Mathurin Jacques Brisson in his Regnum Animale of 1756. In 1781, Georg Heinrich Borowski described the species, converting Brisson's name to its Latin equivalent, Balaena novaeangliae . In 1804, Bernard Germain de Lacépède shifted the humpback from the family Balaenidae , renaming it B. jubartes . In 1846, John Edward Gray created
14040-589: The summer but are normally 15–20 minutes during the winter. As it dives, a humpback typically raises its tail fluke, exposing the underside. Humpbacks have been observed to produce oral "bubble clouds" when near another individual, possibly in the context of "aggression, mate attraction, or play". Humpbacks may also use bubble cloud as "smoke screens" to escape from predators. Humpback whales feed from spring to fall. They are generalist feeders, their main food items being krill , copepods , other plankton and small schooling fish. The most common krill species eaten in
14170-568: The surface more. Older calves are also away from their mothers more. Calves suckle for up to a year but can eat adult food in six months. Humpbacks are sexually mature at 5–10 years, depending on the population. Humpback whales possibly live over 50 years. Male humpback whales produce complex songs during the winter breeding season. These vocals range in frequency between 100 Hz and 4 kHz, with harmonics reaching up to 24 kHz or more, and can travel at least 10 km (6.2 mi). Males may sing for between 4 and 33 minutes, depending on
14300-504: The surface, performing aerial behaviors such as breaching and surface slapping with the tail ( lobtailing ) and flippers. These may be forms of play and communication and/or for removing parasites. The species is a slower swimmer than other rorquals, cruising at 7.9–15.1 km/h (4.9–9.4 mph). When threatened, a humpback may speed up to 27 km/h (17 mph). Their proportionally long pectoral fins give them great propulsion and allow them to swim in any direction independently of
14430-415: The terrestrial portion of the site. As part of the marine reserve name, it refers to the marine portion of the site. Still, there are areas of the heritage site—both land and sea—which are outside both federal reserves. These are all in the northernmost parts of the site. Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area Reserve, which covers 3,400 square kilometres, is "a primary feeding habitat" of
14560-407: The terrestrial portion of the site. The Gwaii Haanas Agreement provided for native–federal negotiations on managing the marine portion of the site, which eventually bore fruit in 2010 when an enveloping protected area was created. Like the national park reserve it surrounds, the marine reserve is reserved for future designation to full park system status, pending sea claim settlements. Meantime,
14690-413: The tips of the temporal lobes , and weighed around 4.6 kg (10 lb). Its brain has similar complexity to the brains of smaller whales and dolphins. Computer models of the middle ear suggest that the humpback can hear at frequencies between 15 Hz and 3 kHz "when stimulated at the tympanic membrane ", and between 200 Hz and 9 kHz "if stimulated at the thinner region of the tympanic bone adjacent to
14820-560: The trade in the islands was dominated by Americans. The Oregon Treaty of 1846 put an end to American claims to the islands. Following the discovery of gold in the 1850s the British made efforts to exclude whatever American territorial claims might remain. The Colony of the Queen Charlotte Islands was a British colony created by the Colonial Office in response to the increase in American marine trading activity resulting from
14950-580: The true number was over 48,000. As of 2004, hunting was restricted to a few animals each year off the Caribbean island of Bequia in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines . The take is not believed to threaten the local population. Japan had planned to kill 50 humpbacks in the 2007/08 season under its JARPA II research program. The announcement sparked global protests. After a visit to Tokyo by
15080-504: The tympanic membrane". This is consistent with their vocalization ranges. As in all cetaceans, the respiratory tract of the humpback whale is connected to the blow and not the mouth, though appears to be able to unlock the epiglottis and larynx and move them towards the oral cavity, allowing them to blow bubbles from there. The vocal folds of the humpback are more horizontally positioned than those of land mammals which allows them to produce underwater calls. These calls are amplified by
15210-554: The west coast of Africa and is further divided into Bl and B2 subpopulations, the former ranging from the Gulf of Guinea to Angola and the latter ranging from Angola to western South Africa. Stock B whales have been recorded foraging in waters to the southwest of the continent, mainly around Bouvet Island . Comparison of songs between those at Cape Lopez and Abrolhos Archipelago indicate that trans-Atlantic mixings between stock A and stock B whales occur. Stock C whales winter around southeastern Africa and surrounding waters. This stock
15340-618: The western coast of Australia, and forage in the southern region of the Kerguelen Plateau . Stock E is divided into E1, E2, and E3 stocks. E1 whales have a breeding range off eastern Australia and Tasmania ; their main feeding range is close to Antarctica, mainly within 130°E and 170°W . The Oceania stock is divided into the New Caledonia (E2), Tonga (E3), Cook Islands (F1) and French Polynesia (F2) subpopulations. This stock's feeding grounds mainly range from around
15470-463: The wetter areas. Where drainage is good, the mature soils are podzols that have classic development (well defined eluvial horizon, Ae under Canadian classification) in undisturbed areas. A history of disturbance, as from logging or windthrow, sees the Ae mixed with other horizons and only patchily visible. Kiidk'yaas (Golden Spruce), a naturally occurring genetic-variant yellow-colour Sitka spruce tree,
15600-504: The whale's tail to cripple and bleed the whale before she managed to drown the whale by biting onto its head and pulling it underwater. Humpback whales are found in marine waters worldwide , except for some areas at the equator and High Arctic and some enclosed seas. The furthest north they have been recorded is at 81°N around northern Franz Josef Land . They are usually coastal and tend to congregate in waters within continental shelves . Their winter breeding grounds are located around
15730-737: The whales blowing air from their blowhole continuously as they circle towards the surface, creating a spiral of bubbles. Double loops consist of a deep, long loop of bubbles that herds the prey, followed by slapping the surface and then a smaller loop that prepares the final capture. Combinations of spiraling and looping have been recorded. After the humpbacks create the "nets", the whales swim into them with their mouths gaping and ready to swallow. Bubble-net feeding has also been observed in solitary humpbacks, which can consume more food per mouthful without tiring, particularly with low-density prey patches. Using network-based diffusion analysis , one study argued that whales learned lobtailing from other whales in
15860-490: The year. The islands are home to the Taan Forest, with a wide variety of large trees, including the Sitka spruce , western red cedar , yellow cedar ( Nootka cypress ), shore pine , western hemlock , mountain hemlock , western yew and red alder . The Flora of the Queen Charlotte Islands describes plants from the islands. Soils are variable. Peat is common in poorly drained flats and even on sloping ground in
15990-561: Was captured in Houston Stewart Channel near Ninstints , and Resolution , captured near Cumshewa Inlet . In both cases only one crewmember survived. In 1851, the Haida captured the Georgiana , a ship carrying gold prospectors, and held its crew for ransom for nearly two months. The islands played an important role during the maritime fur trade era of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. During most of that era
16120-486: Was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a National Historic site of Canada in 1981. The remains of a Haida village on the eastern side of the island — SG̱ang Gwaay Llnaagay — represent an outstanding example of a traditional Northwest Coast First Nations village site, complete with standing totem poles and the remains of cedar longhouses. Haida people have a continuing presence at SG̱ang Gwaay and four other village sites between May and September as part of
16250-569: Was near the Yakoun River , the largest on Graham Island. It was a popular tourist attraction until it was illegally cut down in 1997 as a protest against the industrial logging practices. From the spring of 1996 until November 30, 1997, a popular attraction for tourists to the islands was a male albino white raven . He lived around Port Clements and would commonly be seen taking food handouts from locals and visitors alike. He died after making contact with an electrical transformer. The white raven
16380-513: Was preserved by former Port Clements residents, taxidermists Roger Britten Sr. and Jr., and is on display in the Port Clements Historical Society's museum. The climate is oceanic ( Cfb ), except near the summit of Mount Moresby where the climate is subpolar oceanic ( Cfc ). It is very similar to the climate of the west coast of Scotland in terms of average temperatures and total year-round precipitation, but
16510-497: Was probably given by Brisson due to regular sightings of humpbacks off the coast of New England . Humpback whales are rorquals , members of the family Balaenopteridae , which includes the blue , fin , Bryde's , sei and minke whales . A 2018 genomic analysis estimates that rorquals diverged from other baleen whales in the late Miocene , between 10.5 and 7.5 million years ago. The humpback and fin whale were found to be sister taxon (see phylogenetic tree below). There
16640-454: Was proposed for classification as part of the Na-Dene family of languages on the basis of a few similarities with Athabaskan–Eyak–Tlingit. Many linguists, however, consider the evidence insufficient and continue to regard Haida as a language isolate . All 50 remaining speakers of Haida are over 70 years old. Telus and Gwaii Trust recently completed a project to bring broadband internet to
16770-426: Was that the formerly iron -deficient waters would produce more phytoplankton that would in turn produce more salmon . George hoped to finance the project by using the carbon sequestration effects of the new plankton as marketable carbon offsets . The project has been plagued by charges of unscientific procedures and recklessness. George contended that 100 tons of iron is negligible compared to what naturally enters
16900-467: Was the separate Colony of British Columbia . In July 2012, entrepreneur Russ George dispersed 100 short tons (91 t) of iron sulphate dust into the Pacific Ocean several hundred miles west of the islands of Haida Gwaii. The Old Massett Village Council was persuaded to finance this geoengineering experiment as a "salmon enhancement project" with $ 1 million in village funds. The concept
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