The official celebration of the Sister Sanctuary partnership between the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (SBNMS) in Massachusetts and the Santuario de Mamiferos Marinos de la República Dominicana(SMMRD—Marine Mammal Sanctuary of the Dominican Republic) took place in the Dominican Republic during the last week of June.
As part of the sister sanctuary initiative, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) and the Dolphin Fleet whale watch company are commemorating the event throughout this summer in Provincetown, MA. In December 2006, the SBNMS, and SMMRD entered a formal partnership marking an unprecedented sister sanctuary agreement, which will provide protection for endangered humpback whales at both ends of their migratory range. SBNMS, which is located just six miles north of Cape Cod and headquartered in Situate, is the principal feeding ground of the US managed Gulf of Maine stock of humpbacks and the SMMRD is the principal mating and breeding ground of this stock.
"The humpbacks that we see feeding here, such as Reflection, migrate 1500 miles south to the warm waters off the Dominican Republic each winter to mate and calve. In fact, it is likely that is where Reflection's new calf was born, sometime between January and March of this year" said Regina Asmutis-Silvia, WDCS Senior Biologist. "The calf then had to migrate back north with Reflection to learn where to feed while her mother gained weight after giving birth in waters where little food is available." While in the Stellwagen Sanctuary, Reflection gorges on up to a ton of food per day, while her calf daily nurses 40-60 gallons of milk.
The preoccupation of feeding, nursing, migrating, mating, calving and surviving often leave these animals vulnerable to interactions with vessels, fishing gear and pollution at both ends of their journey as well as during their journey up the US east coast. Just this season, two endangered humpbacks and an endangered sei whale were found in, or near the Stellwagen Bank Sanctuary—all had signs of blunt trauma suggesting vessel strike. A protected minke whale was also found dead in the Sanctuary with fishing gear entangling it.
To help promote the Sanctuary Partnership, WDCS is sponsoring the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary's interactive educational exhibit. The exhibit will be displayed in the Dolphin Fleet gift shop through October 2007. The exhibit will be staffed by Dolphin Fleet interns, two of whom are from the Dominican Republic. The DR intern program (sponsored by Cetacean Society International) is a very important part of the research, conservation, and cultural exchange program the Dolphin Fleet has put in place to support the Sister Sanctuary initiative.
According to Dr. Carole Carlson, Director of Research and Education for the Dolphin Fleet, "Education is the most important way we have to protect these animals. If we can teach people about them, and about each other, we will have succeeded on multiple levels."
Source: WDCS and The Dolphin Fleet
