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Highlights

Highlights​

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Through long term individual identification and genomic analysis, determined new distinct population of gray whales summering along North American coast

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Produced catalog of gray whale identification
on the Vancouver Island coast 

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Produced the classic film Island of Whales, RETURNING and Society of Crows for television

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Co-sponsored an annual Marine Mammal Symposium at the University of British Columbia

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PWLF (formerly the West Coast Whale Research Foundation) produced the first scientific descriptions of humpback, gray, and killer whales in British Columbia, helping spark public interest that eventually led to today’s whale-watching industry.

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Collaborated with Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea in a year-long art show called Drawing Connections seen by over 70,000 visitors which summarized conservation accomplishments and hope in the Salish Sea

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Partnered in the BC Breeding Bird Atlas, the most comprehensive survey of birds in British Columbia

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Supported and supervised university graduate students

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Led thousands of school age students by boat to experience marine life

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Established a floating marine research and education centre with Simon Fraser University and Reed Point Marina

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Chaired and administered the Vancouver International Bird Festival in collaboration with the 27th International Ornithological Congress to hold the largest gathering of bird scientists and the public in the world

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Produced a 30-year review of conservation on the internationally important Fraser River Delta as a technical document for conservation policy of Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture

Science-Journals-Books

Science Journals & Books

  • Acebes, J. V., J. D. Darling, and M. Yamaguchi. 2007. Status and distribution of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in northern Luzon, Philippines. Journal of Cetacean Management 9(1): 37-43.

  • Beland, S.L., McLeod, B.A., Martin, J. Martin, G.M., Darling, J.D. and Frasier, T.R. 2018. Species composition of First Nation whaling hunts in Clayoquot Sound region of Vancouver Island as estimated through genetic analyses. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 17: 235-241.

  • Butler, R.W., D. W. Bradley and James Casey. 2021. The status, ecology and conservation of internationally important bird populations on the Fraser River Delta, British Columbia, Canada. British Columbia Birds 32, 54 pp.

  • Butler, R.W, R. MacVicar and S. Hollick-Kenyon. 2017. Observation of a super pod of Pacific Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena vomerina) in the Salish Sea. Northwest Naturalist 98:137-138.

  • Calambokidis, J., J.D. Darling, V. Deeke, P.Gerrin, M. Gosho, W. Megill, C.M. Tombach, D. Goley, C. Toropova, and B. Gisborne. 2002. Abundance, range and movements of a feeding aggregation of gray whales (Eschritius robustus) from California to southeast Alaska in 1998. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 4(3): 267-271

  • Calambokidis, J., G.H. Steiger, K. Rasmussen, J. Urban, K.C. Balcomb, P. Ladron de Guevara, M. Salinas, J.K. Jacobsen, C.S. Baker, L.M. Herman, S. Cerchio, J. Darling. 2000. Migratory destinations of humpback whales that feed off California, Oregon and Washington. Marine Ecology Progress Series 192:295-304.

  • Calambokidis, J. G.H. Seiger, J.R. Evenson, K.R. Flynn, K.C. Balcomb, D.E. Claridge, P. Bloedel, J.M. Straley, C.S. Baker, O. von Ziegesar, M.E. Dalheim, J.M. Waite, J.D. Darling, G.Ellis, and G.A. Green. 1996. Interchange and isolation of humpback whales off California and other North Pacific feeding grounds. Marine Mammal Science 12(2):215-226.

  • Darling, J.D., Acebes, J.M.V., Frey, O. Urban, R.J., and Yamaguchi, M. In Press. Convergence and divergence of songs suggests ongoing, but annually variable, mixing of humpback whale populations throughout the North Pacific. In Press. Scientific Reports.àDarling, J.D. 2015. Low frequency, ca. 40 Hz, pulse trains recorded in the humpback whale assembly in Hawaii. Journal Acoustic Society of America 138 (5).

  • Darling, J.D., J.M. Acebes and M. Yamaguchi. 2014. Similarity yet a range of differences between humpback whale songs recorded in Philippines, Japan and Hawaii in 2006. Aquatic Biology 21:93 107.

  • Darling, J. D., M. E. Jones, and C. P. Nicklin. 2012. Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) singers in Hawaii are attracted to playback of similar song. Journal Acoustic Society of America 132 (5): 2955-2958.

  • Darling, J.D., M. E. Jones and C. P. Nicklin. 2006. Humpback whale songs: Do they organize males during the breeding season? Behaviour 143, 1051-1101.

  • Darling, J.D. and R.S. Sousa-Lima. 2005. Songs indicate interaction between humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) populations in the western and eastern South Atlantic ocean. Marine Mammal Science, 21(3): 557-566.

  • Darling, J.D. 2002. Song. In: Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals, Eds. W.F. Perrin, B. Wursig and J.G.M. Thewissen. Academic Press, pp. 1124-1126.

  • Darling, J.D. and M. Berube. 2001. Interactions of singing humpback whales with other males. Marine Mammal Science, 17(3): 570-584.

  • Darling, J.D., K. E. Keogh and T.M. Steeves. 1998. Gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) habitat utilization and prey species off Vancouver Island, B.C. Marine Mammal Science, 14(4): 692-720.

  • Darling, J.D. J. Calambokidis, K.C. Balcomb, P. Bloedel, K. Flynn, A. Mochizuki, K. Mori, F. Sato, H. Suganuma and M. Yamaguchi. 1996. Movement of a humpback whale from Japan to B.C. and return. Marine Mammal Science 12(2): 281-287.

  • Darling, J.D. and K.E. Keogh. 1994. Observations of basking sharks (Cetorhinus maximus) in Clayoquot Sound, British Columbia. Canadian Field Naturalist 108(2): 199-210.

  • Darling, J.D. and K. Mori. 1993. Recent observations of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Japanese waters, Ogasawara and Okinawa. Canadian Journal of Zoology 71: 325 333.

  • Darling, J.D. and S. Cerchio. 1993. Movement of a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) between Japan and Hawaii. Marine Mammal Science 9(1): 84 91.

  • Darling, J.D., and H. Morowitz. 1986. Census of “Hawaiian” humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) by individual identification. Canadian Journal of Zoology 64:105 111. 

  • Darling, J.D., and D.J. McSweeney. 1985. Observations on the migrations of North Pacific humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Canadian Journal of Zoology 63: 308 314.

  • Darling, J.D. 1984. Gray whales off Vancouver Island, British Columbia. In: The Gray Whale Eschrictius robustus. Ed. by: Jones, M.L., S.L. Swartz. and S. Leatherwood. Academic Press, New York. pp. 267 287.

  • Darling, J.D., and C.M. Jurasz. 1983. Migratory destinations of North Pacific humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). In: Communication and Behavior of Whales. Ed. by R. Payne. AAAS Selected Symposia Series. Westview Press, Boulder, CO. pp. 359 368.

  • Darling, J.D., K.M. Gibson, and G.K. Silber. 1983. Observations on the abundance and behavior of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) off West Maui, Hawaii, 1977 79. In: Communication and Behavior of Whales. Ed. by R. Payne. AAAS Selected Symposia Series. Westview Press, Boulder, CO. pp. 359 368.

  • D’Intino, A.M., J.D. Darling, J. Urban R. and T.R. Frasier. 2013. Lack of nuclear differentiation suggests reproductive connectivity between the ‘southern feeding group’ and the larger population of eastern North Pacific gray whales, despite previous detection of mitochondrial differences. J. Cetacean Res. Manage. 13(2): 97-104.

  • Frasier, T. R., S. M. Koroscil, B. N. White and J. D. Darling. 2011. Assessment of population substructure in relation to summer feeding ground use in the eastern North Pacific gray whale. Endangered Species Research 14: 39-48.

  • Gabriele, C.M., J.M. Straley, S.A. Mizroch, C.S.Baker, A.S.Craig, L.M. Herman, D. Glockner-Ferarri, M.J. Ferrari, S. Cerchio, O. von Ziegesar, J. Darling, D. McSweeney, T. J. Quinn II, and J. Jacobsen. 2001. Estimating the mortality rate of humpback whale calves in the central North Pacific Ocean. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 79: 589-600.

  • Gemmell, G. L., McInnes, J. D., Heinrichs, S. J., & de Silva Wijeyeratne, G. 2015. Killer whale (Orcinus orca) predation on whales in Sri Lankan waters. Aquatic Mammals 41: 265.

  • Hatler, D.F. and J.D. Darling. 1974. Recent observations of the gray whale in British Columbia. Canadian Field Naturalist 88: 449 459.

  • Jardine, C.B., A.L. Bond, P.J.A. Davidson, R.W. Butler, and T. Kuwae. 2015. Biofilm consumption and variable diet composition of Western Sandpipers (Calidris mauri) during migratory stopover. PLoS One. (April 14, 2015).

  • Jones, I.M., R.W. Butler, and R.C. Ydenberg. 2013. Recent switch by the Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias fannini in the Pacific northwest to associative nesting with Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) to gain predator protection. Canadian Journal of Zoology 91: 489-495.

  • McInnes, J.D., Buckmaster, J.N., Cullen, K.D., Mathieson, C.R., & Tawes, J.P. 2020. Intentional stranding by mammal-hunting killer whales (Orcinus orca) in the Salish Sea. Aquatic Mammals 46: 556-560.

  • Middleton, H.A., RW Butler and P.D. Davidson. 2018. Waterbirds alter their distribution and behavior in the presence of Bald Eagles (Haliaetus leucocephalus). Northwest Naturalist 99:21-30.

  • Mizroch, S.A., L.M. Herman, J.M. Straley, D.A. Glockner-Ferrari, C. Jurasz, J. Darling, S. Cerchio, C.M. Gabriele, D.R. Salden, and O. von Ziegesar. 2004. Estimating the adult survival rate of central North Pacific humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae). Journal of Mammalogy, 85(5):963-972.

  • Reiter, M. E., E. Palacios, D. Eusse-Gonzalez, R. Johnston González, P. Davidson, D. W. Bradley, R. Clay, K. M. Strum, J. Chu, B. A. Barbaree, C. M. Hickey, D. B. Lank, M. Drever, R. C. Ydenberg and R. Butler. 2020. A monitoring framework for assessing threats to nonbreeding shorebirds on the Pacific Coast of the Americas. Avian Conservation and Ecology 15 (2):7.

  • Steeves, T.E., J.D. Darling, P.E. Rosel, C.M. Schaeff and R.C. Fleischer. 2001. Preliminary analysis of mitochrondrial DNA variation in a southern feeding group of eastern North Pacific gray whales. Conservation Genetics 2: 379-384.

  • Rowntree, V., J. Darling, G. Silber and M. Ferrari. 1980. Rare sighting of a right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) in Hawaii. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 58(2): 309 312.

Reports

Reports

Theses

Theses

  • Middleton, H.A. 2014. The influence of intensive land use types on the foraging distribution of ducks wintering in the Fraser River Delta, British Columbia. PhD thesis, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University,

  • Jones, I.M. 2009. Associative nesting behaviour between Pacific great blue herons and bald eagles in the Pacific Northwest: testing the predator protection hypothesis. MSc thesis, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.

Technical

Technical Reports

  • Butler, R.W. and R.S. MacVicar. 2013. Field Observations of Gray Whales in Boundary Bay, British Columbia 1991-2012. Pacific WildLife Foundation Technical Report Number 2.

  • Butler, R.W., R. MacVicar and R. Foster. 2011. Attempts to restore eelgrass (Zostera marina) in Port Moody Inlet, British Columbia. Pacific WildLife Foundation Technical Report 1, Port Moody, B.C.

  • Darling, J.D. and R.W. Butler. 2013. Important Cetacean Areas. Pacific WildLife Foundation, Technical Report Number 3. Port Moody, BC.

  • Darling, J.D. 2001. Characterization of behavior of humpback whales in Hawaiian waters. Unpublished report. Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. 55pp.

  • Darling, J.D. 1992. Management for a living Hesquiat Harbour. Compilation of existing knowledge and preliminary assessment of resources and habitat. Unpublished report prepared for The Hesquiat First Nation and Conservation International/Ecotrust. 188 pp.

  • Darling, J.D. 1991. Humpback whales in Japanese waters Ogasawara and Okinawa. Fluke Identification Catalog 1987 1990. Available: World Wide Fund for Nature Japan or West Coast Whale Research Foundation, Vancouver. 56 pp.

  • Darling, J.D. and K. Keogh. 1990. Clayoquot Sound Biological Diversity Study Literature Review. Unpublished report. Steering Committee for Sustainable Development, Tofino, B.C. 87 pp.

  • Darling, J.D. 1989. Survey for Nestucca Oil in Sediments of Selected Gray Whale Feeding Sites. Contract: DFO/PBS 041 Part 1. Unpublished report. Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Nanaimo, B.C. 11 pp.

  • Darling, J.D. 1989. Monitoring of Potential Changes in Migratory or Feeding Behaviour of Gray Whales Due to the Nestucca Oil Spill. Unpublished report. Contract: DFO/PBS 041 Part 2. Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Nanaimo, B.C. 11 pp.

  • Darling, J.D. 1988. Whale Watching in Ogasawara, Japan. Unpublished report. Ogasawara Village
    Government. Ogasawara, Japan. 33 pp.

  • Darling, J.D. 1986. Robson Bight Ecological Reserve Management Plan. An assessment of the impacts of human activities on the killer whales of Robson Bight Ecological Reserve with management guidelines. Ecological Reserves Program. Ministry of Environment and Parks, Victoria B.C. 83 pp.

  • Darling, J.D. 1983. Migration, abundance and behavior of Hawaiian humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Ph.D. thesis. University of California Santa Cruz. 147 pp.

  • Darling, J.D. 1978. Aspects of the behavior and ecology of the Vancouver Island gray whales, Eschrictius robustus Cope. M.Sc. thesis. University of Victoria, B.C. 200 pp.

  • Darling, J.D. 1978. Abundance and behavior of gray whales that spend the summer off the west coast of Vancouver Island. SC/30/Doc. 37. Presented to the I.W.C. Scientific Committee, June 1978.

  • Darling, J.D. 1973. The Pacific gray whale (Eschrictius glaucus Cope). A bibliography and literature review. Unpublished report. National and Historic Parks Branch, Western Region. Calgary, Alberta. 193 pp.

  • Reeves, R.R., R.L. Brownell, A. Burdin, J.C. Cooke, J.D. Darling, G.P. Donovan, F.M.D. Gulland, S.E.

  • Moore, D.P. Nowacek, T.J. Ragen, R.G.Steiner, G.R. VanBlaricom, A. Vedenev, A.V. Yablakov. 2005. Report of the independent scientific review panel on the impacts of Sakhalin II Phase 2 on Western North Pacific Gray Whales and Related Biodiversity. IUCN. Gland, Swithzerland and Cambridge, UK 1-123 pp.

  • Darling, J.D. 2009. Hawaii’s Humpbacks Unveiling the Mysteries. Granville Island Press, Vancouver
    B.C. 240pp.

  • Darling, J.D. 1999. Gray Whales. Colin Baxter Photography, Grantown-on-Spy, Scotland. 72pp.

  • Darling, J.D. 1995. Seiners of the Sea. In: J.D. Darling, C.F. Nicklin, K.S. Norris, H. Whitehead & B. Wursig, Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises. National Geographic Society: Washington, DC. pp. 87-137.

  • Darling, J.D. 1990. With the Whales. Northword Press. Minocqua, Wisconsin. 158 pp.

  • Darling, J.D. 1987. Wild Whales Humpback, Gray and Killer Whales. SummerWild Productions, Vancouver. 96 pp.

  • McInnes, J.D., Mathieson, C. R., West-Stap, P. J., Marcos, S. L., Wade, V. L., Moore, J. E., and Olson, P. A. 2020. Recent trends in the ecology of transient killer whales in Monterey Bay, California 2006-2018. Poster presented at: CalCOFI Conference 2020: Understanding unprecedented changes in California’s marine and coastal environment; December 1-2, 2020; online

  • McInnes, J.D., C.R. Mathieson, P.J. West-Stap, S.L. Marcos, V.L. Wade, P.A. Olson and A.W. Trites. 2021. Transient killer whales of central and northrn California andOregon: a catalog of photo-identified individuals. NOAA Technical Memo NMFS, Washington.

© 2026 Pacific Wildlife Foundation is a federal not-for-profit society with charitable status registered in Canada (#891381444RR0001)

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