Condolences and memories are pouring in for a pioneer and legend of the whale world.
The Center for Whale Research announced the death of founder and longtime leader Ken Balcomb with a web post Dec. 15.
Balcomb, 82, was surrounded by friends and loved ones in his final hours.
A scientist with a deep-rooted love and connection to the whales and their ocean habitat, Balcomb spent nearly 50 years in whale research and advocacy. He inspired others to appreciate both as much as he did, the Centre for Whale Research said in its post 含羞草研究社� an assertion supported in the flood of condolences.
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含羞草研究社淚 have known about Ken since I was very young. He inspired me to action my love for orcas and to join the fight when I grew older for the southern resident orcas. He has been a grandfather to the orcas and he has always kept his spirits up despite the challenges the orcas are facing,含羞草研究社� one post reads.
Balcomb spent much of his career documenting the lives of the southern resident orca population in the Salish Sea. His groundbreaking orca survey study determined that the resident orcas needed more food abundance in a healthy habitat to survive.
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For over four decades, the Washington State non-profit Balcomb founded, Center for Whale Research, has conducted an annual photo-identification study of the Salish Sea含羞草研究社檚 southern resident killer whale population. It provides unprecedented baseline information about population dynamics and demography, health, social structure, and individual life histories of these orcas.
In the announcement of his death, the board of directors and staff committed to Balcomb含羞草研究社檚 life含羞草研究社檚 work.
含羞草研究社淜en含羞草研究社檚 goal was always for CWR含羞草研究社檚 research to continue for 150 years, provided there were whales to study. All of us at CWR share Ken含羞草研究社檚 vision and mission to preserve and protect the magnificent southern resident killer whales. He often said about the critically endangered southern residents: 含羞草研究社業含羞草研究社檓 not going to count them to zero, at least not quietly.含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫
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