About Whale Insight

Whale Insight is an interactive visualization tool that displays detections of North Atlantic right whales in eastern Canadian waters. These detections are either visually observed by aerial and at-sea surveillance, or recorded with acoustic technologies. Whale Insight collects these detections from a variety of partners and groups that undertake monitoring and surveillance activities in Canadian waters.

Purpose

The North Atlantic right whale (or, right whale) is one of the most endangered species in the world with less than 375 individuals remaining. Since 2017, an unprecedented number of dead, injured, and sick right whales have been documented in Canada and the United States. Human-induced threats, such as entanglement in fishing gear and collisions with vessels, are the leading cause of most of these incidents and are significant contributors to the population’s decline. In response, the Government of Canada has adopted a suite of conservation measures, including fishing area closures and speed restrictions for vessels, aimed at reducing the risk of entanglements and collisions. Learn more about the North Atlantic right whale and what Canada is doing to protect them.

Whale Insight was launched in May 2022 to support Canada’s efforts to monitor and protect right whales in eastern Canadian waters. This tool collects visual and acoustic detections of right whales, and other large whales where possible, reported by researchers, partners, and communities throughout eastern Canada. Certain groups also provide Whale Insight with track lines, which depict where they have been actively looking for whales. These detections and track lines are reported and then displayed on two interactive interfaces (the summary map and advanced map) in near real-time, which is typically the same day the whales were originally detected.

Whale Insight has a unique and critical role in the protection of right whales. By focusing exclusively on near real-time data, this tool is able to support decision makers and research scientists in the day-to-day planning and implementation of research, management, and conservation activities along Canada’s East Coast. Near real-time information on the whereabouts of right whales is used each day to enact daily management measures, and to inform the various surveillance and research activities carried out throughout the region.

Since its inception, Whale Insight has strived to encourage trust, transparency, and collaboration within the growing inter-disciplinary community dedicated to the protection of the right whale. Whether by building meaningful partnerships or inspiring new whale detection technologies, Whale Insight remains committed to serving the community as a conservation, education, and outreach resource for all Canadians.

Data

The detections collected by Whale Insight come from a variety of sources, including Government of Canada surveillance and enforcement teams from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and Transport Canada. Whale Insight also receives data from external partners and trusted expert sources, as well as opportunistic reports from non-expert sources and members of the public. All detections displayed on Whale Insight, including opportunistic reports, are either contributed or validated by qualified marine mammal experts. Photo or video evidence is used where necessary to confirm these detections. Detections of right whales are reported to Whale Insight as soon as possible and are typically displayed within the same day. The summary map displays right whale detections in eastern Canadian waters from the past 14 days, while the advanced map displays all detections in eastern Canadian waters since May 2017. Both maps are updated every 30 minutes.

Whale Insight exchanges data with its counterpart in the United States, called WhaleMap, which displays near real-time detections of whales in Canada and the United States. Whale Insight shares all detections made by Canadian contributors with WhaleMap, who in turn shares any detections made by American contributors while in Canadian waters. Whale Insight and WhaleMap work closely with one another to provide coast-wide coverage of whale detection data to further right whale research, conservation, and management in both Canada and the United States.

Our partners

Whale Insight works collaboratively with several partners in Canada and the United States, including:

This list is not comprehensive. Please visit Whale Insight’s advanced map to view all past and present contributors.

Acknowledgements

Whale Insight is modeled after WhaleMap, which was developed by Dr. Hansen Johnson as part of the MEOPAR-WHALE project at Dalhousie University. More detailed information is available in the WhaleMap publication.

More information

Date modified:: 2025-06-11

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