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Novel technologies for detecting and monitoring large-bodied animals – or ‘megafauna’ – are becoming increasingly important for assessing presence, abundance, density, distribution, and health status, and for mitigating threats to at-risk species. Recent work globally has shown that marine megafauna such as baleen whales can be successfully detected using very high resolution (VHR) satellite imagery, allowing for scientific studies, monitoring, and forecasting in remote and inaccessible areas. In the Northeast Pacific, numerous megafauna species – such as the Blue Whale, the Fin Whale, the Grey Whale, the Humpback Whale, and the Basking Shark – are listed under Canada’s Species at Risk Act (SARA) as either Endangered, Threatened, or of Special Concern. New technologies are needed to supplement traditional survey methods, to support a greater understanding of these species and their habitats in Pacific waters and to work towards the survival and recovery of these iconic species.
