Salish Sea Wildlife
An interactive marine conservation platform enabling the public to explore, identify, and connect with whales, dolphins, seals, and otters in British Columbia's coastal waters through real-time data and live hydrophone feeds.
Visit Live SiteThe Challenge
The Salish Sea is home to 13 species of marine mammals, including endangered orca populations, yet public awareness and engagement with these animals remained limited. There was no centralized, accessible platform that combined species education, real-time sighting data, habitat mapping, and live ocean audio to foster meaningful connection with marine wildlife.
Our Solution
We built a comprehensive Next.js application integrating multiple data sources including BC's CRIMS (Coastal Resource Information Management System) for habitat data, iNaturalist for community sightings, and Ocean Networks Canada's hydrophone network for live underwater audio. The platform features an interactive species guide with 13 detailed profiles, an identification wizard that helps users identify observed animals, a dynamic map showing species distribution and recent sightings, and a live listening experience connecting six underwater microphone stations.
Key Results
- Interactive map with BC CRIMS habitat data and iNaturalist sighting integration
- Live hydrophone streaming from 6 underwater stations across the Salish Sea
- Species identification wizard with confidence-based matching
- Bilingual support (English/French) for broader accessibility
- 13 detailed species profiles with conservation status tracking
Tech Stack
Next.js
Tailwind
Vercel