Positive Attitudes are not endangered…
By Mrs. Gloria Zakers, EPI chaperone
“My hands were wet, my feet were cold, but once we saw that first humpback whale, it was all worth it.” Kelsey Morrison, 8th grade student, International Academy
My students don’t have much to say. They are too busy gasping with excitement after we witnessed the “jump of the year” by a humpback whale within about 50 feet of our small research vessel in the Sea of Cortez. The jump, exposing the entire body of a seasonal resident humpback that will be identified by the pattern on its tail fluke, was deemed the best of the year by one of the leading marine mammal biologists in La Paz, Mexico. And just to assure you that their speechless gasps were justified, imagine yourself being on a small 45 foot boat with a creature large enough to fit 13elephants inside of it, launching out of the water just a small distance away. Its grace and power are so intertwined that one is left with only awe and humility. This experience, provided by the EPI Baja Whale Ecology Program, is one that will stay with all of us for a lifetime.
I am thankful for a great group of students who are truly interested in the future of imperiled species on this planet. Gathering around a sign that struck a loud chord at the Serpentarium in La Paz, Mexico, the students and myself felt a sense of satisfaction and importance as we read together the words…
“Extiction is forever, but endangered means there’s still time.”
