Dylan Smyth, MSc Student
Cetacean Conservation Program Associate

Dylan is an aquatic sciences technician with a focus on marine mammal ecology and conservation. After graduating in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science, Dylan spent several years working on various projects involving juvenile salmon survival before switching gears to marine mammals. He loves being on the water, playing with boats, drones, and various other scientific toys. His keen interest, and ear, for marine mammal acoustics has given him the privilege of working with a variety of organizations such as OrcaLab, Ocean Wise, and DFO.

After nearly 10 years of field work up and down British Columbia’s coastline, Dylan is now returning to school to pursue a Masters degree with the University of the Algarve in Portugal. Working closely in collaboration with Raincoast and Simon Fraser University, his research will investigate the effects of anthropogenic noise on southern resident killer whale call type selection.

dylan [at] raincoast [dot] org

Recent articles

The camera is partially underwater, showing a chum salmon under the water and vegetation and mountains above the water.

Canada has the policy tools to protect Pacific salmon. Why aren’t they working?

A new peer-reviewed perspective examines why decades of ambitious conservation…

A side profile of a turkey vulture seen from above with the ocean and trees in the background.

When turkey vultures attack

How a bird with incredible aim almost ended a day…

A wolf in sillhouette walks out over an intertidal zone, with a giant expanse of mud and rocks and seaweed and a forest looming in the background.

Wolves role in healthy ecosystems 

Protecting wolves protects the ecological processes that sustain life across…

A Raincoast staff educates a group of youth gathered around

Learning from the land and each other

Five transformative days filled with immersive learning and healing in…

A shoreline along the Fraser is seen at dusk, the land covered with rocks and a bridge and power lines in the background towards the horizon.

Marsh restoration projects in the Lower Fraser River; Shaughnessy Street Park

The Fraser River estuary should be a thriving ecosystem for…

A killer whale surfaces and breathes a spout into the grey dark cloud backgrounds.

Unlocking large-scale killer whale analysis

Understanding how machine learning is profoundly transforming research efficiency and…

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