The highlight for school groups that participate in Huntsman field courses in the fall is usually a trip to Grand Manan Island to go whale watching. While on the island one of the places that our groups always visit is the Gaskin Museum of Marine Life operated by the Grand Manan Whale and Seabird Research Station (GMWSRS). The museum is small but packed with interesting items including a bluefin tuna skull, marine mammal skeletons, seabird specimens, a ton of preserved marine invertebrates, and a great gift shop that helps to fund their research programs. If you are lucky Laurie Murison will be staffing the museum. Laurie is a marine biologist that has been studying whales and other marine life in the Bay of Fundy for almost 30 years. She is an amazing source of knowledge and is especially passionate about the endangered North Atlantic Right Whale.
Check out the GMWSRS website for information about Bay of Fundy marine mammals and seabirds, www.gmwsrs.org.
Want to plan a trip for your class that includes a visit to Grand Manan and the museum? Visit our website for more information, www.huntsmanmarine.ca/html/education.html.
Grey seal
Harbour porpoise
Humpback whale flipper
Laurie speaking with students outside the museum.
