Paul Spong, Ph.D.

Founder and Co-Director OrcaLab

Originally from New Zealand, Paul is a neuroscientist and cetologist who has immersed himself in orca research since the 1960’s.  Early in his career he studied the captive orcas, Hyak and Skana, at the Vancouver Aquarium where he grew to appreciate their intellect and exceptional use of sound.  Paul later advocated to keep whales out of captivity, and in 1970 founded OrcaLab, with the goal of studying marine mammals without interfering in their lives and habitat.   He and his assistants share their research findings from remote Hanson Island in British Columbia, Canada via live streams on the internet.