WDCS mourns the death of Jon Lien
On behalf of all at WDCS we wish to pass our condolences onto the family and friends of Jon Lien.
A professor at Memorial University, Lien spent years researching and championing whales in the waters around Newfoundland and Labrador, and worked for decades with fishermen on freeing whales that had become trapped in gear.
As Regina from our North American office says "I never did get to meet him but he truly was one of the 'whale gods'." Rest in Peace Jon Lien
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Jon was a good friend. In 1983 I approached him and his group at Memorial University in Newfoundland and he, and all of his students, were incredibly open and generous and spent days and weeks helping me on the section on Newfoundland in The Whale Watcher's Handbook. There were many other such collaborations in the years that followed. He was a pioneer in many ways in the whale field, someone who truly blended the science and the caring for the individual animals. If someone hasn't done it already, we should name a whale after him, to help carry on his spirit. There are an awful lot of humpbacks out there who owe their lives to him. Humpback whales should create a 'Jon Lien award'. Of all his talents, how wonderful to be a champion 'whale saver'.