Today we’d like to introduce you to Denis Tuzinovic, who is part of our Wavemakers monthly giving group as well as a dedicated volunteer!
We recently had the chance to ask Denis about his passion for marine life, and why he was motivated to get so involved with SR³:
What initially inspired you to support SR³? When I moved to Seattle, I always assumed that there would be a designated hospital for injured marine animals. Learning more about our area, I found out that this was not the case. Following SR³’s work not only opened my eyes to issues that marine wildlife face, but it also helped educate me on what I could do to help in my everyday life.
What’s your favorite part of supporting SR³ every month as a Wavemaker? As a volunteer, I have seen firsthand how much effort goes into operating the hospital. Knowing that my gifts are helping benefit all of this work to give injured marine animals another chance is incredibly inspiring to me.
What do you wish other people knew about protecting marine wildlife?
Keep your distance! Sometimes we tend to forget this when we see marine wildlife, and the end result is unnecessary harm to an animal. You can still appreciate wildlife from a distance.Why should others consider supporting marine wildlife rescue and research?
There is so much impacting our oceans and the Salish Sea today that, without research and rescue, we wouldn’t know the effects on our marine life. We are fortunate to have a designated marine animal hospital in our state that can treat those injured and release them back to the wild.Without public support, we also wouldn’t have a lot of important information available to us. For example, SR³ is using photogrammetry studies to assess the Southern Resident killer whale (SRKW) population. This gives us insight into the health of the SRKW population and identifies pregnant whales who need extra protection, which is super important since the population is not doing so well.
What’s your favorite marine animal species in the Salish Sea?
Killer Whales! I have been fortunate enough to see the J-Pod from land at Lime Kiln Point. I have had a fascination with killer whales ever since I was a kid and seeing them in person was magical!
From enchanting killer whales to darling seal pups, all of these marine animals are depending on us for a second chance. And it’s easier than you might think to join Denis in helping save lives every month!
Thank you to all of our Wavemakers out there whose steady waves of support are rescuing and protecting marine animals all year long!