Thursday, March 28, 2024

Two whales found dead near Vancouver Island this week

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The bodies of two whale were found in the waters near Vancouver Island this week.

One humpback whale body washed up in the shallow waters of B.C. Ferries’ Tsawwassen terminal on Friday, and the body of a young orca was found on a beach on Nootka Island on Wednesday.

The humpback whale was discovered this morning, and the Department of Oceans and Fisheries (DFO) are currently responding to the incident. A necropsy will later be performed to determine the marine mammal’s cause of death.

Meanwhile, B.C. Ferries says their sailings will remain uninterrupted, though they are saddened by the whale’s passing.

The young orca corpse was found on Wednesday by a hiker near Beano Creek on Nootka Island.

Soon after it was discovered, the DFO brought the body to Gold River where Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation members performed a ceremony.

The DFO will also be performing a necropsy for the calf to determine its cause of death and which orca population it came from.

According to Fisheries and Oceans, only about 74 southern-resident killer whales remain, and they are considered critically endangered.

Earlier this month, the federal government announced an investment of $61.5 million to protect these cetaceans.

In October, Victorians held a 17-day vigil in honour of a mother orca who carried her dead calf for 17 days through the Salish Sea.

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Adam Chan
Former Staff Writer at Victoria Buzz.

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