'Not what I wanted to find': Dead whale that washed up in B.C. will aid researchers
Warning: This story contains graphic photos.
A gruesome and awe-inspiring discovery was made in the frigid waters off northern Vancouver Island this weekend.
A bloated dead humpback whale was discovered on the coast of Malcolm Island, B.C., just north of Port McNeill.
The whale was found on Sunday during what was a usual drive for Andrew Pinch, a resident of Sointula, a village on Malcolm Island.
"I thought it was a rock," Pinch told CTV News. But the shape became clearer as he got closer.
"Oh my god, it is a dead whale," he can be heard saying on his vehicle dashcam.
The discovery, while sad, is also incredibly rare and valuable to researchers.
"So often dead whales sink to the bottom of the ocean whereby we lose the realities of how they died," said Jackie Hildering with the Marine Education and Research Society.
But something brought this whale here. The whale has been identified as "Spike," a humpback that was first spotted in B.C. waters in 2018.
Jackie Hildering is pictured with the whale body. (Marine Education and Research Society)
Hildering was the first one in the water to assess the whale.
The first order of business was to make sure Spike didn't float away.
"I was trying in the surf zone to get a rope around her tail," said Hildering.
CAUSE OF DEATH
The researcher says she's had time to study the humpback, and there's no obvious wounds on the surface.
"There's nothing on the outside of her body that suggests entanglement," said Hildering.
A full necropsy will be performed in the coming days, led by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The Marine Education and Research Society will also assist as needed.
The necropsy will hopefully reveal what caused the whale to die. Some options include disease or blunt force trauma – which is often caused by a vessel.
Cruise ships and commercial boats frequently pass by the area, and Hildering notes that all vessel collisions and entanglements have to be reported in Canada.
The deceased humpback whale is pictured. (Marine Education and Research Society)
Pinch did the right thing contacting officials, she says.
"It's not what I wanted to find," said the island resident.
And saying goodbye to an intelligent and spiritual animal is never something a community wants to do.
The Namgis First Nation will hold a cultural ceremony for the whale, which will also remind everyone involved of the appropriate weight of what must be done for the necropsy and other next steps, according to Hildering.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.