DFO investigating dead porpoise found near Victoria
Authorities are investigating Wednesday after the body of a porpoise was discovered on a beach near Victoria.
The discovery at Esquimalt Lagoon in Colwood, B.C., was first reported to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) as a beached killer whale. But fisheries officers on scene determined it was actually the body of a Dall's porpoise, a species commonly found off the West Coast.
"We don't see them a whole lot in this area, especially inshore here," said Willi Jansen, an officer with the DFO's whale protection unit out of Victoria.
While the animal appeared to have some lacerations on its body, the DFO says it's too early to determine the cause of death.
The porpoise was loaded into a DFO truck Wednesday afternoon with the help of some beachgoers, and will be transported to a provincial lab in the Vancouver area.
"It will go back into our freezer and then be taken over to the Lower Mainland to the vet there to do a full necropsy to figure out how it died," said Jansen.
She estimated the animal weighed approximately 300 to 400 pounds.
"It was too big even for the body bag that we had so we put it on a stretcher and carried it up with the help of the public, which was much appreciated," Jansen told CTV News.
The DFO asks the public to report similar discoveries to its fisheries hotline at 1-800-465-4336.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.