Endangered North Pacific Right Whale spotted in B.C., only 4th time in 70 years
An endangered North Pacific Right Whale was spotted in the waters off Haida Gwaii for only the fourth time in roughly 70 years, according to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).
The federal government's online profile of the species says fewer than 50 North Pacific Right Whales are expected to live off the coast of Canada, in the southeastern portion of the Bering Sea – and overall, fewer than 250 adult whales of the species are expected to be alive today.
Researchers Jared Towers and James Pilkington recorded the whale off the west coast of Haida Gwaii on Tuesday, according to a social media post from Towers.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada says it was only the fourth sighting of the rare whale in Canadian waters since 1951. Three of those sightings took place relatively recently, since 2013.
Towers says the images, videos and samples that were taken this week will help determine if the same whale has been seen in Alaska or Russia before, what type of copepods it was recently feeding on, what sex the whale is, and if it is pregnant.
"It’s been over a century since most of this whale’s ancestors were all harpooned, but Right Whales in the North Pacific are still near the brink of extinction," wrote Towers.
The federal government says that Right Whales in the North Atlantic "are at particular risk due to collisions from ships and entanglement in fishing gear, and the same is likely true of North Pacific Right Whales."
"The North Pacific Right Whale is the rarest species of large cetacean and may number fewer than 100 animals," says the Government of Canada.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.