'It's really exciting': Rare white orca spotted on northern Vancouver Island
Orca sightings on Vancouver Island aren't rare, but they're always thrilling, and that was especially true for a group of aquaculture workers on the North Island this week.
Mike Dobbs was one of a dozen Mowi Canada employees mesmerized by a rare white orca and its mother. The cetaceans had come extremely close to shore in Beaver Cove, near the village of Telegraph Cove, B.C.
"We didn’t understand what the white whale was," Dobbs said. "We didn’t recognize it as an orca at first. (Our) first concern and (the) first alarming thing was that they were on the beach."
Researchers have named the white whale "Frostbite." The animal was born in 2019, and is part of a group of outer coast transient killer whales never spotted in B.C. before, according to researcher Josh McInnes.
"It’s not unexpected to see these groups (of whales) hunting around harbour seal haulouts or sea lion haulouts, but for this particular group of whales who spend most of their time in deep waters off of California or Oregon, we don’t see them in close proximity to land," McInnes said.
He said the white calf and its mother are included in a new catalogue of 155 whales he has spent the last six years compiling.
"We’ve never had a report of (these two) outside of California," he said. "This showed an interesting trend for a new mother. She might just be exploring, getting to know other transient groups for potential mating purposes … It’s really exciting."
McInnes said the Beaver Cove sighting was important and rare, something that didn't occur to Dobbs as he was recording it.
"The gravity of what I’d witnessed didn’t hit me until much later that evening when I was decompressing and people were reaching out to me," Dobbs said.
According to McInnes, Frostbite, its mother and the rest of the outer coast transients are expected to be back on their way to California soon.
With files from CTV News Vancouver Island's Gord Kurbis
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
New charges for Ont. woman who previously admitted to defrauding doulas
The Brantford, Ont. woman who was previously sentenced to house arrest after admitting to deceiving doulas has been charged again in connection to a new victim.