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
Air traveller complaints to Canadian Transportation Agency hit new high
The Canadian Transportation Agency has hit a record high of more than 71,000 complaints in a backlog. The quasi-judicial regulator and tribunal tasked with settling disputes between customers and the airlines says the backlog is growing because the number of incoming complaints keeps increasing.
LIVE @ 1:15 PT B.C. premier to give announcement related to public drug use
B.C.'s premier is scheduled to give an update Friday about public drug use in the province.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
AFN chief says Air Canada offered a 15% discount after her headdress was mishandled
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.
76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid says he has Bell's palsy
Philadelphia 76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis he says has affected him since before the play-in tournament.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.