Latest news with #greywhale
CBC
14-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Tla-o-qui-aht members harvest grey whale carcass washed ashore on Vancouver Island
Social Sharing A Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Park guardian says the death of a grey whale that drifted ashore on Vancouver Island near Tofino, B.C., last week, though unfortunate, became an opportunity for community members to engage in their culture. "I hope that this doesn't happen again, but also it was a huge learning experience," said Gisele Maria Martin. The dead whale was witnessed floating offshore on May 6 before it washed ashore the next day in Tla-o-qui-aht territory, on Long Beach near Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Fisheries and Oceans Canada says its Marine Mammal Response Team worked with Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation and Parks Canada to secure the animal and perform a necropsy. The cause of death will not be confirmed until tests are complete, which usually takes two to three months. "I've never been involved in butchering a whale like that in my life," Martin said. "To see the amount of knives that we needed and tools that we needed … the amount of work that's going on behind the scenes is huge. I did a count at one point and there was 19 people actively working on the whale." Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation members not only helped process the whale, said Martin, several dozen more gathered to witness and collect parts of the whale for cultural purposes. "We began by kind of clearing the space, and my sister came down, family came down, and we had a ceremony for the spirit of that whale," said Martin. "The next thing we know, like these kids were wearing these little white suits and gloves and they were wanting to help pull the blubber off the whale, and taking turns …. It was a really, really special feeling." According to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the whale is part of the Eastern North Pacific population, which was assessed under the federal Species at Risk Act in 2005 as being of special concern. 2 dead grey whales days apart A second dead grey whale was spotted May 11 on Haida Gwaii near Sidegate, B.C. Fisheries and Oceans Canada said it hasn't been able to establish which of the three grey whale populations in the North Pacific the second whale belongs to. Juan José Alava, a marine toxicologist and researcher with the University of British Columbia, said grey whale deaths between 2018 and 2023 from Mexico up to the North Coast prompted a declaration of an "Unusual Mortality Event (UME)." "It seems that there is episodes of this kind of mortality events," said Alava. "You might see more mortality events as the climate change is affecting the breeding grounds and also the feeding grounds." A study published in PLOS One last year of 61 carcasses of grey whales that died during the UME between 2018 and 2021 in the eastern North Pacific found 26 per cent were "severely emaciated." "Most of them were individuals that have blunt force trauma due to ship strikes," Alava said. "Because of lack of nutrition, they were more susceptible to be hit with a ship because … they didn't have enough blubber to float." Alava said changes in sea ice due to climate change results in less area for microalgae to grow, which is consumed by crustaceans in ocean sediment that grey whales feed on. Alava said grey whales also can face exposure to toxins like domoic acid produced by algal blooms caused by agricultural run-off in warmed waterways, that can affect the brain and nervous system and/or cause death. CBC Indigenous could not reach anyone at the Council of the Haida Nation office for comment.
CBC
14-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Second dead grey whale in less than a week washes ashore in B.C.
A second dead grey whale has washed ashore in British Columbia in less than a week. Fisheries and Oceans Canada has confirmed that the latest dead whale was reported on May 11 in Haida Gwaii near the community of Skidegate, and a marine mammal response team is working with local First Nations to co-ordinate a necropsy. The cause of death is unknown, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada says confirming what happened through necropsy reports may take up to three months. There are three grey whale populations in the North Pacific, and the federal department says it hasn't been able to establish which one the dead animal found on Haida Gwaii belonged to. The latest case comes after Parks Canada said a dead whale was spotted floating off Vancouver Island on May 6, before it washed ashore on Long Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve near Tofino. Two of the populations are classified as endangered. The department says that the whale was part of the Eastern North Pacific population, which was assessed in 2005 as being of special concern under the federal Species at Risk Act. The federal department has warned people not to touch the dead whales and to keep dogs leashed, and is also asking anyone who sees whales being harassed or disturbed to report to the agency immediately. Parks Canada says that although the loss of a whale can be difficult to observe, it also provides important nutrients to other animals and the environment.
CTV News
12-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
Necropsy ordered after 2nd grey whale washes up on B.C. beach
The carcass of a grey whale is seen on Haida Gwaii, near the community of Skidegate, on May 11, 2025. (Credit: Gisele LaRose)
CBC
09-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Grey whale Little Patch mesmerizes, sparks connection in Metro Vancouver
Little Patch has been feeding in Metro Vancouver waters before migrating northward A grey whale known as Little Patch has been mesmerizing onlookers in the waters off of Vancouver for weeks, sparking a sense of connection as it stops to feed in the busy region before migrating northward. Cari Siebrits first went to the seawall along the shores of West Vancouver, B.C., on April 9 in hopes of seeing Little Patch, and arrived to find the whale so close to shore she could hear it breathing as it surfaced. "It's hard to describe the excitement of seeing a whale that close. It feels a little bit like being a kid at Christmas," the North Vancouver resident said. Siebrits said she immediately called her parents to meet her at the seawall, and the family sat for hours watching the whale as the sun set, surrounded by crowds of people doing the same. "Everyone was just so captivated and mesmerized by him, you know, watching him slowly feed and move and surface and disappear and reappear," said Siebrits, who is a wildlife photographer. "It really just made you feel such a profound sense of connection to this bigger world around you," she said. Siebrits likened the seawall to a classroom, with Little Patch as the teacher, sparking important conversations about marine traffic, conservation, biodiversity and the health of Metro Vancouver waters. "I think it's really turning all of us into these advocates for the wildlife in our backyard and that's pretty powerful," said Siebrits, adding she recently spotted a pod of transient killer whales in Burrard Inlet. Jessica Scott, senior manager of the Ocean Wise whales initiative, said Vancouver's harbour typically sees a couple of grey whales each year, so the extended visit by Little Patch is quite rare. Scott has also seen Little Patch from the West Vancouver seawall. "He was cruising up and down the shoreline," she said. "They feed in the sand on these little benthic invertebrates. He was likely feeding on ghost shrimp." Grey whale deaths on West Coast linked to warmer Arctic waters Scott said there have also been many sightings of killer whales, harbour porpoises, and Pacific white-sided dolphins in the area. "As someone who lives in a big city, you don't think there's going to be these opportunities to view wildlife, especially non-invasively from shore," she said. "I think it really reminds us of our impact on those animals and the fact they are inhabiting these very busy waters." Little Patch is part of a group of about a dozen grey whales known as "sounders" that break off from the typical migration route to feed in the waters of Washington's Puget Sound, she said. Scott said researchers first identified Little Patch in 1991, making him about 35 years old, and this spring marks his first-known visit to Vancouver. The nickname comes from a distinctive white patch on the side of the whale's body, she said. Ship safety Metro Vancouver's waters are also brimming with shipping vessels, tankers and recreational boats, and whales face the risk of ship strikes, Scott said. "Typically, grey whales, humpback whales, they're slow to move away from oncoming vessels," she said, adding the whales are focused on feeding. "So, it's our responsibility to keep them safe." The Cascadia Research Collective said in a Facebook post on May 2 that another "sounder" was found dead in San Francisco Bay a month earlier. A necropsy found a ship strike had killed the whale, said the group, which is based in Washington state. Scott said anyone on the water, from kayakers to captains of large vessels, should give whales space and report sightings on the WhaleReport app. "We've delivered over 75,000 alerts to mariners from over a hundred organizations in B.C., Alaska, and Washington state," she noted. Siebrits said "there's a collective sense of concern" among people who are captivated by Little Patch and feel invested in the whale's well-being. "I hope it almost extends beyond him, you know, to caring about the wild spaces and wild creatures we share our ocean and our city with." Bringing people together Frank Lin, a wildlife photographer and educator at the Stanley Park Ecology Society Nature House in Vancouver, has also been a frequent visitor to the seawall since the first sightings of Little Patch last month. "I still can't believe the shots that I've gotten over the past little while," he said. In one photo, Lin said he captured Little Patch peeking above the water, with the park's distinctive Siwash Rock towering in the background. "You could see the huge line of people just looking at him," Lin said. "I could even recognize people I knew from across (the water), like with my camera." Little Patch and killer whales aren't the only water-dwelling wildlife drawing excited visitors to Stanley Park, Lin said. "There is one duck that's kind of been bringing people together," he said. "In the same way as Little Patch, people are wondering about, where is the tufted duck?" A Eurasian tufted duck recently spent a few days at Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park, Lin said. He said he's been watching for an "odd one out" as the purplish-black tufted duck blends with similar-looking lesser scaups, which are common in the park. "It's kind of bringing people together in terms of observing wildlife and appreciating what we have," Lin said.
CBC
09-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Grey whale 'Little Patch' mesmerizes, sparks connection in Metro Vancouver
A grey whale known as Little Patch has been mesmerizing onlookers in the waters off of Vancouver for weeks, sparking a sense of connection as it stops to feed in the busy region before migrating northward. Cari Siebrits first went to the seawall along the shores of West Vancouver, B.C., on April 9 in hopes of seeing Little Patch, and arrived to find the whale so close to shore she could hear it breathing as it surfaced. "It's hard to describe the excitement of seeing a whale that close. It feels a little bit like being a kid at Christmas," the North Vancouver resident said. Siebrits said she immediately called her parents to meet her at the seawall, and the family sat for hours watching the whale as the sun set, surrounded by crowds of people doing the same. "Everyone was just so captivated and mesmerized by him, you know, watching him slowly feed and move and surface and disappear and reappear," said Siebrits, who is a wildlife photographer. "It really just made you feel such a profound sense of connection to this bigger world around you," she said. Siebrits likened the seawall to a classroom, with Little Patch as the teacher, sparking important conversations about marine traffic, conservation, biodiversity and the health of Metro Vancouver waters. "I think it's really turning all of us into these advocates for the wildlife in our backyard and that's pretty powerful," said Siebrits, adding she recently spotted a pod of transient killer whales in Burrard Inlet. Jessica Scott, senior manager of the Ocean Wise whales initiative, said Vancouver's harbour typically sees a couple of grey whales each year, so the extended visit by Little Patch is quite rare. Scott has also seen Little Patch from the West Vancouver seawall. "He was cruising up and down the shoreline," she said. "They feed in the sand on these little benthic invertebrates. He was likely feeding on ghost shrimp." Scott said there have also been many sightings of killer whales, harbour porpoises, and Pacific white-sided dolphins in the area. "As someone who lives in a big city, you don't think there's going to be these opportunities to view wildlife, especially non-invasively from shore," she said. "I think it really reminds us of our impact on those animals and the fact they are inhabiting these very busy waters." Little Patch is part of a group of about a dozen grey whales known as "sounders" that break off from the typical migration route to feed in the waters of Washington's Puget Sound, she said. Scott said researchers first identified Little Patch in 1991, making him about 35 years old, and this spring marks his first-known visit to Vancouver. The nickname comes from a distinctive white patch on the side of the whale's body, she said. Ship safety Metro Vancouver's waters are also brimming with shipping vessels, tankers and recreational boats, and whales face the risk of ship strikes, Scott said. "Typically, grey whales, humpback whales, they're slow to move away from oncoming vessels," she said, adding the whales are focused on feeding. "So, it's our responsibility to keep them safe." The Cascadia Research Collective said in a Facebook post on May 2 that another "sounder" was found dead in San Francisco Bay a month earlier. A necropsy found a ship strike had killed the whale, said the group, which is based in Washington state. Scott said anyone on the water, from kayakers to captains of large vessels, should give whales space and report sightings on the WhaleReport app. "We've delivered over 75,000 alerts to mariners from over a hundred organizations in B.C., Alaska, and Washington state," she noted. Siebrits said "there's a collective sense of concern" among people who are captivated by Little Patch and feel invested in the whale's well-being. "I hope it almost extends beyond him, you know, to caring about the wild spaces and wild creatures we share our ocean and our city with." Bringing people together Frank Lin, a wildlife photographer and educator at the Stanley Park Ecology Society Nature House in Vancouver, has also been a frequent visitor to the seawall since the first sightings of Little Patch last month. "I still can't believe the shots that I've gotten over the past little while," he said. In one photo, Lin said he captured Little Patch peeking above the water, with the park's distinctive Siwash Rock towering in the background. "You could see the huge line of people just looking at him," Lin said. "I could even recognize people I knew from across (the water), like with my camera." Vancouver grey whale 15 years ago Duration 0:29 Little Patch and killer whales aren't the only water-dwelling wildlife drawing excited visitors to Stanley Park, Lin said. "There is one duck that's kind of been bringing people together," he said. "In the same way as Little Patch, people are wondering about, where is the tufted duck?" A Eurasian tufted duck recently spent a few days at Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park, Lin said. He said he's been watching for an "odd one out" as the purplish-black tufted duck blends with similar-looking lesser scaups, which are common in the park. "It's kind of bringing people together in terms of observing wildlife and appreciating what we have," Lin said.
