Whales

FILE - Southern Resident killer whale J50 and her mother, J16, swim off the west coast of Vancouver Island near Port Renfrew, B.C. on Aug. 7, 2018. (Brian Gisborne/Fisheries and Oceans Canada via AP, File)

Researchers: Inbreeding a big problem for endangered orcas

Whales are so inbred that they are dying younger and their population is not recovering

 

(Black Press Media Creative)

Hawaii whale dies with fishing nets, plastic bags in stomach

A whale that washed ashore in Hawaii over the weekend likely died…

 

In this photo released by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, a dead sperm whale lies in the shallow water at Lydgate Beach in Kauai County, Hawaii, on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023. Scientists suspect the large sperm whale that washed ashore in Hawaii over the weekend may have died from an intestinal blockage because it ate large volumes of plastic, fishing nets, and other marine debris. (Daniel Dennison/Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources via AP)

Hawaii whale dies with fishing nets, plastic bags in stomach

Enough foreign objects in the opening of the whale’s intestinal tract to block food

 

Killer whales often come and visit Neroutsos Inlet near Port Alice. (Regan Hickling photo)

Eyewitnesses report rare killer whale attack on a humpback in Quatsino Sound

Researcher: about 60 whale-on-whale interactions on record, none resulting in a confirmed death

  • Feb 2, 2023
Killer whales often come and visit Neroutsos Inlet near Port Alice. (Regan Hickling photo)
DFO rescuing a young humpback whale from a dangerous entanglement. (DFO video screenshot)

VIDEO: Hogtied humpback rescued from dangerous entanglement off northern Vancouver Island

Whale was exhausted, with gear wrapped around its tail, and also going through its mouth

DFO rescuing a young humpback whale from a dangerous entanglement. (DFO video screenshot)
Whales in the Gulf Islands, a southern resident killer whale critical habitat, are shown in a handout photo. Toxic chemicals from toilet paper have been found in the bodies of British Columbia’s endangered orcas, according to a study conducted by marine scientists.THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Fisheries and Oceans Canada-Paul Cottrell **MANDATORY CREDIT**

Toilet paper toxin found in endangered killer whales, say B.C. researchers

Findings were published last month in the journal Environmental Science and Technology

Whales in the Gulf Islands, a southern resident killer whale critical habitat, are shown in a handout photo. Toxic chemicals from toilet paper have been found in the bodies of British Columbia’s endangered orcas, according to a study conducted by marine scientists.THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Fisheries and Oceans Canada-Paul Cottrell **MANDATORY CREDIT**
A Bigg’s killer whale preys on a minke whale in the waters off Washington State’s Smith Island in October 2022. (Courtesy of the Pacific Whale Watch Association)

278 days of killer whale sightings last year in the Salish Sea

Agencies document 1,066 protective interventions by whale-watching crews in 2022

A Bigg’s killer whale preys on a minke whale in the waters off Washington State’s Smith Island in October 2022. (Courtesy of the Pacific Whale Watch Association)
Whiskers and her 2022 calf. (Doug Bradshaw photo)

‘Who’s who’ of the Island’s humpback whale community surfacing around Port Alice

Region’s humpbacks catalogued and studied by the Marine Education and Research Society

  • Jan 9, 2023
Whiskers and her 2022 calf. (Doug Bradshaw photo)
This Jan. 19, 2021 photo provided by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources shows a North Atlantic right whale mother and calf in waters near Wassaw Island, Ga. A scientist who studies the endangered North Atlantic right whales is cautiously optimistic after nine calves were spotted this season in the waters along the eastern coast.THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Georgia Department of Natural Resources/NOAA Permit #20556 via AP

Birth of 9 calves sparks hope for endangered North Atlantic right whales

Research shows a downward trend in the number of females capable of breeding

This Jan. 19, 2021 photo provided by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources shows a North Atlantic right whale mother and calf in waters near Wassaw Island, Ga. A scientist who studies the endangered North Atlantic right whales is cautiously optimistic after nine calves were spotted this season in the waters along the eastern coast.THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Georgia Department of Natural Resources/NOAA Permit #20556 via AP
The OCP Walk n Talk focus group in Port Alice stopped in their tracks to watch the whales. (Debra Lynn photo)

Whale sightings are becoming commonplace in the Port Alice area

Vince Devlin noticed an increase in whale sightings about three or four years ago

  • Dec 29, 2022
The OCP Walk n Talk focus group in Port Alice stopped in their tracks to watch the whales. (Debra Lynn photo)
Baby humpback whale playing just west of Portland Island in Juneau in 2021. (Credit: Kristin Stekoll)

Endangered wildlife committee keeps B.C’s humpback whales on the list

Population has grown, but risk remains

  • Dec 19, 2022
Baby humpback whale playing just west of Portland Island in Juneau in 2021. (Credit: Kristin Stekoll)
Ken Balcomb, 82, founder and longtime leader of the Center for Whale Research died Dec. 15. (Courtesy Center for Whale Research)

Orca community mourns death of legendary Washington whale researcher

Center for Whale Research founder and longtime leader Ken Balcomb died Dec. 15

Ken Balcomb, 82, founder and longtime leader of the Center for Whale Research died Dec. 15. (Courtesy Center for Whale Research)
BCZ0214, a new mom, spotted in the busy waters south of Victoria. (Joe Zelwietro photo – Humpback Whales of the Salish Sea/Facebook)

Humpback comeback: More whales spotted in Salish Sea this year than any other

‘The Salish Sea has become the whale equivalent of a busy school zone’

BCZ0214, a new mom, spotted in the busy waters south of Victoria. (Joe Zelwietro photo – Humpback Whales of the Salish Sea/Facebook)
An injured humpback whale swam from B.C. to Hawaii despite a significant injury. (Photo: supplied)

Severely injured humpback travels from B.C. to Hawaii

S-shaped curve in spine made tail almost immobile

An injured humpback whale swam from B.C. to Hawaii despite a significant injury. (Photo: supplied)
Two dogs are sick from eating the meat of a humpback whale carcass just south of Masset in Haida Gwaii. (Photo: supplied)

2 dogs in Haida Gwaii sick after eating meat from decaying humpback whale

DFO warns people to not ingest meat or let animals eat meat of dead marine animals

Two dogs are sick from eating the meat of a humpback whale carcass just south of Masset in Haida Gwaii. (Photo: supplied)
Conservation groups want the federal government to preserve fin whales’ threatened status and act on outstanding measures to protect them. (Photo by Jackie Hildering / Marine Education and Research Society)

At-risk fin whales are in hot water with protection downgrade, LNG, and climate change

Shipping traffic set to increase in 2025

  • Nov 14, 2022
Conservation groups want the federal government to preserve fin whales’ threatened status and act on outstanding measures to protect them. (Photo by Jackie Hildering / Marine Education and Research Society)
The Marine Detective Jackie Hildering wades into the water next to the humpback. (Emily Cowie/MERS photo)

‘Absolutely gutting’: Mourning the death of Spike the humpback whale

Observers suspect whale may have died from blunt force trauma after being hit by a boat

The Marine Detective Jackie Hildering wades into the water next to the humpback. (Emily Cowie/MERS photo)
A humpback whale is seen just outside of Hartley Bay along the Great Bear Rainforest, B.C. Tuesday, Sept, 17, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

B.C. rescue team and whale’s acrobatics help save it from dangerous entanglement

Complicated extended operation frees humpback in Georgia Strait

A humpback whale is seen just outside of Hartley Bay along the Great Bear Rainforest, B.C. Tuesday, Sept, 17, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
A young female Humpback whale named ‘Spike’ was found dead off Malcolm Island. (Jared Towers photo)

Young female humpback whale ‘Spike’ found dead off Malcolm Island

MERS said it currently does not know the whale’s cause of death

A young female Humpback whale named ‘Spike’ was found dead off Malcolm Island. (Jared Towers photo)
A new study says the population of critically endangered North Atlantic right whales continued its downward trend this year, partly because only 15 calves were born in 2022. (Photo by The Canadian Press)

Population of North Atlantic right whales continues decline

Decline of North Atlantic whale has slowed, but it continues

A new study says the population of critically endangered North Atlantic right whales continued its downward trend this year, partly because only 15 calves were born in 2022. (Photo by The Canadian Press)