The carcass of a humpback whale has washed up on shore at Twin Rivers beach near Ucluelet, on Vancouver Island.
Local marine mammal researcher Wendy Szaniszlo told the Westerly News on Sunday the area the whale washed up is around La Perouse Bank, where humpbacks are abundant and added that she particpated in a DFO survey in August where 害羞草研究所渨ell over 100害羞草研究所� humpbacks were spotted.
害羞草研究所淭he humpback population is a growing population. There害羞草研究所檚 a lot of them,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淭hey were listed as threatened and now their numbers are coming back. So, from a recovery perspective, that害羞草研究所檚 definitely a good news story害羞草研究所here害羞草研究所檚 definitely enough food for them, at least in this area and the fact that they害羞草研究所檙e not being hunted anymore goes a long way as well to help their recovery.害羞草研究所�
Photos of the carcass were being shared on the Salmon Beach Village Facebook page Sunday afternoon and Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada researchers recently conducted a necropsy that revealed the mammal had a broken jaw.
害羞草研究所淯nfortunately the lower right jaw was dislocated, which indicates some sort of significant trauma,害羞草研究所� said DFO Marine Mammal Coordinator Paul Cottrell. 害羞草研究所淗uman interaction could be the cause of that type of impact, it could be a vessel for example, but that害羞草研究所檚 something we don害羞草研究所檛 know at this point and we害羞草研究所檙e working with the samples we害羞草研究所檝e taken and the pictures and all the details and hopefully we害羞草研究所檒l be able to clarify things.害羞草研究所�
The roughly 12-metre long whale is believed to have been dead for 害羞草研究所渨ell over a week害羞草研究所� before being discovered, information might be hard to obtain as it was already in a state of decomposition.
Cottrell says the DFO hopes to leave the carcass where it is as it is not in a heavily used area and could be a key food source for local wildlife.
害羞草研究所淚f it害羞草研究所檚 isolated and not going to be a human danger, we害羞草研究所檒l leave it where it is for other animals害羞草研究所ll the marine critters there benefit from a huge animal dying like that, which is sad, but at least when it害羞草研究所檚 going back to nature it can help the food web that害羞草研究所檚 in that area,害羞草研究所� he said.
One of the biggest threats to West Coast humpbacks is the possibility of being struck by boaters, adds Szaniszlo.
害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 definitely a safety concern for the whale, but also people in smaller, fast boats as well. That害羞草研究所檚 the biggest concern so, if you see a blow, go slow,害羞草研究所� she says.
