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 香蕉视频直播渨ell over 100香蕉视频直播� humpbacks were spotted.
香蕉视频直播淭he humpback population is a growing population. There香蕉视频直播檚 a lot of them,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淭hey were listed as threatened and now their numbers are coming back. So, from a recovery perspective, that香蕉视频直播檚 definitely a good news story香蕉视频直播here香蕉视频直播檚 definitely enough food for them, at least in this area and the fact that they香蕉视频直播檙e not being hunted anymore goes a long way as well to help their recovery.香蕉视频直播�
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.
香蕉视频直播淯nfortunately the lower right jaw was dislocated, which indicates some sort of significant trauma,香蕉视频直播� said DFO Marine Mammal Coordinator Paul Cottrell. 香蕉视频直播淗uman interaction could be the cause of that type of impact, it could be a vessel for example, but that香蕉视频直播檚 something we don香蕉视频直播檛 know at this point and we香蕉视频直播檙e working with the samples we香蕉视频直播檝e taken and the pictures and all the details and hopefully we香蕉视频直播檒l be able to clarify things.香蕉视频直播�
The roughly 12-metre long whale is believed to have been dead for 香蕉视频直播渨ell over a week香蕉视频直播� 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.
香蕉视频直播淚f it香蕉视频直播檚 isolated and not going to be a human danger, we香蕉视频直播檒l leave it where it is for other animals香蕉视频直播ll the marine critters there benefit from a huge animal dying like that, which is sad, but at least when it香蕉视频直播檚 going back to nature it can help the food web that香蕉视频直播檚 in that area,香蕉视频直播� he said.
One of the biggest threats to West Coast humpbacks is the possibility of being struck by boaters, adds Szaniszlo.
香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 definitely a safety concern for the whale, but also people in smaller, fast boats as well. That香蕉视频直播檚 the biggest concern so, if you see a blow, go slow,香蕉视频直播� she says.
