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 91裸聊视频渨ell over 10091裸聊视频� humpbacks were spotted.
91裸聊视频淭he humpback population is a growing population. There91裸聊视频檚 a lot of them,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淭hey were listed as threatened and now their numbers are coming back. So, from a recovery perspective, that91裸聊视频檚 definitely a good news story91裸聊视频here91裸聊视频檚 definitely enough food for them, at least in this area and the fact that they91裸聊视频檙e not being hunted anymore goes a long way as well to help their recovery.91裸聊视频�
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.
91裸聊视频淯nfortunately the lower right jaw was dislocated, which indicates some sort of significant trauma,91裸聊视频� said DFO Marine Mammal Coordinator Paul Cottrell. 91裸聊视频淗uman interaction could be the cause of that type of impact, it could be a vessel for example, but that91裸聊视频檚 something we don91裸聊视频檛 know at this point and we91裸聊视频檙e working with the samples we91裸聊视频檝e taken and the pictures and all the details and hopefully we91裸聊视频檒l be able to clarify things.91裸聊视频�
The roughly 12-metre long whale is believed to have been dead for 91裸聊视频渨ell over a week91裸聊视频� 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.
91裸聊视频淚f it91裸聊视频檚 isolated and not going to be a human danger, we91裸聊视频檒l leave it where it is for other animals91裸聊视频ll the marine critters there benefit from a huge animal dying like that, which is sad, but at least when it91裸聊视频檚 going back to nature it can help the food web that91裸聊视频檚 in that area,91裸聊视频� he said.
One of the biggest threats to West Coast humpbacks is the possibility of being struck by boaters, adds Szaniszlo.
91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 definitely a safety concern for the whale, but also people in smaller, fast boats as well. That91裸聊视频檚 the biggest concern so, if you see a blow, go slow,91裸聊视频� she says.
