A deceased four-year-old humpback whale has been discovered near Keats Island in Howe Sound, prompting an investigation by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to ascertain the cause of its death.
Local resident Alex Cole first learned about the dead whale on Saturday evening through a Facebook group he manages.
On Sunday morning, he took his boat to the southern shore of Keats Island and captured images of the whale lying against the rocks.
“It’s undeniably heartbreaking to witness such a magnificent creature in such a vulnerable state,” Cole remarked.
Wisp spent several weeks feeding very close to shore earlier this season in Howe Sound. (Alex Cole)
The whale was discovered in the same vicinity where another humpback whale was hit by a whale-watching boat on October 23.
According to a statement from whale-watching company Prince of Whales, the timing and location suggest that this may be the same whale involved in Thursday’s collision.
“We are heartbroken by this news,” the statement expressed.
The company affirmed its commitment to cooperate and communicate with the DFO as the investigation progresses.
“We want to emphasize to the many boat operators in the Salish Sea that if a situation like this can occur with a vessel operated by professionals actively searching for whales, it could happen to any boat at any moment,” the statement noted.
The DFO has identified the deceased humpback whale found at Keats Island as BCY1464, known as Wisp, and has confirmed that an investigation is underway.
“This is a regrettable incident,” stated a DFO spokesperson. “We are working to gain a clearer understanding of what transpired.”
Erin Gless from the Pacific Whale Watch Association reported that Wisp, BCY1464, was born in 2021 to BCX1333 Ghost.
Earlier this season, Wisp and another whale, BCY1463 Malachite, were observed feeding together close to the shoreline in Howe Sound.
In this video from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, a humpback whale is seen being freed from nearly 137 metres (450 feet) of fishing rope after a whale-watching boat found it in the Strait of Georgia. Correction: A previous version of this video included a headline that said the rope entangling the humpback whale was steel. In fact, according to DFO, the rope was Polysteel, which is synthetic.
Cole mentioned that Wisp garnered a significant following over the summer as people frequently spotted it near the shoreline.
“Wisp was certainly a beloved whale,” Cole stated.
Whale spotted swimming after collision
During the incident, the company indicated that they were not actively observing the whale, and the encounter was unexpected when it surfaced suddenly.
“Although the vessel was able to halt almost instantly, there was minimal contact with the whale during the maneuver,” the statement explained.
Several passengers aboard the vessel lost their balance as it stopped abruptly.
Emergency Health Services in B.C. reported that paramedics provided urgent medical assistance to four individuals on Granville Island, who were subsequently transported to the hospital in stable condition.
According to the company, one crew member witnessed the whale surface and swim away after the incident.
“Crew members on Thursday’s tour did not notice any visible injuries on the whale when it swam away, although not all parts of the whale were observable at that time,” the statement noted.
Following the vessel strike, the DFO was unable to confirm the whale’s identity.
On October 17, a fast ferry collided with a humpback whale in English Bay near Vancouver.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) confirmed to CBC News that the injured whale was identified as the calf of BCX1193 Zig Zag.
This humpback calf was observed with a significant gash near its dorsal fin.
The DFO indicated that vessel strikes pose one of the main threats to humpback whales. As the population of humpback whales rises in coastal areas, their interactions with human activities and maritime traffic are also increasing.