Discovery of dead humpback whale on B.C. beach is a rare learning opportunity, researcher says

Researchers say the sad discovery of a dead young humpback whale in southwest British Columbia can be a learning moment for people about the risks the animals face from human activity.

The carcass of the young female was found on a Malcolm Island beach on Sunday.  

Jackie Hildering with the Marine Education and Research Society, a conservation charity based in nearby Port McNeill on Vancouver Island, says the fact the body came to shore is unusual.

"The opportunity to learn from a dead whale is a rarity," Hildering said. "Dead whales usually sink to the bottom of the ocean and carry the stories of how they died with them."

While a cause of death has yet to be determined, Hildering says the whale, which had been named Spike by researchers, had no apparent external injuries so it wouldn't be surprising if it had died of blunt-force trauma from being hit by a boat.

Hildering says part of her society's mission is to teach boaters how to avoid collisions with marine mammals, and what to do if one occurs. 

"There is a very real concern that we try to address the risk of collision and the risk of entanglements and how this couples with a lack of understanding from the public and from boaters thinking things like, 'The whales know I'm there.' No, most often they do not," she said.

Spike's body, estimated to be 10 metres long, has been secured at the site so it doesn't float away. The carcass is now bloated due to the buildup of gases from decay.

Hildering said a cultural ceremony by representatives of the ʼNa̱mǥis First Nation will be held, followed by a necropsy led by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).

What happens to the whale following the necropsy will be determined by DFO and the ʼNa̱mǥis First Nation, Hildering said. 

'It's really upsetting'

Andrew Pinch and his family discovered the whale's body when they were walking their dogs along the remote beach.

"It hurt because we take the kids to the beach ... and we'll see whales very, very often from the beach," he said. "It's really upsetting to see one dead."

Hildering is grateful that Pinch reported the discovery promptly, allowing researchers to identify Spike and learn from her death. 

"We whaled humpbacks up to 1967 and now 55 years later look at how people care about whales," she said.