A deceased four-year-old humpback whale was discovered near Keats Island in Howe Sound, prompting an investigation by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to determine the cause of death. Alex Cole, a resident of Howe Sound, learned about the whale’s demise through a local Facebook group he administers on Saturday evening. He navigated his boat to the south side of Keats Island on Sunday morning and captured photographs of the deceased whale positioned against the rocks.
Expressing sadness at the sight, Cole described it as tragic to witness a large, beautiful whale in such a vulnerable state. This incident occurred in the same vicinity where a humpback whale had been struck by a whale-watching vessel on October 23. A statement issued by the whale-watching company, Prince of Whales, suggested that the deceased whale could potentially be the same one involved in the recent collision.
The company expressed deep sorrow upon hearing the news and pledged to collaborate with the DFO throughout the evolving situation. Emphasizing the importance of vigilance, the company stressed that such incidents could happen to any vessel at any time, even those operated by professionals actively searching for whales.
The DFO identified the deceased humpback whale as BCY1464, known as Wisp, and confirmed an ongoing investigation into the matter. Erin Gless from the Pacific Whale Watch Association revealed that Wisp, born in 2021 to mother BCX1333 Ghost, had been frequently spotted feeding with another whale named BCY1463 Malachite earlier in the season near Howe Sound’s shoreline.
The incident involving the deceased humpback whale follows a recent collision between a high-speed ferry and a humpback calf in English Bay near Vancouver on October 17. DFO highlighted vessel strikes as a significant threat to humpback whales as their population grows in coastal waters, leading to increased interactions with human activities and vessel traffic.