Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is looking into the demise of another grey whale in British Columbia. The discovery of a deceased grey whale on a remote Haida Gwaii beach on May 24 has prompted the DFO marine mammal response team to travel to the site for sample collection and determination of the cause of death. This incident marks the eighth grey whale fatality in British Columbia this year, contributing to a concerning increase in deaths within the population due to apparent starvation.
During a webinar held by the Marine Education and Research Society to discuss the challenges faced by grey whales, DFO marine mammal co-ordinator Paul Cottrell disclosed the latest fatality. Cottrell expressed alarm at the deaths, suggesting that the actual number of fatalities might be higher than reported due to the vast coastline and remote locations where dead whales may go unnoticed.
Cottrell mentioned that the current year’s death toll could surpass the worst year on record in 2019, when 11 dead grey whales were found in British Columbia. Notably, DFO has responded to four dead whales off the west coast of Vancouver Island within a span of 10 days this year. The necropsy findings from these incidents are anticipated to be unveiled in approximately a month.
Researchers have pointed out that the grey whales are perishing due to starvation as they journey back north to their feeding areas, attributing the deaths to a significant decrease in available prey in the Arctic. The grey whale population, estimated at just under 13,000, has been declining, with a total of 40 grey whales found deceased in British Columbia since 2019. In 2019, there was a notable surge with 216 grey whale fatalities worldwide, leading to the declaration of an unusual mortality event.
According to John Calambokidis, a research biologist at Cascadia Research Collective, 23 dead grey whales have been detected off Washington state this year. He emphasized that the washed-up whales represent only a small fraction of the actual mortality rate, with many more likely perishing offshore or sinking without being recorded.
The grey whale population in the eastern north Pacific has been flagged as a species of special concern by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and was officially listed under the federal Species at Risk Act in 2005. Jackie Hildering from the Marine Education and Research Society is advocating for the designation of all grey whales as endangered in Canada to ensure their protection, emphasizing the importance of legislative measures, research financing, and educational efforts in safeguarding these marine mammals.