An afflicted humpback whale with a severed tail — known as a ‘fluke’ — is expected to eventually succumb to its injuries, according to Fisheries and Oceans officialsThe endangered humpbacks are some of Earth’s most majestic creatures, known for breaching in British Columbia’s Strait of Georgia when the migrate into northern waters.So much so, that an entire whale watching industry has sprung up in coastal waters catering to enamoured tourists..But that sense of wonder turned to angst — and shock — on July 10 when a boat full of sightseers off Campbell River witnessed a humpback struggling to rise above water with its entire tail section hacked off.“It wasn’t until the whale went to sound that we actually saw the back end of the whale and the tail end being missing, and that was when you could hear a big gasp of disbelief,” said Campell River Whale Watching co-founder Tyler Bruce.“A pretty significant part of the whale was missing. It was quite a shock.”.Upon closer examination, observers hypothesized that it became enmeshed in wayward fishing nets or was struck by a boat propellor. The whales are usually tagged and catalogued, but this particular specimen is unknown because they’re usually identified by their tail markings. To that end, it has been dubbed ‘Catalyst’ in order to raise awareness of the broader plight of marine mammals and spark change..Catalyst has since been spotted twice more, near Klemtu and again near Greenpoint Rapids off Campbell River.But without its tail fluke, its ability to move and feed at depth is severely compromised. Already, observers say it is looking increasingly emaciated and marine scientists don’t think it will live past the summer.“The long-term prognosis for this animal is not great, and likely we will be looking at a necropsy in the near future, unfortunately,” said DFO marine mammal specialist Paul Cottrell.The humpback population has rebounded on BC’s coast after commercial whaling was banned in 1967. But the impacts of humans on the whales is becoming more obvious, with animals caught in fishing gear and suffering vessel strikes..Humpbacks range up to 17 metres in size and weigh up to 40 tonnes. It is known for its underwater songs, lasting from four to 33 minutes. They hunt prey in groups, using bubbles to catch smaller fish like herring, capelin and mackerel.Although they’re considered to be endangered, they’re found in oceans around the world and typically migrate up to 16,000 kilometres per year. In summer they travel to northern waters to feed and then head to tropical waters in winter to give birth.Humans once hunted the species to the brink of extinction; in the 1960s there were fewer than 5,000 animals world wide but have since recovered to 135,000. In concert with their recovery, the number of boat strikes has also increased.
An afflicted humpback whale with a severed tail — known as a ‘fluke’ — is expected to eventually succumb to its injuries, according to Fisheries and Oceans officialsThe endangered humpbacks are some of Earth’s most majestic creatures, known for breaching in British Columbia’s Strait of Georgia when the migrate into northern waters.So much so, that an entire whale watching industry has sprung up in coastal waters catering to enamoured tourists..But that sense of wonder turned to angst — and shock — on July 10 when a boat full of sightseers off Campbell River witnessed a humpback struggling to rise above water with its entire tail section hacked off.“It wasn’t until the whale went to sound that we actually saw the back end of the whale and the tail end being missing, and that was when you could hear a big gasp of disbelief,” said Campell River Whale Watching co-founder Tyler Bruce.“A pretty significant part of the whale was missing. It was quite a shock.”.Upon closer examination, observers hypothesized that it became enmeshed in wayward fishing nets or was struck by a boat propellor. The whales are usually tagged and catalogued, but this particular specimen is unknown because they’re usually identified by their tail markings. To that end, it has been dubbed ‘Catalyst’ in order to raise awareness of the broader plight of marine mammals and spark change..Catalyst has since been spotted twice more, near Klemtu and again near Greenpoint Rapids off Campbell River.But without its tail fluke, its ability to move and feed at depth is severely compromised. Already, observers say it is looking increasingly emaciated and marine scientists don’t think it will live past the summer.“The long-term prognosis for this animal is not great, and likely we will be looking at a necropsy in the near future, unfortunately,” said DFO marine mammal specialist Paul Cottrell.The humpback population has rebounded on BC’s coast after commercial whaling was banned in 1967. But the impacts of humans on the whales is becoming more obvious, with animals caught in fishing gear and suffering vessel strikes..Humpbacks range up to 17 metres in size and weigh up to 40 tonnes. It is known for its underwater songs, lasting from four to 33 minutes. They hunt prey in groups, using bubbles to catch smaller fish like herring, capelin and mackerel.Although they’re considered to be endangered, they’re found in oceans around the world and typically migrate up to 16,000 kilometres per year. In summer they travel to northern waters to feed and then head to tropical waters in winter to give birth.Humans once hunted the species to the brink of extinction; in the 1960s there were fewer than 5,000 animals world wide but have since recovered to 135,000. In concert with their recovery, the number of boat strikes has also increased.
