A young female humpback whale has been found dead off northern Vancouver Island.

鈥淪he was Spike, BCX1847, who we first documented in 2018 and who was seen every year since, often just north of Port Hardy,鈥� stated the Marine Education & Research Society (MERS) on social media. 鈥淲e have secured her body so that she does not float away with the possible evidence of what killed her.鈥�

Spike, whose body was discovered on the north side of Malcolm Island, was nicknamed for a dinosaur-like marking on the left side of her fluke (Spike is a dinosaur character in 鈥淟and Before Time鈥�).

MERS added it currently does not know the whale鈥檚 cause of death.

鈥淐onsidering Spike was a young female and that there are no apparent external injuries, it will not be a surprise if it is found that she died from blunt force trauma from being hit by a boat. The necropsy, that will soon be done by DFO, is necessary to know for sure what caused her death.鈥�

MERS added it will provide updates when more is known, and it鈥檚 sharing the images of the dead whale for two reasons; so locals know this has been reported and action is being undertaken, and so that the tragedy might lead to more awareness, from who to call, to whatever conclusions can be made about the cause of her death.

The Gazette has reached out to MERS鈥� Marine Detective, Jackie Hildering for comment.

The DFO Incident Reporting Line is 1-800-465-4336 and to learn more about humpbacks and the dangers of blunt force trauma from being hit by a boat, go to www.SeeABlowGoSlow.org

editor@northislandgazette.com
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