Additional deceased grey whales have washed ashore along the western coast of Vancouver Island, bringing the tally to seven discovered deceased this year.
Paul Cottrell, the marine mammal coordinator at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), mentioned that two dead grey whales were reported over the weekend by a hiker and a pilot.
Cottrell expressed, “It is disheartening to observe another two, and we must investigate and determine the cause.”
In April, four grey whales were found dead on Vancouver Island within a 10-day span, initiating a troubling pattern.
Describing the situation, Cottrell noted, “They are essentially emaciated, a truly sorrowful sight to witness such deteriorated body condition.”
Experts attribute the deaths to a significant decrease in available food in their Arctic feeding grounds, leading the whales to starve during their migration back north to feed.
Cottrell remarked, “Given the wave of grey whales we recently encountered, we are not taken aback.”
Officials have recorded a total of 36 grey whale mortalities in the Pacific Ocean this year.
John Calambokidis, a research biologist at Cascadia Research Collective, expressed surprise at the rate of deceased whale discoveries.
“My level of concern continues to escalate,” he shared.
Cascadia Research Collective has verified the discovery of 17 deceased grey whales this year off the coast of Washington state. Malnutrition has been a recurring finding among the examined whales.
“The pace and volume of discoveries are unprecedented, prompting serious concerns about the future trajectory,” Calambokidis remarked.
Calambokidis previously stated that the most severe year for deaths was in 2019 when 216 grey whales were found dead during an “unusual mortality event.”
“We are encountering a higher frequency of discoveries compared to past years
