Rare whale washes up on Vancouver Island, in possible 1st sighting of species in B.C.

In a possible first for B.C., a Bryde's whale — a species not generally seen north of California — has washed up on Vancouver Island.

The whale washed ashore in Port McNeill Bay, on the northern side of the Island, according to a news release from the 'Na̱mg̱is First Nation.

Experts brought in to examine the body confirmed it as a young Bryde's whale, a baleen whale that uses filter feeding, similar to humpbacks, generally found in tropical to temperate waters, though there have been stray sightings of individuals as far north as Washington state in the past.

Jackie Hildering of the Marine Education and Research Society visited the whale and says to her knowledge, this is the first time one has been seen in British Columbia.

'Na̱mg̱is Chief Victor Isaac says in the statement that a necropsy of the Bryde's whale will be done to determine the cause of death, and the community is "deeply concerned" by the "rarity of this species appearing so far north."

"Namgis First Nation is very sad and concerned with the climate crisis and the health of our oceans," Isaac said. "We will work with all parties to determine what has happened to this individual and hopefully come to better understand how to be the best stewards of our awi'nakola — our environment," it said in the statement. 

The whale is the third to be found dead on B.C. shores this month, after two grey whales were found washed up, one on Vancouver Island and one on Haida Gwaii.

Last year, a mass die-off of grey whales was declared over by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration after first being declared in 2019, as thousands of the whales were killed due to a combination of starvation, vessel strikes, and attacks from killer whales.

Hildering says researchers believe the deaths of the grey whales may be the result of the animals running out of food in the Arctic, making them susceptible to starvation.

But she said it was too early to draw any conclusions about the death of the Bryde's whale, and what its presence so far north might mean, pointing out it's possible others of the species have been in the region before but simply not seen.

"The annoying science answer is one data point does not make a trend," she said. "The possibility at this stage is anything."

She said while it doesn't appear a vessel strike was behind the death, researchers will do a full examination to discover the cause of death and to learn whatever else they can about an animal they rarely have access to.

"It shows how important it is to learn."