Humpback Whales Diving
Have you become more accumstomed to the presence of Humpback whales in our local waters? Any behaviours or patterns of Humpbacks that you have noticed? One pattern you may have observed is when a Humpback goes for a long dive, the whale will lift its tail (fluke) out of the water as it proceeds downward. The whale will generally stay underwater longer than normal from 5 to 10 minutes. Guessing where the Humpback may surface is always a challenge as some whales do change directions when swimming underwater. The sound of their blows will notify you that they have surfaced and can help you locate the whale. Other behaviours of Humpback whales include breaching, tail slapping, and pectoral slapping.
This report includes sightings of Transient Orca and Northern Resident Orca. One pod of Transient Orca was observed catching some seals. One Minke whale was observed in Seymour Narrows on September 11 and two Minke whales were near Parksville on September 13th. A number of pods of Pacific White-Sided dolphins were observed, ranging in size from 6 members up to over 100 members.
Boaters, please use caution on the water. Federal laws require boats to remain at least 400-m away when viewing Southern Resident Orca and for other Cetaceans, laws require boats to remain at least 100-m from the whales/dolphins. If you come across some Orca and you are uncertain if they are Southern Resident Orca, it is best to still maintain your distance of 400-m. Remember N.E.W.S. when you see a whale, meaning put your boat in NEUTRAL, ENJOY the view, WAIT till the whales are at a fair distance, and then SLOWLY leave the scene.
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WOWs works throught the year, so please continue to keep your eyes open, and report your sightings to us.
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“At this stage, it’s in a location that isn’t really accessible and we wouldn’t be able to conduct a necropsy on site,” said Andrew Reid, a co-ordinator with the Marine Animal Response Society.
Blue whales are an endangered species. Reid told CBC News his organization first got word about the whale carcass on Sept. 18. Photos of the carcass were shared on its Facebook page on Monday….
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Humpback whales can be identified by unique markings on their tail flukes and dorsal fins….
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Meanwhile, authorities and area volunteers were encouraging people to report whales stranded or swimming close to shore, which is an indication that something may be wrong….
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