A second dead grey whale has washed ashore in British Columbia in less than a week.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada has confirmed that the latest dead whale was reported on May 11 in Haida Gwaii near the community of Skidegate, and a marine mammal response team is working with local First Nations to co-ordinate a necropsy.
The cause of death is unknown, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada says confirming what happened through necropsy reports may take up to three months.
There are three grey whale populations in the North Pacific, and the federal department says it hasn’t been able to establish which one the dead animal found on Haida Gwaii belonged to.
The latest case comes after Parks Canada said a dead whale was spotted floating off Vancouver Island on May 6, before it washed ashore on Long Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve near Tofino. Two of the populations are classified as endangered.
The department says that the whale was part of the Eastern North Pacific population, which was assessed in 2005 as being of special concern under the federal Species at Risk Act.
The federal department has warned people not to touch the dead whales and to keep dogs leashed, and is also asking anyone who sees whales being harassed or disturbed to report to the agency immediately.
Parks Canada says that although the loss of a whale can be difficult to observe, it also provides important nutrients to other animals and the environment.
Whales often beach themselves when sick or injured, and the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida estimates about 2,000 whales come ashore each year.
