New humpback whale calf spotted south of B.C. in Salish Sea
A new humpback whale calf has been spotted in the Salish Sea, just south of B.C., marking the first calf of the 2024 season, the Pacific Whale Watch Association announced Wednesday.
The PWWA said the calf, which was seen for the first time near San Juan Island on April 18, is probably three or four months old. It was with its mother, Black Pearl, when it was spotted.
"It's always fun to see which mom and calf will make it back first," said PWWA executive director Erin Gless in a news release. "Black Pearl tends to spend her summers near north Vancouver Island. This year we were lucky enough to spot her in the Salish Sea."
The PWWA said a "local whale celebrity" named Big Mama was also in the area last week, along with a handful of other humpback whales. Big Mama has given birth to seven calves over the years, the PWWA said. Her first, Divot, was born in 2003 and her most recent, Moresby, was born in 2022.
"Simply put, she's the whale who started it all," Gless said, explaining Big Mama has at least six "grandcalves" and two "great-grandcalves" so far.
"For decades after whaling stopped, there were virtually no sightings in inland B.C. waters," Gless said in her statement. "But that all changed when Big Mama made her first appearance in 1997. She's been returning to the Salish Sea ever since, and now hundreds of humpback whales visit each year."
The PWWA explained humpback calves aren't born locally, but usually near Hawaii, Mexico and Central America. Black Pearl usually spends her winters in the Hawaiian Islands and has been spotted several times near Maui. She's given birth to at least three other calves, including one born in 2022 named Kraken.
More humpbacks are expected to return to local waters in the coming weeks as they feed on small fish and crustaceans into the fall.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
BREAKING London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Anti-war protest ruffles University of Michigan as demonstrations collide with graduation season
Protesters chanted anti-war messages and waved Palestinian flags during the University of Michigan's commencement Saturday, as student demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas war collided with the annual pomp-and-circumstance of graduation season at American universities.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.