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
Air quality advisories issued in 5 provinces, 1 territory
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Rates of cancer declining in Canada, but more work needed to save lives: projections
A new study projecting declining rates of cancer cases and deaths in Canada demonstrates the success of prevention and early detection programs, but also highlights areas where more work is needed to save and prolong lives, researchers say.
DEVELOPING Trump trial arrives at a pivotal moment: Star witness Michael Cohen is poised to take the stand
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to take the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
India's mammoth election is more than halfway done as millions begin voting in fourth round
Millions of Indians across 96 constituencies began casting their ballots on Monday as the country's gigantic, six-week-long election edges past its halfway mark. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third straight term with an eye on winning a supermajority in Parliament.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.