Particle.news
Download on the App Store
3 ARTICLES
·
2h ago

At Least One of Three Stranded Sperm Whales Off P.E.I. Confirmed Dead

Limited access to the shallow site is forcing responders to reassess rescue and necropsy options.

Image
A small pod of three sperm whales became stranded in shallow waters off P.E.I.'s north shore on Saturday, Sept. 27. By Monday, Sept. 29, reports from the scene were that at least one, possibly two, of the animals had died. Efforts to determine the condition and possibility of rescue for the third were underway throughout the day. Contributed by Noah Day

Overview

  • The Marine Animal Response Society reported one whale died overnight after the Sept. 27 stranding, a second whale’s condition remains unclear, and a third was still breathing earlier today.
  • The animals are stranded near Hardys Channel on P.E.I.’s north shore in shallow waters beside a barrier island, complicating efforts to reach them with heavy equipment.
  • Rescuers warn that improper towing could injure the whales and stress that only limited, specialized tools are feasible at this location.
  • Fisheries and Oceans Canada confirmed the stranding and urged the public to stay at least 200 metres away from marine mammals.
  • MARS believes the whales are likely juvenile bachelor males and notes such group strandings in Atlantic Canada are rare, with veterinary teams consulted on possible necropsies if recovery is possible.