Second dead grey whale in less than a week washes ashore in B.C.

May 14, 2025

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Second dead grey whale in less than a week washes ashore in B.C.

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.

See also Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s tough Bronx persona is under fresh scrutiny with a resurfaced childhood nickname from her suburban upstate New York upbringing casting doubt on that publicly portrayed image. The progressive champion’s latest spat with President Donald Trump over the Iran strikes again called into question her true upbringing when she declared on X she was a “Bronx girl" to make her a point against the president. The 35-year-old congresswoman wrote in part on X: "I’m a Bronx girl. You should know that we can eat Queens boys for breakfast. Respectfully," she said, referring to the president’s upbringing in Queens as she called for his impeachment over his decision to bypass Congress in authorizing U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx but moved to Yorktown – which is nearly an hour outside New York City -- when she was 5 years old and went on to attend Yorktown High School where she graduated in 2007. She was considered an accomplished student there and well thought of by teacher Michael Blueglass, according to a 2018 report by local media outlet Halston Media News. “There, known by students and staff as ‘Sandy,’ she was a member of the Science Research Program taught by Michael Blueglass," the report states. “She was amazing," Blueglass said, per the report. “Aside from her winning one of the top spots and going to the [Intel International Science and Engineering Fair], she was just one of the most amazing presenters in all of the years I've been at Yorktown. Her ability to take complex information and explain it to all different levels of people was fantastic." After high school, Ocasio-Cortez attended Boston University, where she majored in economics and international relations, per the report. Ocasio-Cortez’s “Sandy" nickname — which carries a more suburban and preppy tone — appears to undercut her politically crafted image as a tough, inner-city fighter, one she has portrayed since her famous 2018 congressional campaign where she eventually ousted former 10-terms Congressman Joe Crowley. New York GOP Assemblyman Matt Slater, who now represents Yorktown, added to the scrutiny of Ocasio-Cortez’s persona in the wake of her brash with Trump and released images of Ocasio-Cortez from his high school yearbook. He claimed he and the rising Democratic star attended Yorktown High School at the same time when she was a freshman and he was a senior. "I saw the attacks on the president and her [Ocasio-Cortez] claims that she's a big, tough Bronx girl," said Slater. "To sit there and say that she’s a Bronx girl is just patently ridiculous." "Everybody in our community knows this is just a bold-face lie," said Slater on "Fox & Friends First" last week. "She grew up in Yorktown, she was on my track team." "She's lying about her background, she's lying about her upbringing," Slater claimed. Slater’s post sent social media ablaze and prompted Ocasio-Cortez to respond after an image if her family’s home was posted online. “I’m proud of how I grew up and talk about it all the time," Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X Friday responding to the post. “My mom cleaned houses and I helped. We cleaned tutors’ homes in exchange for SAT prep." “Growing up between the Bronx and Yorktown deeply shaped my views of inequality & it’s a big reason I believe the things I do today!"

The images of the dead grey whales washing ashore serve as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by marine life in the North Pacific. The necropsy reports being conducted will hopefully shed light on the cause of death and provide valuable information for conservation efforts. It is important for authorities and the public to remain vigilant in protecting these majestic creatures and their habitats.