Dead humpback whale washes up on island in Halifax Harbour

The carcass of a humpback whale has washed up on the shore of an island in the Halifax Harbour.

Tonya Wimmer, the executive director of the Marine Animal Response Society (MARS), says the whale was spotted on the southwest shore of Lawlor Island Sunday morning.

“We took a small team out, just to have a look and get a better look at the animal out of the water,” said Wimmer.

The carcass of a humpback whale on a beach on Lawlor Island in Halifax Harbour. (Courtesy: Marine Animal Response Society)

She says there are no clear indications of how the whale died and a necropsy is needed to determine the cause of death.

“It’s really important for us to try to look at these animals to figure out what happened. Mainly because we do need to understand if it is something natural or maybe something human-caused.”

But she says moving the whale to a place the procedure could take place will be challenging.

“The area it is in is really very slippery and not exactly easy to do anything further at this moment,” said Wimmer. “Being in Halifax Harbour, there’s not too many places to take it to a spot where we can also have heavy equipment to help us.”

The dead whale was reported to MARS by someone on the water Thursday evening.

The group is trying to determine if the whale was previously identified by someone else.

“With humpback whales, they’re very distinctive. They have this pattern on the underside of their tail that lots of people study them based on that marking.”

The carcass of a humpback whale on a beach on Lawlor Island in Halifax Harbour. (Courtesy: Marine Animal Response Society)

She says photos of the whale have been sent to people who track the animals.

“They’re looking right now to see if it happens to be an animal they’ve already met.”

Wimmer adds her group is in communication with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the province, and veterinarians at the University of Prince Edward Island about what to do next.