Occurrence of Fin Whales (Balaenoptera physalus) Between Vancouver Island and Continental North America

Historically, Fin Whales (Balaenoptera physalus) were relatively common off the west coast of North America but very few records of their occurrence in waters between Vancouver Island and continental North America exist. To confirm their presence in these waters we collected photographs documenting...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Northwestern naturalist (Olympia, Wash.) Wash.), 2018-04, Vol.99 (1), p.49-57
Main Authors: Towers, Jared R, Malleson, Mark, McMillan, Christie J, Cogan, Jane, Berta, Susan, Birdsall, Caitlin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aquatic mammals
Aquatic sciences
Balaenoptera
Balaenoptera physalus
Cetacea
Coastal waters
Coasts
Distribution
Endangered & extinct species
Environmental aspects
Fin whale
Fin Whales
Fisheries
Fishing
GENERAL NOTES
Historical account
Marine mammals
Megaptera novaeangliae
movements
North America
Orcinus orca
photo-identification
population recovery
Predation
prey
ship strike
Ships
Straits
Strikes
Vancouver Island
Waterways
Whales & whaling
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Summary:Historically, Fin Whales (Balaenoptera physalus) were relatively common off the west coast of North America but very few records of their occurrence in waters between Vancouver Island and continental North America exist. To confirm their presence in these waters we collected photographs documenting at least 13 unique individuals during 43 encounters from 1999 to 2017. These records are the first of live Fin Whales in Queen Charlotte, Johnstone, Georgia and Juan De Fuca Straits and are also the only confirmed sightings between Vancouver Island and continental North America since 1930. Additionally, 12 dead Fin Whales all with evidence of ship strikes are reported in these waters between 1986 and 2017. Most (88%) sightings of live Fin Whales occurred between July and October and no individuals were documented dead or alive between January and April. We suggest that Fin Whales in coastal waterways may be at greater risk to ship strikes and predation by mammal-eating Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) than in less confined waters further offshore.
ISSN:1051-1733
1938-5315
DOI:10.1898/NWN17-16.1