Its hard to know why': Fourth dead humpback washes up on B.C.'s shores

A fourth dead humpback whale has washed ashore in British Columbia in 2026, extending an apparent rise in whale strandings along the Pacific coast. On Sunday, June 28, a Huu-Ay-Aht West Coast Trail Guardian found the carcass north of the Pachena Bay trailhead. Oceans and Fisheries (DFO) marine mammal specialist Paul Cottrell performed a necropsy and determined the animal was a 10-year-old female. He said there were no apparent signs pointing to the cause of death, including vessel strikes, since such evidence would more likely be visible on the dorsal side; sample analysis is expected to provide more information. Cottrell also noted that 2026 is on track to record the highest number of dead grey whales, with 10 found so far, nearly matching the 2019 record of 11. DFO has also recorded four humpback entanglements with fishing gear this year. The agency urged the public to report dead or distressed whales to the Marine Mammal Hotline at 1-800-467-4336.