Humpback whale found dead near Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal likely hit by ship

The humpback whale that washed up on shore near the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal was likely struck by a passing vessel.

Necropsy results released by the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans show that the female cetacean had injuries that were “consistent with catastrophic ship strike with propeller injuries.”

The DFO is investigating.

Members of the Tsawwassen First Nation discovered the marine mammal just off the causeway into the terminal on November 16.

The DFO’s Marine Mammal Response Unit conducted the autopsy and say the results will “feed into a growing body of knowledge to assist in assessing the threats to whales from a population health perspective.”

That includes looking at trends, pathogens and other indicators that may affect the life cycles of whales in Canadian waters.