A research scientist with DFO says it’s the intelligence of sperm whales that could lead to them being hurt or killed in the waters off the province.
Such a whale was recently found dead in the water near Portugal Cove.
Jack Lawson says they first became aware of the body of the whale floating south down Conception Bay in early June, a couple of weeks before it was found in Portugal Cove near some unrelated fishing gear.
Lawson says they won’t get a chance to determine the whale’s cause of death because it is “so rotted and bloated.”
File Photo of Jack Lawson.
While he notes there was nothing visible to indicate the marine mammal had been hit by a vessel, Lawson says that is a concern for sperm whales in general.
He explains that sperm whales are very smart creatures, and some have learned to follow trawling vessels as they are bringing in their nets to get the “scraps” off the vessel and fish falling through the net. He says some vessels have been followed by five or 10 whales at a time, which is a concern if they get too close to things such as the propellers.
