It’s unclear what led to the death of a grey whale that washed up off the shores of White Rock over the weekend, on the mud flats near Crescent Beach.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) says a necropsy will be done on the whale, which was reported to the agency on Sunday.
“DFO’s Marine Mammal team is coordinating a plan to move the animal to a secure location where a necropsy can be performed,” the DFO said in a statement to CityNews.
The agency adds the cause of the death cannot be confirmed until the final necropsy reports are done, noting that generally takes up to three months.
The DFO explains necropsies help “further our understandings of the populations and the causes of death.”
“The conservation and protection of Canada’s marine resources, including marine mammals, is a top priority for Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO),” the agency said.