MILL CREEK - The remains of a pilot whale were found on a beach here last weekend.
The adult male pilot whale measured about 20 feet and weighed an estimated three tonnes. The whale's fluke measured four feet and the dorsal fin was three feet.
Upon examination, the long-finned pilot whale showed signs of cuts on its dorsal fin, which might have been a result of tangled fishnets.
It had a large abrasion on its forehead and might have been hit by a large object, possibly a ship. The whale's front teeth were worn, indicating it was an older animal.
The Bay of Fundy tide came in about 9 p.m., and floated the animal away.
The pilot whale is a member of the dolphin family and lives in the waters of the southern and northern hemispheres. They are not endangered; more than one million exist in the world's oceans.
National Geographic places tracking devices on some of these whales which indicates they can dive as deep as 500 feet and send out signals as far as 1,600 feet. They feed on smaller fish and travel in pods. A female can carry her baby for up to 15 months before giving birth to a six-foot calf.
Remains of whale found
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Published on
July 8, 2009
- Published on January 4, 2010
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Staff ~ The Amherst Daily News
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