Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve is asking the public for help with information surrounding the circumstances in an apparent whale boat collision that severely injured a humpback whale.
Biologist Janet Neilson documented the injured whale near Willoughby Island on June 27th. The deep gash on its dorsal fin appeared to be caused by a boat propeller and looked very fresh “perhaps just hours old.” Although the wound wasn’t bleeding, the gash cut about 1 foot deep exposing the blubber beneath the skin. Neilson reported the whale was diving and appeared to be behaving normally:
“From the size of the cut, it is believed that the whale was struck by a medium to large vessel.”
The whale has been identified as #2583, an adult whale of unknown sex that has been sighted in Glacier Bay and Icy Strait since 2013. According to Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve’s humpback whale population monitoring program, #2583 was seen in good health on June 16th
Park biologists are currently consulting with marine mammal experts to understand the whale’s likelihood of survival with such a nasty injury. National Park Service officials are asking the public for help with information on when and how the vessel strike occurred to better understand collisions and develop better preventative measures to protect these iconic animals. Anyone with pertinent information regarding how whale #2583 was injured is requested to contact the Park at 907-697-2230.