Thursday, January 25, 2007

Wayward Moby

A wayward Grey Whale has been sighted swimming up the Fraser River at a time when it should be migrating south to the warmer waters off Mexico for the mating season. The young whale, about nine metres long, was spotted by a tugboat crew near Surrey's Port Mann Bridge on Monday afternoon.
It is very rare for the beautiful grey whales, known for their superior navigational skills, to be found in rivers. There are some theories on how the lone whale wound up in the fresh waters of the Fraser River: It could have just taken a wrong turn; it could be ill, leaving it disoriented; or something could have frightened it into the river such as a killer whale, a loud sound/sonar, or boat traffic. Hopefully, the whale (nicknamed Moby) will eventually find its way out of the river. It is feared that if the whale ends up stranded for any longer than six weeks, the fresh water could cause the whale to fall ill. Or if spooked, the whale could drive itself toward shallow water, where it could become beached.
Come on, majestic Moby, find your way back to the open Pacific!

(images from Greenpeace)

1 comment:

kstyle said...

Beautiful,
I love the whales. k