Rare whales wash ashore

Photo: CTV

Two rare whales have washed up on the coast of B.C..

A dead Cuvier's beaked whale was found near Tofino recently, and it’s believed another met the same fate on Haida Gwaii.

The whales are about the size and weight of a school bus. They're normally in deep waters, far off shore and out of view  so much so there have only been a handful of recorded sightings ever in B.C.

Marcie Callewaert, a nature photographer and founder of the the Victoria Marine Science Association, says the Tofino whale's carcass is riddled with propeller marks, although it’s not clear if the mammal was struck before or after it died.

"We don't see them often. When they do come to the surface, it’s not (in) an area where there’s a lot of boaters," Callewaert told CTV.

Tissue samples from both whales will be sent to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

– with files from CTV Vancouver