By Canadian Press

Two more right whales found dead off east coast, bringing total to eight this year

Jul 19, 2019 | 2:37 PM

MONCTON, N.B. — Federal officials say two more dead North Atlantic right whales have been spotted off the east coast, bringing to eight the number of the endangered whales to die this year in Canadian waters.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans says one of the dead whales was first observed Thursday by an aerial surveillance flight drifting west of the Magdalen Islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

It was relocated today by a vessel in the area, and a necropsy will take place Sunday.

Also today, the body of a second dead right whale was sighted off Glace Bay, N.S.

The whale was originally reported on June 24, 2019 by a fisherman, but fisheries vessels could not find it to confirm it was in fact a North Atlantic right whale.

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The exact date, location, and cause of the whales’ deaths is not known. It is believed the population of the endangered species currently stands at around 400 animals.

The Canadian Press