Teeth stolen from dead orca in B.C.
QMI Agency
First posted: Sunday, December 07, 2014 12:19 PM EST | Updated: Sunday, December 07, 2014 12:28 PM EST
Animal welfare organizations in B.C. are furious that someone desecrated the body of an orca whale lying on a beach near Courtenay Saturday.
The young adult female whale was found floating off the coast Thursday and had been brought ashore.
A team of scientists from Canada and the U.S. performed a necropsy on Rhapsody, as the whale was known to researchers, Saturday but CTV reported that someone stole several teeth from the remains overnight.
“Someone last night selfishly, cruelly, illegally cut off several teeth from her,” Marcie Callewaert of the Victoria Marine Science Association told CTV. “It’s a crime that can’t be described. It’s a crime against science; it’s a crime against her and the respect to Rhapsody.”
Paul Cottrell, who works with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, told Vancouver Island's CHEK radio station: "It's disgusting, really. It's hard to even comprehend why someone would cut off (its) teeth. It's a tragedy."
Jean Rowe, a Courtenay resident who had been keeping an eye on Rhapsody, told Global News she was "devastated" after hearing that the whale had been desecrated.
“Having hindsight, we should have set vigil overnight. It’s just terrible what someone did. Unfortunately, ivory is worth money, people like trophies…but that’s a shame.”
Researchers say the whale, which belonged to an endangered pod, may have been giving birth at the time of her death.
Teeth stolen from dead orca in B.C. | Canada | News | Toronto Sun
QMI Agency
First posted: Sunday, December 07, 2014 12:19 PM EST | Updated: Sunday, December 07, 2014 12:28 PM EST
Animal welfare organizations in B.C. are furious that someone desecrated the body of an orca whale lying on a beach near Courtenay Saturday.
The young adult female whale was found floating off the coast Thursday and had been brought ashore.
A team of scientists from Canada and the U.S. performed a necropsy on Rhapsody, as the whale was known to researchers, Saturday but CTV reported that someone stole several teeth from the remains overnight.
“Someone last night selfishly, cruelly, illegally cut off several teeth from her,” Marcie Callewaert of the Victoria Marine Science Association told CTV. “It’s a crime that can’t be described. It’s a crime against science; it’s a crime against her and the respect to Rhapsody.”
Paul Cottrell, who works with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, told Vancouver Island's CHEK radio station: "It's disgusting, really. It's hard to even comprehend why someone would cut off (its) teeth. It's a tragedy."
Jean Rowe, a Courtenay resident who had been keeping an eye on Rhapsody, told Global News she was "devastated" after hearing that the whale had been desecrated.
“Having hindsight, we should have set vigil overnight. It’s just terrible what someone did. Unfortunately, ivory is worth money, people like trophies…but that’s a shame.”
Researchers say the whale, which belonged to an endangered pod, may have been giving birth at the time of her death.
Teeth stolen from dead orca in B.C. | Canada | News | Toronto Sun
