By Canadian Press

Humpback whale that thrilled crowds in Montreal reported dead in St. Lawrence

Jun 9, 2020 | 8:16 AM

MONTREAL — A whale research group says a wayward humpback whale that had captivated crowds in the Montreal area in recent days appears to have been found dead.

The Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals reported this morning that a boat pilot spotted the carcass of a whale in Varennes, about 30 kilometres northeast of the city.

Marie-Eve Muller says experts are on site and are currently evaluating the best way to tow the carcass to shore to conduct a necropsy.

The young humpback whale was first spotted in the Montreal area at the end of May, several hundred kilometres from its usual habitat.

Over the next few days it drew large crowds to Montreal’s Old Port, where it thrilled onlookers with spectacular breaches.

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Muller says it’s too early to hypothesize about how the whale died or even to confirm it’s the same one seen in Montreal, although she said it’s very likely.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2020

The Canadian Press