LONE DANGER
Solitary sociable dolphins and whales like Bluey the Beluga in Newfoundland and another in Paris are showing up more often. Outcomes are seldom good
Fronting Random Sound on the east coast of Newfoundland not far north of Come-by-chance, Clarenville is a nice place with an interesting local history. That lore grew over the last few years thanks to a wayward white whale loitering in its harbour. The errant beluga hung around so much the locals eventually gave it a cute moniker, Bluey. He made the news in the summer of ’21 when he was rescued from entanglement. Despite the care taken by locals in and on the water, he had been caught up in gear at least five times and nearly hit a few times as well. He made the news again a few months later when he died as a result of another entanglement. It seemed inevitable.
Bluey may have been what is called a “solitary sociable cetacean.” Increasingly common, it refers to a single individual of a non-native dolphin or whale species residing in an atypical locale. Lacking interaction with their own species, these normally social creatures eventually draw nearer to humans, seeking touch, play and other social interactions. Inevitably, local media pick up the story, and everyone comes out for a look. Newspapers in London and Paris recently have reported on huge crowds gathering to observe whales in the Thames and the Seine. Selfie-time.
The problem is that while they may appear playful, even childlike, the whales are wild animals, powerful and unpredictable. Worthy of caution and respect. As human interactions rise, so too do wildlife management and animal welfare issues and, frequently, the untimely death of the animal.
It is a sad story that is happening more than ever. In Canada, reports of solitary belugas have increased. No one is certain why, but a partial theory is that as populations have dropped (due to human causes), the distance between pods has increased. When an individual becomes separated — more likely with increased noise pollution, food scarcity and ship-strike fatalities — it is much less probable the solitary whale will be able to re-find its pod or come across another to join.