PEITwo of the three large sperm whales stranded off P.E.I.’s North Shore have been confirmed dead, according to the Marine Animal Response Society. The third is still alive, but it’s in a tough spot and is not in good condition.’Everyone’s quite upset and heartbroken by it’ Ryan McKellop · CBC News · Posted: Sep 29, 2025 8:10 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours agoTwo large sperm whales have been confirmed dead after being stranded on P.E.I.’s North Shore, with the third in not good condition. (Marine Animal Response Society )Two of the three large sperm whales stranded off P.E.I.’s North Shore have been confirmed dead, according to the Marine Animal Response Society.The third animal is still alive, the group said, but it’s in a tough spot and is not in good condition.The whales were first spotted Saturday night on the ocean side of a small chain of islands close to Hardys Channel, near East Bideford in western P.E.I.Tonya Wimmer, executive director of MARS, said the whale that is still alive is not in the best location. She said the whales are large, so rescue efforts could only further harm it. “In the case of these animals, they were all fairly big. They’re anywhere from 33 to about 38 feet long, which puts them anywhere between, you know, 15 to almost 20 tonnes,” Wimmer said.”Which is a substantial… animal to deal with.”She said a necropsy may be carried out on the whales to determine a possible cause of death.Despite the concern from Islanders, Wimmer said there is not much that can be done with whales of this size and weight. (Marine Animal Response Society)”Sometimes we can figure out the cause of death, and if there was anything other than just [being] stranded by mishap,” she said.”Sometimes there’s underlying causes, and so that’s why the investigation after the fact is so important.”‘Let nature take its course’Despite the concern from Islanders, Wimmer said there is not much that can be done with animals of this size and weight.”We kind of have to let nature take its course, and that’s an unfortunate situation, but it is something that… happens in nature, and it’s nothing any of us takes lightly,” she said.”Everyone’s quite upset and heartbroken by it… so tomorrow the folks that are there locally will continue to monitor the animal and, hopefully, you know, it does pass peacefully in its own time.”She reminded people to keep a distance of at least 200 metres from the whales and to leave them be. ABOUT THE AUTHORRyan McKellop is a graduate of the Holland College Journalism program and a web writer at CBC P.E.I.With files from Maggie Brown
2 sperm whales stranded off P.E.I. have died, 3rd in poor condition, says response group
