Starfish, clams, lobsters, mussels, and herring were among the several species found lifeless on Dec. 26; however, on Dec. 29 the list expanded to include a dead humpback whale.

Humpback whale added to scores of dead fish found in N.S.

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Daksha Rangan

Digital Reporter

Monday, January 2, 2017, 9:54 PM - The shores of Nova Scotia's coastal beaches bid farewell to 2016 on a grisly note, after thousands of dead marine wildlife washed up along the coastline over the holidays.

Starfish, clams, lobsters, mussels, and herring were among the several species found lifeless on Dec. 26; however, on Dec. 29 the list expanded to include a dead humpback whale.

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The death of the humpback hasn't officially been linked to the deaths of multiple other marine species, but the National Post reports that the whale did not appear to have external injuries to provide a simpler explanation for its death.

"It’s really sad. I was crying about it this morning," Jennifer Thibodeau told the National Post. Thibodeau was with her husband when she spotted the dead humpback whale. She lives roughly 150 metres from the beach.

"From our house we can look out and watch them jump out of the water in the summertime. You can hear them blow and … you can see them breach and it’s sad to think that’s one of those whales that we watched."

Fisheries officers took samples in the St. Marys Bay area to test for diseases, infections, toxins, predators, and even water quality issues that may help determine the cause of the die-off, but no clear source has been identified so far.

"Everything to date has come back negative. So now that we’ve got a few other species involved, that causes us to broaden the scope again," Doug Wentzell, regional director of fisheries management for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, told Global News. Wentzell was referring to the Department of Fishers and Oceans's investigation of the cause. "We’re going back to the drawing board to make sure that we have not left any stone unturned."

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Thumbnail image courtesy of Eric Bruce Hewe via Storyful.