The rare Bryde's whale, discovered dead in Port McNeill Bay on May 14, 2025, will become a central exhibit at the rebuilt Whale Interpretive Centre in Telegraph Cove. This marks a significant event, as Bryde's whales are rarely seen in waters north of latitude 35° north, making this the first recorded sighting in Canadian waters.
The 'Namgis First Nation gifted the whale to the museum, symbolizing a 'rebirth' after a devastating fire that occurred on New Year's Eve of 2024. The fire destroyed the Whale Interpretive Centre and its historic and educational collection of marine mammal skeletons.
Jim Borrowman, who operates the museum, expressed immense gratitude to the 'Namgis First Nation and the Alert Bay community. The whale's skeletal remains will be a key feature when the museum reopens, with the full rebuild projected for spring or summer of 2026. Mike deRoos from Cetacean Contracting will dismantle the whale, preparing the bones for cleaning and articulation, after a necropsy performed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada to determine the cause of death.