Eubalaena • Eubalaena glacialis • North Atlantic Right Whale • Putup
Wolverine:
Over my years volunteering with the Marine Animal Response Society (MARS), I have witnessed the extinction of the North Atlantic Right Whales. More than once, I have stood in the shadow of the enormous whales; so peaceful, so seemingly indestructible, and very much out of place on the warm sand of a Nova Scotian beach.
In the past couple years, the Right Whale deaths in the North Atlantic have arrived in
alarming numbers. I’ve seen the devastation of these events reflected on the faces in the
community; but along with the devastation, I’ve also seen how quick people can rise to action. A plan comes together as quick as possible, and a team of passionate workers and volunteers travels where needed to get the work done. Our job is not easy, in more ways than one; not only extremely physically demanding, but emotionally demanding in a way that I find difficult to describe.
During a necropsy, I’ve learned to focus on the task at hand. I focus on the slice of my
knife, the tightness of my fingers and the ache in my bones. I do not think about the lost life that not long ago swam in our ocean. I do not think about what it means for our shifting ecosystems and changing environments. Instead, I focus, I complete my work, and process everything else later, when I am alone.
In early June of 2019, a nine-year-old male Right Whale named Wolverine was found
floating in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The necropsy team assembled in Miscou, New Brunswick to inspect the young male. Before the necropsy commenced, a local Elder arrived to guide us through a ceremony. We all gathered side by side, into a circle next to Wolverine. As he spoke and sang, I felt the weight of what we were doing, of how much it mattered, of what it meant. Among the stories he told us, I remember most the story of the turtle and the whale. He told us that the sea turtle sends the whale ashore as a message to us of an unhappy Earth, and the whale comes as a messenger to warn us. However, the whale alone also tells us that we still have time to change our ways; and it is only when the sea turtle finally follows the whale ashore, that we receive our final message.
Lighting some sage, he stood before us and individually asked us to bless the skills that would guide us through the day. I watched as one by one, every member of the team washed the smoke over themselves. This was my first experience of such a ceremony, learning for the first time about Wolverine’s presence meant to others, and learning a new way to prepare myself for the day beyond stretching my arms and legs. He came to stand before me, and I ran my hands through the smoke wafting from his hands. Following his guidance, I blessed my hands to prepare them for the day’s work; I washed the smoke over my closed eyes, so they would understand the importance of what they were to see; I washed it over my head, to bless my thoughts, and lastly, I brought the smoke to my heart.
We turned to Wolverine, and expressed our gratitude for allowing us to learn from his life and his body. It was in this moment, as I pressed the unbelievably small palm of my hand on Wolverine’s white underbelly that I experienced the overwhelming clarity I had not allowed myself to experience before. This young whale, who I could now easily imagine swimming through the water, in a habitat where his largeness was much less blatant. My throat tightened as I thought of the life he could have had. How old he could have been, how much larger he would have grown, how many calves he would have fathered, who would have carried his genes to the future generations. I thought about our population of right whales in the North Atlantic, and about what we have done to them. I looked up at Wolverines immense body and knew that even if he were full-grown, his body would seem small in comparison to his South Atlantic counter parts. They’re not as large as they should be, they die younger than they should, and their small population is quickly dwindling down.
The Elder gave each of us a handful of tobacco to spread on Wolverine’s body as we
expressed our thanks. I spread my handful along his belly, watching as small pieces fell down to the sand. As we were told, I expressed my gratitude while my hands moved across his body, because what we learned from him could only help our fight for this species. When I had finished, I added a whispered apology to him. I am so sorry that this was your life. That it ended like this.
We’re trying to make it better.
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