An investigation has been launched by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada after a dead orca’s teeth were removed. The creature, known as J-32 was moved to a Vancouver Island boat launch on Friday after it was witnessed floating in the water.

An investigation has been launched by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada after a dead orca’s teeth were removed. The creature, known as J-32 was moved to a Vancouver Island boat launch on Friday after it was witnessed floating in the water.

The whale remained at the boat launch overnight, as a post-mortem examination was scheduled for Saturday. In the morning, however, officials from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans noticed some of the female orca’s teeth were gone.

Pacific marine mammals co-coordinator, Paul Cottrell stated “It looks like they broke off a couple, and there were a number that were sawed off, and those were cut off right to the gum….It's just a senseless, illegal act.”

At this stage of the investigation, it’s uncertain if the whale’s teeth were removed for a private collection or if it has to do with the trading or selling of endangered species.

Either way, it’s illegal to possess any part of orcas due to due to Canada’s Species at Risk Act. Biologists have performed a necropsy on J-32, but have not yet been able to determine what caused her death.

They did, however, learn that she was pregnant with a fetus that was full term.