Orca calf swims out of lagoon after being trapped for a month
CBC
Fri, April 26, 2024
A killer whale and its calf are shown in a lagoon near Zeballos, B.C. in a handout photo. (Jared Towers/Bay Cetology/The Canadian Press - image credit)
The Ehattesaht First Nation says a killer whale calf that had been trapped in a remote Vancouver Island lagoon for more than a month is now free after she swam out on her own early Friday morning.
The nation said kʷiisaḥiʔis, or Brave Little Hunter, swam over the sandbar and out into open water during high tide around 2:30 a.m. PT.
After a long night of feeding kʷiisaḥiʔis and watching the calf play in the lagoon, the nation said, a small group "stood as witnesses to watch her swim under the bridge and down the inlet."
"Today the community of Zeballos and people everywhere are waking up to some incredible news and what can only be described as pride for the strength this little orca has shown," said Chief Simon John in a release.
The two-year-old female transient killer whale had been stuck in the tidal lagoon near the village of Zeballos, B.C., since March 23, when her pregnant mother became trapped at low tide and died on a rocky beach.
For weeks, First Nation members, DFO marine mammal experts, whale scientists and boat and machine operators gathered in the small community of about 200 people to plan how to free the calf.
Those discussions resulted in multiple rescue missions — all of them unsuccessful. Rescuers attempted to catch the orca and transport her by sling; they used recorded killer whale vocalizations to coax her out of the lagoon; around 10 boats attempted to herd the orca by using oikomi pipes to create a loud noise underwater; and a violinist even tried to serenade the calf to freedom.
But in the end, kʷiisaḥiʔis was her own saviour.
Connecting calf with family
After kʷiisaḥiʔis swam free, John says the calf was later seen in Espinosa Inlet and a team followed her as she moved toward Esperanza Inlet and the open ocean.
The team, which includes members of Fisheries and Oceans Canada's Marine Mammal Response and Bay Cetology, is hopeful that once the calf is in the ocean, her calls will be heard by her family.
Martin Haulena, director of mammal health at the Vancouver Aquarium, says the calf has overcome some significant hurdles, but she still has a few challenges ahead.
Primarily, she needs to be reunited with her pod.
"She's a two-year old calf. Normally she would still be very dependent on mom and the family group," he said.
If she is able to find her pod, Haulena says he's "very sure" she will be adopted by her family members.
However, he says rescuers are also trying to limit their contact with the calf, including feedings, so she doesn't become habituated and dependent on their support.
John says officials and nation members are now putting protective measures in place to ensure there is no contact between kʷiisaḥiʔis and other people or boats.
They have asked the public to stay away from the area.
"With this part of the challenge solved by kʷiisaḥiʔis herself, every opportunity needs to be afforded to have her back with her family with as little human interaction as possible," he said.
Calf's mother couldn't be saved
While this chapter of kʷiisaḥiʔis' life has ended on a high note, it began with a tragedy.
Back in March, her 15-year-old mother became beached in the lagoon.
Video of the incident shows dozens of people trying to save the stranded orca, but she died.
Submitted by Florence Bruce
A necropsy later confirmed the mother was pregnant with another calf.
As the weeks continued and the rescues failed, there were concerns over the wellbeing of kʷiisaḥiʔis and whether the calf was getting enough food and fresh water.
The orca was examined by experts and veterinarian staff from the Vancouver Aquarium who said in mid-April that she appeared to be in good health and was swimming well.
Last week, the calf also ate seal meat for what was believed to be the first time, after members of the neighbouring Nuchatlaht First Nation tossed about 18 kilograms of seal meat into the water.
The Canadian Press
Fri, April 26, 2024
ZEBALLOS, B.C. — An orphan killer whale calf escaped from a remote Vancouver Island tidal lagoon Friday where it had been trapped for more than a month, immediately swimming towards the open ocean and making calls for its extended family members, say overjoyed rescue officials.
The young orca's bid for freedom occurred at a high tide early Friday and involved swimming through a swift-moving, narrow channel and underneath a bridge, with Esperanza Inlet in the near distance.
"It's been a joyful day, a really joyful day," said Ehattesaht First Nation Chief Simon John at a news conference. "I'm very ecstatic how things happened today. There was a lot of anticipation for this moment for the past five weeks."
The orca has been the focus of intense rescue efforts since March 23, when her pregnant mother became stranded on a rocky beach and died near the bridge in the small inlet next to the community of Zeballos, B.C., more than 450 kilometres northwest of Victoria.
The calf chose a "clear and glass-calm, star-filled night" at about 2:30 a.m. to swim under the bridge and down the inlet, said a joint statement from the Ehattesaht and Nuchatlaht First Nations.
The young orca's behaviour changed almost at the moment she passed under the bridge and headed for the open ocean, said Paul Cottrell, a marine mammal co-ordinator with the Fisheries Department.
"We were just amazed at how quickly, and how the behaviour of this animal changed when it went from the shallow inlets, where it was restricted, to these wide-open inlets that are very deep," he said. "Her behaviour, her acoustics changed. She actually sped away from the boat and moved into Esperanza Inlet and really took off from the group."
Cottrell, who has been in Zeballos since last month working with area First Nations on a rescue plan, said he's confident the young orca will survive and find family.
"It was just a great feeling knowing we've given her a great chance," he said. "Now it's up to her and we're very confident that she will meet up with her pod."
Cottrell, who has worked on numerous whale rescues off B.C.'s coast, described Friday's events as "one of the best experiences" of his life.
The orca calf, estimated to be about two years old, was seen breaching and playing near the bridge end of the lagoon for much of Thursday evening, but only a few people were there to witness her escape as she swam under the bridge, John said in an interview.
"My daughter Ashley was there," said John. "She was really happy. It was like 3 in the morning by the time she had actually gone to the other side and they went to meet her on the other side in the Zodiac."
The calf the First Nations named kwiisahi?is, or Brave Little Hunter, started eating seal meat provided by the nations last week, giving rescuers hope they could entice her to follow a food trail out of the lagoon.
A large rescue team made up of Indigenous leaders, Fisheries Department marine mammal experts, Vancouver Aquarium veterinarians, commercial fishermen, divers and drone operators abruptly stopped a planned capture last week when the orca began eating seal meat thrown to her. She was also seen catching herring in the lagoon.
Four members of the Ehattesaht and the neighbouring Nuchatlaht First Nation — Rob John, Judea Smith, Victoria Wells and Ashley John — were in a small inflatable vessel Thursday night and early Friday and managed to entice the killer whale calf to exit the lagoon by tossing her sea lion meat.
Cottrell said there were concerns that the young whale could strand itself on the same rocky beach where her mother died during low tide, but the orca swam toward the bridge and left the lagoon.
"We watched her all night," he said. "We were worried last night that she may live strand. What an amazing adventure this has been. There's been lot of ups and downs and twists and turns, given the death of mom and the orphaned calf and figuring out the best way to approach the situation."
The team was planning last week to launch its second attempt to capture the calf with a large net, then place her in a sling for transport in a specially outfitted vehicle to the ocean where she could be released and potentially reunited with her extended family.
Earlier this month, an initial capture attempt was stopped when team members said the "very smart" orca was eluding their efforts.
The Fisheries Department will work with First Nations, whale watchers, researchers and boaters to monitor the location of the orca calf's extended Bigg's killer whale family, Cottrell said.
The last reported sighting of Bigg's killer whales was more than two weeks ago in the Barkley Sound area, southwest of Zeballos, near Ucluelet.
The rescue team will continue to monitor the young orca's whereabouts, her condition and if she has a chance to reunite with family, Cottrell said.
John said the rescue has now entered a new phase and patrol and protective measures will be taken in the area to ensure the young orca has no contact with boats or people.
Marine mammal experts and independent whale scientists have said the young orca's chances of survival in the open ocean and reuniting with extended family members are good.
The Ehattesaht said the orca's journey will become part of the fabric Indigenous people across Canada are telling and living in modern times, reinforcing their deep connections between the spirit world, the animal world and the people who have remained on the land and waters.
"Events like these have a deeper meaning and the timing of her departure will be thought about, talked about and felt for generations to come," said the Ehattesaht.
John said the orca's departure from the lagoon is bittersweet for him as it comes on the anniversary of his daughter Kayla's violent death 20 years ago.
"Really, for me, today is the anniversary of my daughter's death, so I'm just trying to maintain myself currently," he said. "It's been a tough process for me certainly with the whale thing coming after 20 years today. It's kind of significant to me. Nobody has to own it but me."
— By Dirk Meissner in Victoria
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 26, 2024.
The Canadian Press
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