Orca calf swims out of lagoon after being trapped for a month
The Ehattesaht First Nation says a killer whale calf that had been trapped in a re‐ mote Vancouver Island la‐ goon for more than a month is now free after she swam out on her own early Friday morning.
The nation said kʷi‐ isaḥiʔis, or Brave Little Hunter, swam over the sand‐ bar and out into open water during high tide around 2:30 a.m. PT.
After a long night of feed‐ ing 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 every‐ where are waking up to some incredible news and what can only be described as pride for the strength this little or‐ ca 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 be‐ came trapped at low tide and died on a rocky beach.
For weeks, First Nation members, DFO marine mam‐ mal experts, whale scientists and boat and machine oper‐ ators gathered in the small community of about 200 people to plan how to free the calf.
Those discussions resul‐ ted in multiple rescue mis‐ sions - all of them unsuccess‐ ful. Rescuers attempted to catch the orca and transport her by sling; they used recorded killer whale vocal‐ izations to coax her out of the lagoon; around 10 boats attempted to herd the orca by using oikomi pipes to cre‐ ate 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, includ‐ ing feedings, so she doesn't become habituated and de‐ pendent on their support.
John says officials and na‐ tion 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 pub‐ lic to stay away from the area.
"With this part of the chal‐ lenge 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 kʷi‐ isaḥiʔis' life has ended on a high note, it began with a tragedy.
Back in March, her 15year-old mother became beached in the lagoon.
Video of the incident shows dozens of people try‐ ing to save the stranded orca, but she died.
A necropsy later con‐ firmed the mother was preg‐ nant with another calf.
As the weeks continued and the rescues failed, there were concerns over the well‐ being of kʷiisaḥiʔis and whether the calf was getting enough food and fresh wa‐ ter.
The orca was examined by experts and veterinarian staff from the Vancouver Aquari‐ um 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 neigh‐ bouring Nuchatlaht First Na‐ tion tossed about 18 kilo‐ grams of seal meat into the water.
WATCH | Reporter Joel Ballard explains how stran‐ ded orca's ordeal ended with swim to freedom: