A young killer whale, which had been trapped in a lagoon on Vancouver Island for over a month, successfully navigated past a narrow passage during high tide in the early hours of Friday. This milestone achievement has brought the orca closer to an inlet that could lead it back to the open sea, according to officials.
The Ehattesaht and Nuchatlaht First Nations have reported that the team monitoring the 2-year-old calf witnessed it swimming past the location where its mother had passed away. The calf then proceeded to swim under a bridge and independently navigate its way down the inlet.
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The young orca must still leave the Little Espinosa Inlet in order to reach the open ocean.
Since March 23, a calf has been trapped in the tidal lagoon near the British Columbia village of Zeballos, located approximately 450 kilometers (280 miles) northwest of Victoria. The calf’s unfortunate situation began when its pregnant mother got stuck at low tide and ultimately perished on a rocky beach.
Chief Simon John expressed his pride and admiration for the remarkable strength exhibited by the little orca, as he shared the incredible news with the Zeballos community and people worldwide.
Officials expressed their hope that once the whale reaches the open sea, its calls will be heard by its orca family.
John mentioned that officials and members of the nation were implementing precautionary measures to prevent any interactions between the whale and humans or vessels.
“We need to make sure she can reunite with her family while minimizing human contact as much as possible,” he emphasized.
In mid-April, a rescue operation was carried out to free the whale. The team attempted to corral her into a large fabric sling using a net in shallow waters. Despite the efforts of a 50-person rescue team equipped with boats, divers, and advanced underwater detection equipment, the whale managed to evade capture.
During high tide, a woman attempted to lure the whale out of the lagoon by playing her violin.
