A rescue team is still trying to save a young orca that is stranded in a lagoon. The 2-year-old orca lost her mom on Saturday, March 23 in Canada. The young orca's mom suffocated after being stranded, and though people tried to help her, their efforts were unfortunately unsuccessful.
When it comes to saving the young orca, who has been named kʷiisaḥiʔis ("Brave Little Hunter" when translated) by local First Nations people, there's still hope, but there are several factors that make saving kʷiisaḥiʔis especially challenging.
The lagoon the young orca is stuck in is located off the west coast of Canada. The Ehattesaht and Nuchatlaht First Nations and federal marine officials are working together to try to help kʷiisaḥiʔis reunite with her family after the death of her mother, reports the Guardian.
Each day, the rescue team has a limited window of time in which they would be able to potentially rescue the young orca. Paul Cottrell, who is a member of the Fisheries and Oceans Canada marine mammal response team, explained to CTV News that the team would only be able to rescue the orca when the tide is slack and the orca is safely able to get out. This only lasts for 15 to 20 minutes per day.
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The rescue team has tried several different approaches in attempt to get the young orca out of the lagoon, including oikomi pipes and speakers that played whale vocalizations, but they have not been able to get the orca out.
“It's a very narrow passage. It's almost like threading the needle,” Ehattesaht First Nation chief Simon John said at a news conference, reported CTV News.
In a statement, John also shared that it's important to remember that we as humans are connected to orcas.
“These are events that reawaken our people and our connection to the land, the water and the animals. I am not sure, but sometimes in the sad events, we gather strength. I think that is important,” John said, reported the Times Colonist. "We are connected to these animals and I believe these events are really difficult, but really important."
Currently, the priority is getting the young orca out of the lagoon, then helping her reunite with her pod. On March 27, the rescue team shared that as they continue their efforts, they might need to change their approach.
The young orca is also dealing with the loss of her mom, who was later found to be pregnant.
"Whales are connected for a lifetime with their family. And I just can’t stop thinking about what that calf is going through because the calf doesn’t understand why its mother is not any longer there for her,” Janie Wray, CEO and lead researcher for BC Whales, told the Guardian.
After the young orca's mom died, John called the situation "heartbreaking."
"They are such magnificent animals and I have been with them on the water almost my whole life. But they are always at a bit of distance. Being so close and touching her, seeing her calf and being so helpless is hard to describe," he said, reported the Times Colonist.
The rescue team is also concerned about whether the young orca has access to food. She was getting at least some of her nutritional needs met by her mom, CTV News reported.
On April 9, 2024, authorities reported that the calf was still trapped in the lagoon. While she is not showing signs of starvation, her skin has begun to turn white due to the low salinity in the water. The team continues to hope the calf can be rescued.
