Rescuers hope to free orphaned orca calf stuck in British Columbia lagoon after mother’s death

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Rescuers with multiple organizations, the Canadian government and tribal agencies have spent the past two weeks thinking of ways to free a killer whale calf from a lagoon near Zeballos, British Columbia after its mother became stranded on a gravel bar and died on March 23.

Ehattesaht First Nation Chief Simon John issued a touching statement following the mother whale’s death, which occurred in a lagoon off of the Little Espinoza Inlet near the village of Ehatis.

“Our community responded, and everyone was working to save her, but we weren’t able to move her enough to save her,” John said. “Certainly, it is heartbreaking being there and being helpless. 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. It’s really upsetting, and we had so many from the local community there to help but when you have a sad ending it really is hard on everyone who was there.”

Following the death of the 15-year-old Bigg’s killer whale, the Coastal Nations Coast Guard Auxiliary announced that officials were attempting to locate the orphaned calf’s extended family (Pod T109A).

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On March 31, the pod was located roughly 100 miles south in the Barkley Sound and was said the be headed north in the direction of the stranded calf, which Ehattesaht-Chinehkint First Nation leaders have named kʷiisaḥiʔis (kwee-sa-hay-is), meaning “Brave Little Hunter.”

Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard continue to monitor Brave Little Hunter, who has been unable to find her way out of the lagoon’s narrow entrance. So far, she is said to be in good health.

“The fact is that the Marine Mammal Response Unit and the Nation have discussed every possible combination of options from letting nature take its course to complex helicopter airlifts,” Fisheries and Oceans Canada said in a statement on April 3. “In the end, the decision will be based on advice from experts from around the world and from the knowledge and experience here on the ground.”

The team of officials is still considering possible rescue efforts but has attempted to supplement the animal’s diet with seal meat provided by the Nuchalaht First Nation. However, it’s unclear if the calf has eaten the seal parts. A necropsy performed on the mother orca shows that she was pregnant and still lactating at the time of her death, indicating that Brave Little Hunter was somewhat reliant on her mother’s milk prior to her death.

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The organization Bay Cetology announced on April 4 that Brave Little Hunter appeared to be in good health, despite being unable to find her way out of the lagoon.

“[Brave Little Hunter] remains robust, showing no immediate signs of emaciation,” Bay Cetology said in a statement. “In the coming days, those of us on site will attempt to move [Brave Little Hunter] using various methods, but this will require a lot of patience as well as cooperation from the whale. We are also keeping track of other Bigg’s killer whales throughout the region as best as efforts allow.”

KOIN 6 will continue to follow this story as rescuers work to free Brave Little Hunter from the lagoon.

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