The orca calf that has been trapped in a lagoon near Zeballos for over a month swam past the sand bar overnight on her own, according to Ehattesaht-Chinehkints First Nation.
kwiisaḥiʔis, or Brave Little Hunter, swam out of the lagoon around 2:30 a.m. Friday, April 26, during the high tide. Her exit came 34 days after she first became trapped in the lagoon along with her mother on March 23.
“After an evening of feeding her, the team of Rob John, Judea Smith, Ashley John and Victoria Wells from Ehattesaht and Nuchatlaht, along with DFO’s Marine Mammal Response and Bay Cetology were treated to a long night of kwiisaḥiʔis breaching and playing at the end of the lagoon near the causeway bridge,” Ehattesaht-Chinehkints First Nation said in a news release.
“And after most everyone had left to get some sleep the small group who remained stood as witnesses to watch her swim under the bridge and down the inlet.”
In the morning, the team found her in the Espinosa Inlet and followed her as she moved into Esperanza Inlet.
“This morning they will encourage her out toward the open ocean where it is hoped that the Brave Little Hunter’s calls will now be heard by her family,” the release says.
“Today the community of Zeballos and people everywhere are waking up to some incredible news and what can only be described as pride for strength this little orca has shown.”
While she is in the inlet, the nation says there will be increased patrols and protective measures to ensure she has no contact with boats or people. The Nations and Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada are asking everyone to keep clear of 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,” the release says.
The story of kwiisaḥiʔis first caught everyone’s attention when her mother became beached while hunting in the lagoon, and sadly passed away.
Since kwiisaḥiʔis is only two, she still relied on her mother to help hunt and researchers think her mother was teaching her to hunt at the time she died.
Researchers have previously said they believe the hopes of kwiisaḥiʔis reuniting with other family members remain high if she makes it back out to the open ocean.
In a media availability, Paul Cottrell with DFO said researchers had considered placing a GPS tag on her, but since she had already been through quite a bit of stress and placing the tag came with a risk of infection, it was decided to not take the risk.
@ehattesaht.first At 2:30 AM during the high tide on a clear and glass calm, star filled night, kʷiisaḥiʔis swam past the sand bar her mother passed away on, under the bridge, down Little Espinosa Inlet and onto Esperanza all on her own. After an evening of feeding her the team of Rob John, Judea Smith, Ashley John and Victoria Wells from Ehattesaht and Nuchatlaht, along with DFO’s Marine Mammal Response and Bay Cetology were treated to a long night of kʷiisaḥiʔis breaching and playing at the end of the lagoon near the causeway bridge. And after most everyone had left to get some sleep the small group who remained stood as witnesses to watch her swim under the bridge and down the inlet. The team later found her in Espinosa Inlet then watched her move toward Esperanza Inlet proper. This morning they will encourage her out toward the open ocean where it is hoped that the Brave Little Hunter’s calls will now be heard by her family. #firstnations #indigenous #indigenouspeople #whalerescue #whalers #zeballos #westcoast #t109as #t109a3 #t109a3a #orca #kwiisahiis #biggswhales #transientorcas #whalewatching #bc #vancouverisland #nuuchahnulth #ehattesaht #ehattesahtfirstnation #ehattesahtterritory #ehattesahtnation
-With files from CHEK’s Dean Stoltz, The Canadian Press
READ PREVIOUS:
- APRIL 21: Whale experts confident orca calf will survive, find family if rescue plan succeeds
- APRIL 19: ‘It was joy’: Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
- APRIL 18: Ehattesaht First Nation launches GoFundMe to recoup costs of orca calf rescue efforts
- APRIL 17: B.C. woman tries to coax trapped killer calf out of tidal lagoon with her violin
- APRIL 16: U.S. killer-whale catcher has advice for B.C. rescuers — build rapport with your orca
- APRIL 15: Orphaned B.C. orca may be eating fish, vet says, as rescuers plan new strategy
- APRIL 13: B.C. rescue team regroups after little orca thwarts capture in remote lagoon
- APRIL 12: ‘Very smart’ B.C. orca calf evades rescuers, forcing switch in tactics
- APRIL 11: Tiny B.C. town rallies around killer whale calf rescue effort as time ticks away
- APRIL 10: Plan to lift B.C. orca calf out of remote lagoon still in the works
- APRIL 9: Trapped B.C. orca calf’s skin whitening, no sign of emaciation: Fisheries Department
- APRIL 5: Drone images show trapped B.C. orca calf is healthy female, Fisheries Department says
- APRIL 4: Plans to lift a B.C. orca calf out of remote lagoon aim for two-week timeline
- APRIL 3: Rescuers plan helicopter airlift of orca calf stranded in B.C. lagoon
- APRIL 2: Stranded orca calf remains in B.C. lagoon, breaching at regular intervals
- APRIL 1: Rescuers hope AI will help reunite orphaned whale with its family in B.C.
- MARCH 30: Low tide pauses efforts to save B.C. orca while rescuers plan next steps
- MARCH 29: Fisheries officials monitoring orphaned orca calf in lagoon off Vancouver Island
- MARCH 28: Killer whale rescue team puts boats back in lagoon in effort to entice calf to ocean
- MARCH 27: B.C. orca calf rescue team considers changing tactics to save stranded whale: DFO
- MARCH 26: DFO response team still trying to save orca calf near Zeballos
- MARCH 25: Baby calf still stranded near Zeballos; mother was pregnant when she died
- MARCH 24: Whale researchers and First Nations have hope for orca calf near Zeballos
- MARCH 23: ‘Really sad’: Hundreds tried to help orca that died on beach on Vancouver Island
Laura Brougham
