Members of a killer whale pod related to an orphan orca calf that escaped a remote British Columbia tidal lagoon last month have been spotted off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.
Marine scientist Jared Towers says in a social media post he was surprised to see members of the calf’s great grandmother’s pod swimming in ocean waters near Alert Bay.
Towers, an expert in identifying whales by their distinct individual markings, says he saw the T109 pod swim out of Pearse Pass near Alert Bay on Monday, but the female orphan known as kwiisahi?is or Brave Little Hunter was not with the killer whales.
Zeballos is about 100 kilometres south of Alert Bay near Esperanza Inlet where kwiisahi?is was last reportedly seen earlier this month, after she swam free of the lagoon where she had been trapped for weeks after her pregnant mother became stranded and died on March 23.
Towers, who could not be reached for comment, says in his post there have been no reported sightings of the calf since May 10, which likely means she is on the move looking for family.
He says there are previous cases of lost or orphaned killer whale calves reuniting with their extended families or being adopted by other orcas, but it takes time and is not guaranteed.
READ PREVIOUS:
- MAY 7: Orca pod spotted in vicinity of orphan B.C. killer whale, but no evidence of family
- MAY 2: Ehattesaht First Nation ‘very concerned’ about orphaned orca contacting boats
- APRIL 27: ‘Very optimistic’: Officials say it’s very likely orphaned calf will find old or new family
- APRIL 26: Trapped orca swam out of lagoon overnight into Espinosa Inlet
- 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
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 21, 2024.
The Canadian Press
