Page 34 - Simon John News Today

Whale tour operators, naturalists, photographers, First Nation guardian watchmen and fishery officers who work off west coast of Vancouver Island can help.

The latest advancements in identifying killer whales with the help of artificial intelligence are being put to use to help reunite an orphaned orca with its pod — but first it needs to leave the lagoon on the coast of Vancouver Island where its mother died. 

Whale tour operators, naturalists, photographers, First Nation guardian watchmen and fishery officers who work off west coast of Vancouver Island can help.

A flotilla of up to 10 vessels, taking advantage of the best tidal flows in days, was on the waters of a remote lagoon off northern Vancouver Island Thursday in an effort to coax a young killer whale back to the open ocean, but a successful outcome is not guaranteed.

ZEBALLOS, B.C.

The effort to coax a young orca back to the open ocean following the death of its mother on northern Vancouver Island has included the use of killer whale calls, trying special guide lines and sounding Indigenous drum beats, with no success.

Efforts to save a young orca that’s refusing to leave a lagoon near Zeballos ramped up Thursday as tide and weather conditions started to deteriorate.

Efforts to save a young orca that’s refusing to leave a lagoon near Zeballos ramped up Thursday as tide and weather conditions started to deteriorate.

A flotilla of up to 10 vessels, taking advantage of the best tidal flows in days, was on the waters of a remote lagoon off northern Vancouver Island Thursday in an effort to coax a young killer whale back to the open ocean, but "a successful outcome is not guaranteed."

A baby orca is stranded in a Canadian lagoon and refuses to leave after the death of her mother. Spong was a 14-year-old pregnant whale who died when she became beached on Saturday.