Young Orca Escapes Lagoon and Heads to Open Sea

After being trapped for more than a month in a lagoon on Vancouver Island, a young killer whale successfully swam past a bottleneck at high tide early Friday, reaching an inlet that could lead it to the open sea, according to officials.

The Ehattesaht and Nuchatlaht First Nations reported that the team monitoring the 2-year-old calf witnessed it swimming past the area where its mother had died, passing under a bridge and heading down the inlet "all on her own." However, the young orca still needs to leave the Little Espinosa Inlet to reach the open ocean.

Tragic Origins

The calf had been stuck in the tidal lagoon near the British Columbia village of Zeballos for about 450 kilometers (280 miles) northwest of Victoria since March 23, when its pregnant mother got trapped at low tide and ultimately died on a rocky beach.

"Today the community of Zeballos and people everywhere are waking up to some incredible news and what can only be described as pride for the strength this little orca has shown," said Chief Simon John in a release.

Officials expressed hope that once the whale reaches the open sea, its calls will be heard by its orca family. Chief John stated that protective measures were being put in place to ensure the whale has no contact with people or boats, emphasizing the importance of minimizing human interaction.

Previous attempts to free the whale, including using a net to corral her into a large fabric sling in shallow waters, as well as employing boats, divers, and sophisticated underwater detection equipment, were unsuccessful. Additionally, a woman's endeavor to coax the whale out of the lagoon by playing her violin during high tide did not lead to the desired outcome.