A pod of killer whales was looking for seals along the remote coast of British Columbia in Canada. But soon, this typical hunt became a harrowing moment for a young whale.
The young female orca ended up getting stranded on an outcropping of rocks. The confused and scared whale was clearly stressed, and she badly needed someone to help her.
When rescuers spotted the stranded whale, they immediately started to do everything they could to try and comfort her. It was a traumatic situation for every involved.
The rescuers were heartbroken as they listened to the beautiful orca let out cries of terror and pain.
George Fisher heard a sailboat call in over their radio about the distressed whale — he immediately gathered a group of volunteers to try and help free the trapped orca.
The whale didn’t have much time; her skin was drying up more and more as the tide went out.
Hermann Meuter is a whale researcher that helped respond to the rescue efforts. They quickly began covering the stranded killer whale with wet blankets and dousing her with buckets of saltwater.
She was starting to calm down.
When the rescuers first arrived, her breathing was fast and heavy; as they began to cover her with wet blankets and saltwater, she started to relax.
“I think she knew that we were there to help her,” Meuter recalls of the rescue.
Many people would have thought that they could tie a rope or harness around the whale and drag her out to sea; however, since she was stuck on sharp rocks, that move would have most likely been fatal. These rescuers knew exactly what they needed to do to save her.
All the rescue team could do was keep her calm, comforted, and constantly covered in wet blankets and buckets of seawater.
The only choice was to wait for the tide to rise.
The rescue team worked diligently and tirelessly for eight long hours to make sure that this beautiful sea mammal was going to survive.
Using hoses, multiple buckets, and giant soaked comforters, they were able to let the orca see another day.
Finally, when the tide was high enough, the whale was able to swim free! Her pod waited for her in the distance, and as the rescuers watched, she communicated with them.
It was an amazing sight, and we’re sure the rescuers will never forget this day. We’re so glad the orca had such kind people by her side.
Check out the beautiful moment the orca swam back out to sea in the video below!
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