A team of whale researchers and volunteers in the BC community of Hartley Bay worked for hours to save an orca whale that had became stuck on a rock in Squally Channel.
Local group For Whales was notified about the situation and quickly appeared on the scene. They were then joined by the World Wildlife Fund and the Guardians from Hartley Bay. The team rigged together a “McGaver type water pump” and gathered sheets to cover the animal.
According to a Facebook post written by For Whales, the poor creature “cried often, which tore at our hearts.” While the whale was obviously in distress, the post also notes that the “transient orca understood that we were trying to help.” After more than six hours of working to save the animal, the tide returned and the whale was able to free itself and get back out to sea.
While For Whales promised to give more details on how exactly the whale became stranded, they concluded their account with a touching acknowledgment of the people who rallied around the Orca:
“A giant thank you once again to this amazing community that comes together so quickly to protect what is sacred.”
Related Story The federal government plans to help protect orcas by limiting fishing of chinook salmon
Related Story B.C. residents treated to rare, up-close orca sighting