Baby orca 'not ready' to leave remote B.C. lagoon despite 'perfect unison' to herd with oikomi pipes

The team working to save a baby orca trapped in a lagoon on northern Vancouver Island nearly succeeded in getting the whale out on Thursday.

Around 10 boats from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), First Nations and community members were out on the water the afternoon of March 28, attempting to coax the young whale out into the open ocean with the hope it reunites with its pod.

The whale has been named kʷiisaḥiʔis (kwee-sa-hay-is) by the Ehattesaht First Nation, which translated is "Brave Little Hunter." It has been trapped in the remote lagoon since last weekend after its mother became beached on a sandbar while trying to exit the lagoon and later died, despite rescue efforts. 

To get out of the lagoon near Zeballos, B.C., the whale must pass over that same sandbar.

"The on-water operation involved using oikomi pipes from a line of vessels as a sound wall to move the animal through the narrow exit point," reads a statement from DFO media representative Leri Davies.

Oikomi pipes — sometimes called banging pipes — are used to herd marine mammals. They are made out of reverberant metal, and while partially submerged in water they can be struck with a hammer, creating a loud noise underwater. 

"The team worked in perfect unison to move the whale calf, kʷiisaḥiʔis, to the shallow area near the outflow. Unfortunately, the juvenile whale would not make the final trek over the sandbar."

That said, DFO's statement said it showed the potential effectiveness of the technique and the ability of the highly diverse team to "work in tandem for a seamless execution."

In a separate statement, Ehattesaht chief and council said everyone had a role that day whether it be out on the water, singing songs or preparing food.

The nation noted that one difficulty is the whale doesn't know the group is trying to help her.

"Really the plan did work but in the end little kʷiisaḥiʔis was not ready," it reads.

"We did get her closer [to the exit], but right close that flight-or-fight instinct took over and she swam back underneath us and went all the way to the back end of the lagoon. Everyone was pretty let down," it continues.

The young orca is a Bigg killer whale — also known as a transient — and is threatened under the Species at Risk Act.

"This ... is a very small population. So every animal that we can save will help, hopefully, recover the population. And every animal that's lost is again affecting the population going forward," said Paul Cottrell, DFO marine mammal co-ordinator.