The group of orcas was trapped in the ice off the coast of the city of Rausu, in northern Japan. A local fisherman discovered them yesterday morning and contacted the coast guard. The orcas poked their heads out of a 10 square meter hole. The group included 3 or 4 baby orcas.
Images showed the orcas struggling between the ice floes:
Orcas can go for weeks without eating, marine biologist from Wageningen University Mardik Leopold said yesterday. “But in the hole they will lose weight and at some point they have to eat.”
Orcas have escaped the ice
Last night it was already seen that the group had moved a little further north. Volgens The Japan Times this morning we searched for the animals for about an hour and a half, but there was no trace of them left.
“We believe they were able to escape safely,” authorities said. The orcas were probably able to get to safety because cracks in the ice widened.
Also in 2005, orcas were trapped in the drift ice near Rausu. Most of them did not survive.
2024-02-07 08:41:54
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