Killer whales trapped in Quebec sea ice

[Oldschool]

http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/xHeB3iczdmP9dwieZVtoLg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Y2g9MTg1OTtjcj0xO2N3PTMxODA7ZHg9MDtkeT0wO2ZpPXVsY3JvcDtoPTM2OTtxPTg1O3c9NjMw/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/0512c661350b2801260f6a7067003dd9.jpg

http://news.yahoo.com/killer-whales-trapped-quebec-sea-ice-223236128.html

MONTREAL (AP) — A community in Quebec's Far North is calling for outside help to free about a dozen killer whales trapped under a vast stretch of sea ice.

Locals in Inukjuak said the mammals have gathered around a single hole in the ice — slightly bigger than a pickup truck — in a desperate bid to get oxygen.

Mayor Peter Inukpuk urged the Canadian government Wednesday to send an icebreaker as soon as possible to crack open the ice and help them find open water. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans said it is sending officials to assess the situation.

"Fisheries and Oceans Canada is assessing the situation and are exploring every possible option, but will only be in a position to determine what — if anything — can be done once our specialists arrive on site," spokesman Frank Stanek said in a statement.

A hunter first spotted the pod of about a dozen trapped whales Tuesday at the hole, which is on the eastern shore of the Hudson Bay. Inukjuak is about 1,500 kilometers (900 miles) north of Montreal.

Dozens of villagers made the one-hour snowmobile ride Tuesday to see the unusual spectacle. They snapped photos and shot video footage of the killer whales surfacing in the opening — and even thrusting themselves skyward while gasping for air.

One woman who made the journey to the gap in the ice said even a curious polar bear approached the hole amid the commotion. Siasie Kasudluak said the bear was shot by a local hunter for its meat.

The trapped orcas appeared to be in distress, but locals were ill-equipped to help out.

Kasudluak said the hole appeared to be shrinking in the freezing temperatures. Inukpuk believes the sudden drop in temperature recently caught the orcas off guard, leaving them boxed in under the ice.

[kong]

lets hope they can free themselves before it is too late

[kong]

Killer whales trapped in Quebec ice appear to have attained freedom

By: Pete Thomas, GrindTV.com

If there was a big miracle involving a large pod of orcas that had been trapped by ice in northern Quebec, it arrived courtesy of Mother Nature.

At least 12 orcas had been confined to a small breathing hole in a remote portion of Hudson Bay since Monday. But on Thursday morning the hole had widened and there was lots of open water, and the orcas had vanished.

Extreme tidal movements attributed to a new moon and strong northerly winds that blew overnight were the reason, according to Johnny Williams, town manager at Inukjuak, which is nearest the site of the drama involving the orcas.

"Everybody's celebrating; we're all in a good mood," Williams said by telephone Thursday morning.

NBC News quotes Inukjuak Mayor Petah Inukpuk as saying the orcas, or killer whales, had found a passage all the way to the ocean, about 25 miles away, although that has not been confirmed.

Oceans of Freedom, which has been in contact with a pilot who conducted a flyover Thursday morning, reports on its Facebook page that the orcas have left Inukjuak Bay (within Hudson Bay), but must still navigate through heavy ice in Hudson Bay to reach the ocean.

It's not clear if the pilot or anyone has actually spotted the orcas.

The drama had played out as townsfolk and activists had besieged Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans with pleas to do something. The orcas, or killer whales, were not able to sleep and spent all of their energy trying to keep a breathing hole, about the size of a large truck, from shrinking.

The DFO had planned to conduct a flyover Thursday morning.

A grassroots rescue effort, involving townsfolk and at least one private company, had planned to use chainsaws and other machinery to try to free the orcas Thursday.

Two local hunters, Jobie Epoo and Jamisee Weetaluktuk, ventured to the site Thursday and discovered the missing orcas.

Williams said that when townsfolk awoke to find the ice had broken up along the shore, about 30 miles from where the orcas had been, they knew the open water had spread out over a vast area. Williams said winds shifted from the northwest to the north late Wednesday night and increased to about 30 mph.

Before Thursday, people were reminded of the movie "Big Miracle," which was about three gray whales trapped in Arctic ice, and the massive effort that developed to try to free them.

[Oldschool]

Hopefully they made it all the way to safety!!!

[kong]

agreed