Orcas escape frozen-over waters
A pod of orcas that have been struggling to survive since becoming trapped under sea ice are safe again, after winds changed and produced openings in the water.
On Tuesday (January 8), it was reported that a dozen orcas - commonly known as killer whales - were struggling to breath in Canada's Hudson Bay, due to a lack of gaps in sea ice.
Fortunately, locals from the village of Inukjuak, where the orcas were stuck, have reported that winds have shifted overnight, pushing the ice away from the coast and opening up the water.
The bay froze over a few days ago, when the whales were thought to be hunting for seals in the bay. The unusually mild weather meant the whales were still around when the cold weather hit, and a hunter spotted them trying to find space between the ice to come up for air.
The following day locals called on the Canadian government to send icebreaker ships to help free the orcas and, otherwise, intended to launch their own rescue operation.
However, since the ice has shifted, the orcas have managed to leave the area.
Marine Researcher Lyne Morissette said this may not mean the whales have escaped danger, adding that they will have to travel more than 100 kilometres (62 miles) to reach the open waters of the northern Atlantic Ocean.
The BSAVA has opened submissions for the BSAVA Clinical Research Abstracts 2026.
