Stranded orca off B.C. coast was pregnant when she died, necropsy finds

The Biggs Killer Whale that died off the B.C. Coast this weekend was pregnant, officials have confirmed.

A veterinary pathologist with the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Dr. Stephen Raverty, led a necropsy on the whale on Monday and determined she was pregnant with a female fetus when she died.

It is still unclear if the whale was hunting and became stranded as the tide receded or had an underlying health condition, the necropsy found.

1:50 Race to reuninte orphaned orca calf with its pod

The Ehattesaht First Nation conducted ceremonies for the unborn animal.

They also tried to keep it cool and refloat the whale but she died on Saturday morning.

The mother was with her calf at the time who has stayed in the area since its mother’s death.

The live calf has been named kʷiisaḥiʔis (kwee-sa-hay-is). Roughly translated, this means “Brave Little Hunter,” according to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).

1:53 Vancouver Island community mourning dead orca, trying to unite calf with pod

Attention has now turned to the calf and an effort to try and reunite it with its pod before it becomes too late.

The responders on site attempted playback of recorded pod members’ calls on Monday afternoon at high tide to see if this would entice the calf out of the lagoon.

However, the DFO said it was not successful.

The Ehattesaht have also suspended forestry operations Tuesday and have provided their support helicopter to see if the whale pod can be spotted.

Time is running out as the tide window is closing over the next few days, according to DFO officials.

Discussions are ongoing with the Ehattesaht and Nuchatlaht First Nations and the DFO responders on plans moving forward.

In a statement provided to the media, the Ehattesaht First Nation chief and council said the live calf will be the focus of the next few days.

“But we will have to think about her safety and limiting all the human interaction so we will be closing the road for most of the day with local traffic only passing,” the nation said in the statement.

“I know people will want to visit and help but really DFO and ourselves need some time to formulate a plan and we need to think about the little one.”

1:57 Vancouver Island community unable to save stranded orca