A rescued false killer whale that was stranded on a B.C. beach has survived two crucial nights at the Vancouver Aquarium, but its survival remains in question.
The month-old calf has lacerations across its body and is still too weak to swim from its stranding ordeal, the aquarium's Marine Mammal Rescue Centre said in a statement posted online. Aquarium biologists rescued the calf from a beach in Tofino, B.C. on Thursday, and now have it under constant observation at the Vancouver Aquarium, where it's being supported in a pool using a specially-designed sling.
Vancouver Aquarium veterinarian Dr. Justin Rosenberg said it’s still not clear why the animal is ailing.
“We’ve done some initial diagnostic tests right now, and everything is coming back as we would expect for an animal of this age after a stranding,” Rosenberg said. “So we’re just doing the best that we can to still figure out exactly what’s going on.”
On Friday, the aquarium's marine biologists said the whale had only a 10 per cent chance of survival.
The marine biologists say it's the first false killer whale they've ever seen in the wild, and they're reaching out to the global scientific community for advice on how to care for it. There are false killer whales held in captivity in Japan, but few of the animals have been studied in their natural habitat.
The whale, which is being given medication, is reportedly underweight and requires constant treatment.
Vancouver Park Board vice-chair Constance Barnes says she’s worried that if the whale survives, he may spend the rest of his life in captivity.
“There’s a lot of other animals out there that do not get rescued,” Barnes said. “We actually make the decision to euthanize.”
The Vancouver Aquarium's marine biologists were only allowed to transport the rare animal with special permission from Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
The false killer whale resembles the true killer whale in size and shape, but its body is black with a grey belly. Like the true killer whale, the false killer whale is a member of the dolphin family of cetaceans.
With files from CTV Vancouver's Alex Turner
