Orcas trapped in ice – video shows fight for survival

At least ten killer whales have to fight for their lives off Japan. The orcas are trapped in thick ice. A video shows the sad scenes.

Hokkaido – These are scenes that touch every animal lover's heart: the orcas are stuck between thick ice floes and are desperately struggling for air. Only their heads stick out of the water; at least ten killer whales cavort in a very small space. There are said to be three to four young animals, so-called calves, among the animals caught. The video is generating concerned voices online and a desire to help the whales – but local authorities can't do anything either.

Video shows orcas trapped in ice fighting for their lives

The video was shot in the sea off Japan, north of the island of Hokkaido. CNN reports this, citing the Japanese broadcaster NHK, which also posted the video. A fisherman had previously contacted the coast guard and informed them about a killer whale that was stuck in the ice. However, the drone footage from the local animal protection organization Wildlife Pro LLC shows the cruel extent – not just one animal, but at least ten are in danger. Recently, an orca video also caused a stir: one Group of killer whales attacked adult gray whales.

Orcas trapped between ice floes off Japan: Authorities can't do anything

One of the animal rights activists explains the situation by saying that the ice floes were probably thicker and wider than the whales had expected. But the thick ice is not only a problem for the orcas, but also for the local authorities: it is impossible to free the killer whales. A coast guard official told Japanese broadcaster NHK there was no choice but to wait for the ice to break up and the animals to escape on their own.

While most whales can dive deeper and hold their breath for longer under water, this is not the case with orcas: the mammals that were previously often referred to as killer whales, and recently also made headlines due to attacks on sailboats, have to take a breath about every 15 minutes. Now we can only hope that the density of the drift ice decreases quickly and the orcas can escape safely.