A group of about a dozen killer whales trapped by drifting ice in waters near Japan appears to have managed to escape, authorities said. The stranded killer whales were spotted by a fisherman earlier this week, almost a kilometer off the coast of Hokkaido.
What Happened to the Killer Whales Trapped in Japan?
Drone footage showed the killer whales together in a tight space and poking their heads out of the water to breathe. This prompted an official response, with officials heading to the coastal town to monitor the whales.
The images were also broadcast on Japanese television, sparking public concern about the whales and calls for government assistance. An environmental group even asked the Japanese government to deploy an icebreaker to help free the trapped whales. However, on Wednesday, authorities reported that their latest monitoring visit indicated that the whales appeared to have moved away from the area. “We believe they were able to escape safely,” said a local official in the coastal town of Rausu.
Authorities speculated that the whales may have forced their way through gaps in the ice. Images of the group, which included young killer whales, appeared to show bleeding in their jaws, a possible effect of their attempts to escape. According to Japanese media reports, unlike other large whales, killer whales cannot stay underwater for long and need to return to the surface every few minutes.
This story was written in Spanish by Miguel Fernandez in Cultura Colectiva News.
