Beached orca saved by volunteers in B.C. who kept it watered down for more than 6 hours

HARTLEY BAY, B.C. -- An incredible rescue took place on the North Coast of British Columbia as volunteers and researchers kept a stranded orca cool for more than six hours until the tide rose and she could free herself from the rocks.

The CBC first reported this story.



The drama unfolded early Wednesday morning when a whale research group received a call about a beached killer whale, which was struck on some rocks at low tide.

"She cried often, which tore at our hearts, but as the tide came up there were many cheers as this whale was finally free," said in a Facebook post from the group The Cetacean Lab.

"We decided the best thing to do would be to keep her cool, that meant to put water on her body and we used blankets and sheets," Hermann Meuter, a co-founder of Cetacean Lab, told the CBC.  "It was the only thing we could do. I think she knew that we were there to help her."

As the tide began to rise hours later, at about 4 p.m. Wednesday, the orca was able to start freeing herself. Cheers went up as she was able to swim away and be reunited with her pod nearby, Meuter said.

"A giant thank you once again to this amazing community that comes together so quickly to protect what is sacred," the group's Facebook post said.