Quebec community calls for help freeing whales from ice

A killer whale surfaces through a small hole in the ice near Inukjuak, in Northern Quebec on January 8, 2013. / AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Marina Lacasse

MONTREALA community in Quebec's Far North is calling for outside help to free about a dozen killer whales trapped under a vast stretch of sea ice.

Locals in Inukjuak said the mammals have gathered around a single hole in the ice - slightly bigger than a pickup truck - in a desperate bid to get oxygen. See pictures of the whales to the left.

5 Photos

Killer whales trapped in Quebec ice

Mayor Peter Inukpuk urged the Canadian government Wednesday to send an icebreaker as soon as possible to crack open the ice and help them find open water. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans said it is sending officials to assess the situation.

"Fisheries and Oceans Canada is assessing the situation and are exploring every possible option, but will only be in a position to determine what - if anything - can be done once our specialists arrive on site," spokesman Frank Stanek said in a statement.

A hunter first spotted the pod of about a dozen trapped whales Tuesday at the hole, which is on the eastern shore of the Hudson Bay. Inukjuak is about 1,500 kilometers north of Montreal.

Dozens of villagers made the one-hour snowmobile ride Tuesday to see the unusual spectacle. They snapped photos and shot video footage of the killer whales surfacing in the opening - and even thrusting themselves skyward while gasping for air.

One woman who made the journey to the gap in the ice said even a curious polar bear approached the hole amid the commotion. Siasie Kasudluak said the bear was shot by a local hunter for its meat.

The trapped orcas appeared to be in distress, but locals were ill-equipped to help out.

Kasudluak said the hole appeared to be shrinking in the freezing temperatures. Inukpuk believes the sudden drop in temperature recently caught the orcas off guard, leaving them boxed in under the ice.

[christophercox]

scum bag for shooting the bear , use choppers to drop something heavy to break the ice make a road of holes save the whales . BTW for the ******* that said kill them cuz a boy died ? well big deal humans kill millions of animals call it payback now and then

[franklaplaca]

O YEA, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE IT IF IT WAS YOUR SON THAT WAS MURDED BY A KILLER WHALE ! AND SUPPOSE A SHARK OF ANY KIND WOULD BITE YOUR ARM OR LEG OFF AND YOU WERE DISABLED FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, I BET YOU'D CHANGE YOUR MIND ABOUT " WELL BIG DEAL " AS YOU STATED. ALSO, HUMANS MOSTLY KILL ANIMALS FOR FOOD, IT'S JUST A FACT OF LIFE, HUMANS ARE ON THE TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN, AT LEAST WHEN WE'RE OUT OF THE WATER, HA,HA,HA ! KILLER WHALES ARE VERY BEAUTIFUL BUT VERY DANGEROUS, THEY EVEN KILL GREAT WHITE SHARKS, BUT THAT'S A GOOD THING. TO CONCLUDE, BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU STATED ABOUT IT'S PAYBACK, WHAT GOES AROUND, COMES AROUND AND IT MAY COME AROUND TO YOU ! KARMA !!!!!!

[franklaplaca]

O YEA, SAME TO YOU BIG *******.

[franklaplaca]

LET THE KILLER WHALES DIE THAT ARE TRAPPED IN THE QUEBEC ICE HOLE ! I SEEN A KILLER WHALE GRAB AND SWALLOW A LITTLE BOY THAT WAS STANDING AT THE WATERS EDGE ON A SHORELINE WITH HIS BACK TOWARD THE WATER. THE POOR LITTLE BOY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HIT HIM AND IN AN INSTANT, HE WAS GONE. THIS IS TRUE AND YOU CAN FIND THE PHOTO OF THIS, OR A VIDEO ON REPUTABLE WEB SITES. JUST GO TO A REPUTABLE SEARCH ENGINE SITE AND TYPE IN KILLER WHALE KILLS BOY ! YOU WILL FIND A LOT OF CRAP OUT THERE THAT'S NOT TRUE AND NOT REALITY, BUT YOU WILL KNOW IT'S REAL WHEN YOU SEE THE TRUE VIDEO ! I AM A HONEST PERSON AND I DO NOT LIE ! ALSO STATE AGENCIES LIKE THE WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES ALL AROUND THE U.S. SHOULD KILL THE KILLER SHARKS LIKE GREAT WHITES AND TIGER SHARKS AMONG OTHERS. THESE TYPE OF SHARKS ARE KILLING OR CRIPPLING SWIMMERS ON THE U.S. GULF AND OCEAN WATERS. YOU CAN SEE THE SHARKS SWIMMING CLOSE TO THE SHORE LINES WITH ADULTS AND CHILDREN IN THE WATER. BUT NO AGENCY DOES ANYTHING ABOUT IT !
WILL AMERICANS STAND TALL, BE COUNTED AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT ! A CONCERNED CITIZEN, FRANK IN NEW ORLEANS, LA.

[franklaplaca]

LET THE KILLER WHALES DIE THAT ARE TRAPPED IN THE QUEBEC ICE HOLE ! I SEEN A KILLER WHALE GRAB AND SWALLOW A LITTLE BOY THAT WAS STANDING AT THE WATERS EDGE ON A SHORELINE WITH HIS BACK TOWARD THE WATER. THE POOR LITTLE BOY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HIT HIM AND IN AN INSTANT, HE WAS GONE. THIS IS TRUE AND YOU CAN FIND THE PHOTO OF THIS, OR A VIDEO ON REPUTABLE WEB SITES. JUST GO TO A REPUTABLE SEARCH ENGINE SITE AND TYPE IN KILLER WHALE KILLS BOY ! YOU WILL FIND A LOT OF CRAP OUT THERE THAT'S NOT TRUE AND NOT REALITY, BUT YOU WILL KNOW IT'S REAL WHEN YOU SEE THE TRUE VIDEO ! I AM A HONEST PERSON AND I DO NOT LIE ! ALSO STATE AGENCIES LIKE THE WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES ALL AROUND THE U.S. SHOULD KILL THE KILLER SHARKS LIKE GREAT WHITES AND TIGER SHARKS AMONG OTHERS. THESE TYPE OF SHARKS ARE KILLING OR CRIPPLING SWIMMERS ON THE U.S. GULF AND OCEAN WATERS. YOU CAN SEE THE SHARKS SWIMMING CLOSE TO THE SHORE LINES WITH ADULTS AND CHILDREN IN THE WATER. BUT NO AGENCY DOES ANYTHING ABOUT IT !
WILL AMERICANS STAND TALL, BE COUNTED AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT ! A CONCERNED CITIZEN, FRANK IN NEW ORLEANS, LA.

[Uneed2BWeened]

Ban ice now! If melting all the ice saves just one whale it is worth it.
I am going to burn a large pile of pine straw Saturday to do my part.

[Uneed2BWeened]

Seriously, do the Canadian have helicopters that can carry tanks? How far would they have to be transported to a larger hole or open water. You left that out, but had to mention that someone shot a polar bear for sustenance.

[donovanjr]

Move away from the existing hole about a 1/4 of a mile and drill small holes in the ice then insert dinomite in the drilled holes then detonate it. It's a quick, simple and effective solution.

[john92021]

that would be a good way to kill them, but better to let the Inuit shoot them for food. Got to be better than polar bear. Belugas are on their menu and if they have any dogs they would be happy. By the way it is legal for Inuit to kill what they want for food, hard to be a vegan up there.

[aubfmet]

Could they use hooks, nets, ropes, snowmobiles, tractors to remove loose ice and make the hole bigger?

[sarahblack1111]

How sad, I hope they are able to save them and take quick action to do so not just a bunch of experts standing around discussing ways until it's too late to actually do anything.

[OBSERVER1950]

I-ll repeat what an officer of Ca F&G told me when I reported a Loon trapped inland on the ground that couldn-t take off. He said "That's too bad but animals die everyday"

[ai_w]

This is a horrific result of issues like global warming and such rapid changes in temperatures, even majestic animals can't handle the ridiculous temperature changes! Makes you think about what can be done. Slightly disgusted by the reaction to kill a polar bear, but that's the chain of life. However, more should be done to help these folks get the aid they need to break the ice in suitable places.

[curiousvagrant]

OMG, thats mean to shot the polar bear, isn't it just being listed endangered species couple years ago?