You Signed The Petition And The New Zealand Government Listened - This Orca Calf Now Has A Chance To Be Saved!

Earlier this week there was a call for action  to help rescue a baby orca that has been found alone in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. The country’s Department of Conservation (DOC) had prohibited anyone from providing aid, despite expert opinion from New Zealand’s Orca Research Trust  that there might be a chance to save it with expert intervention. 

A petition  was created by Tilikum&Co ’s Haze Sommer, requesting that Dr. Ingrid Visser and her team from the Orca Research Trust be allowed to help the calf. In less than two days it secured almost 8,000 signatures and was presented to the New Zealand government. And the great news is, the government listened ! 

“I am delighted that we now have the opportunity to try and help the little fellow,” Visser said, adding that “everyone’s support has been amazing.” This support from the public helped to swing the decision and the government is now in dialogue with all key stakeholders, including Visser and fellow orca expert Jeff Foster, who has flown from the US into New Zealand to assist.

Foster has previously worked on the successful rehabilitation and release of two orcas; one who was taken into captivity and later released back into the wild, the other who was found alone at a young age, like this orca in New Zealand. In an interview with Newshub , Foster explained, “They’re a lot like little children at that age. They’re exploring, looking around and like human children, sometimes they get lost in the woods. And I think this one is just lost.” 

The intervention to try and save the calf by reuniting it with its family will begin tomorrow with appropriate health checks. A traditional Maori blessing and naming ceremony for the orca will also take place. “The community and iwi have embraced the calf, and have made all the difference,” Visser stated. “We are all looking forward to working closely with DOC, the public and all who care.” 

And there are still actions that you can take to help. The Orca Research Trust is urging people to  “please remember that the location of this orca has not been made public to minimise stress from human interaction.” The calf needs to conserve its strength if it is going to survive. 

Those in the Bay of Plenty are also being asked to keep an eye out for orcas in the area. If you see any, please report your sighting immediately by calling DOC on 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468) or the Orca Research Trust on 0800 SEE ORCA (0800 733 6722). 

As has been made abundantly clear today, every tiny piece of help that you offer, every few seconds of time that you give –however insignificant it might seem– can and does make a difference. In this instance, it has given this young orca the opportunity to live.