Attempts to lure a killer whale stranded in the Seine back to the open sea have failed. French media reported on Sunday that the severely weakened marine mammal will be released.
Rescuers had been trying to get the stray orca back to sea with whale sounds all weekend. With the help of drones, cameras and boats, they got a picture of the animal’s condition. On Sunday afternoon, the local authorities reported that the health of the orca is too bad.
The animal is sick, sends out distress signals and swims around in the river disoriented. The orca suffers from a serious fungal infection and could also infect other marine mammals.
Male
The orca was first sighted on May 16 in the estuary of the Seine, between Le Havre and Honfleur. The animal, probably a male of about 4 to 5 meters, also appeared a few times before the French north coast. Orcas are commonly found along the coasts of Scotland, Iceland and Norway and further south in the Atlantic Ocean.
It has not yet been announced how and when the orca in the Seine will be released from its misery.
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