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Orca in the Seine (May 26, 2022): Whale is now to be towed to shore
Photo: PASCAL ROSSIGNOL / REUTERS
The orca that got lost in the Seine is dead. Helpers found the sick whale lifeless, which had been wandering around in the river in France for weeks.
First, a boatman saw the whale drifting in the river on Monday morning, said the Seine-Maritime prefecture in Rouen.
With the support of the harbor master's office, the Sea Shepherd France organization then located the orca and was only able to determine its death.
The animal, which weighs tons, is now to be dragged to the shore and salvaged.
After that, veterinarians and biologists should perform an autopsy to find out why the marine mammal strayed into the English Channel and Seine and why it died.
Experiments with whale sounds
On Saturday, attempts were initially made to guide the orca towards the sea with the help of whale noises.
A drone was also used in the experimental rescue attempt, and the images showed growths and advanced fungal infestation in the animal.
The orca was apparently extremely weak and had little chance of survival.
It was then decided to put the sick orca to sleep.
But that didn't happen, the animal died from another cause.
According to the Marine Mammal Research Group (GEEC), the whale was first sighted in early April by the crew of a trawler about 30 kilometers off the Normandy coast.
Since then he had been seen repeatedly along the coast, in the Seine estuary and upstream in the Seine.
Orcas are more commonly found off the coasts of Scotland, Iceland and Norway, and further south in the Atlantic Ocean in the Bay of Biscay, a GEEC expert explained.
There was speculation that the whale had strayed into the English Channel because it was ill and could feed more easily in the calmer waters there.
It may also be a young animal that has left its group and is now isolated.
ptz/dpa/Reuters
