Bleak outlook for orca trapped in crayfish line if it can't be freed, expert says

Thursday, 26 December 2019

The adult male is likely to die if the crayfish line tangled around its right pectoral fin is not cut free. The buoy attached to it could be seen above the surface on December 23.

An orca tangled in a crayfish line is likely to die from the injury if it cannot be freed, a leading orca expert says.

Dr Ingrid Visser, founder of Orca Research Trust, said if the large adult male isn't disentangled he would either die from blood poisoning or blood loss. At best, he might survive but lose his pectoral fin.

It is a 'pretty horrific' situation, she said. 'He is going to be in an extreme amount of pain.'

Members of the Orca Research Trust were the first at the scene the morning the orca was reported entangled on Northland's Tutukaka Coast on December 23.

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After several days of rescue attempts, the buoy is now below the surface line of the water, as it cuts further into the animal's flesh.

* Large orca tangled in crayfish line in Northland

* Humpback whale trapped in craypot line

* National Portrait: Ingrid Visser, Orca researcher and protector**

A crayfish line had wound around its right pectoral fin, which is like a human's shoulder, Visser explained.

The nylon line, called a pickup line, attaches the crayfish pot to a buoy and is as thick as an index finger.

Together with the Whale Rescue, Dive Tutukaka and the Coastguard, the teams stayed with the animal until 9pm.

Department of Conservation disentanglement team joined rescue efforts aboard the Orca Research Trust vessel on Christmas Eve morning when they tried to return to his location.

However, the orca had moved on and was reported to be in Whangarei Harbour at 8.30am.

The teams located him and stayed with him until 5.30pm, at which time he started to head out to sea.

'We left him at Peach Cove at 7.30pm on Christmas Eve,' Visser said. 'We couldn't locate him yesterday [December 25].'

The drag from the orca swimming against the buoy was resulting in the line cutting into his flesh deeper and deeper every day, Wisser said.

The only chance teams have to remove the line is if he moves to shallow enough waters so they can hook up the line and cut it free from him.

Two scenarios now face the large male, Visser said.

The line may cut all the way through and sever his fin, which means he will die from either blood loss or a blood infection, she said.

But if he survives he would likely lose his pectoral fin.

'He's a big boy. To lose an adult male in his prime is a tragedy for the New Zealand population, which is fewer than 200.'

Currently, efforts are on pause and without knowing his location, crews are waiting for him to resurface.

Orcas travel up to 100 to 150 kilometres a day and the further away he is, the harder it is for Visser and her team to respond.

'The chances of disentangling him dramatically drops everyday. However, if he makes his way south other teams can help him,' she said.