ALASKA, USA — An orca whale found itself in a rocky situation on Thursday after it became stranded on a beach on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska.
A vessel by the name, the Steadfast, was nearby when it discovered the young killer whale washed up. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reportedly instructed the bystanders to help according to CNN.
NOAA spokesperson Julie Fair told the cable network she "authorized them to use a seawater pump to keep the whale wet and any birds away."
Troopers and the NOAA were dispatched. Other whales were seen nearby.
It turns out that a Canadian conservation group by the name of Bay Cetology, was able to identify that it was a 13-year-old Bigg's killer whale that had been monitored by the group before. It had been listed as T146D.
According to the New York Times, the whale was 20 feet long.
Fair also told CNN that pictures of the juvenile whale were being investigated to see if the animal had been injured in any way.
The orca was stuck for about six hours. It was finally able to refloat and swim away as high tide came in Thursday afternoon, according to the NOAA.
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