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The young false killer whale rescued near Tofino last summer is staying at the Vancouver Aquarium, potentially as a companion to its sole surviving dolphin.
A panel of experts convened by Fisheries and Oceans Canada said that the marine mammal, dubbed Chester, would not survive if released into the wild.
“This assessment is based on the animal’s age at stranding, his lack of social contact and foraging skills in the wild and his extensive contact with humans,” the agency said in a statement Tuesday.
Chester was not expected to survive when he was rescued on the Tofino, B.C., shoreline in July.
A look back on Chester’s development and rehabilitation at our Marine Mammal Rescue Centre: http://t.co/lOEbqAQb3e pic.twitter.com/enqxdxtt5k
— Vancouver Aquarium (@vanaqua) May 26, 2015
Just a calf between four and six weeks old at the time, he had several cuts and wounds on his body and was too weak to swim on his own.
He received “urgent care” at Vancouver Aquarium and has recovered well.
Ideally, he’d be housed with others of his kind because of the “very social nature” of his species, but there are no other false killer whales there.
Instead, the aquarium plans to introduce him to Helen, a Pacific white-sided dolphin.
“We’re very pleased to continue providing long-term care to Chester at the Vancouver Aquarium where he has thrived since his rescue 10 months ago,” head vet Dr. Martin Haulena said in a statement.
A false killer whale, or pseudorca, is actually a member of the dolphin family. They’re normally found in tropical waters and only occasionally seen in the waters off B.C.
Chester’s rescue & rehabilitation story started back in July of 2014 with the help of many: http://t.co/ITM8KBBIWv pic.twitter.com/Uo6rfT8b39
— Vancouver Aquarium (@vanaqua) May 26, 2015
Agencies/Canadajournal
