Local officials had warned that Orcas were running out of time
(NEWSER) – The killer whales trapped in encircling ice 19 miles off the coast of northwestern Quebec have apparently freed themselves, reports the CBC. Officials had earlier warned that the pod was in danger. The dozen whales were discovered trapped in the ice Tuesday by an Inukjuak hunter, and cold weather had since shrunk the hole they were using to breathe. "It appears from time to time that they panic," said the local mayor. "Other times they are gone for a long time, probably looking for another open space, which they are not able to find." Now, he says the whales appear to have left, and adds that community elders say the ice shifted thanks to changing currents and the new moon.
