New drone images reveal orca calf trapped off B.C. coast is female [Video]

The young killer whale stranded in the lagoon off Vancouver Island is a girl.

A statement from the Fisheries Department on Friday says drone images have determined that the calf given the First Nation name Kiisahi? is, or Brave Little Hunter, is female.

It says the calf remains active in the lagoon and crews are monitoring her with minimal disturbance.

The department says a rescue operation to transfer her to an open ocean net pen is likely to begin early next week. Access to the lagoon will be closed to all but essential personnel at that time.

The calf was left alone on March 23 when her mother, who was pregnant, was stranded and died in the lagoon during a low tide.

Rescuers say they will search the ocean off Vancouver Island for the calf’s pod, hoping to reunite her with her family once she is transferred to a net pen after the rescue.

The …