Seen for the first time on May 16 at the mouth of the Seine between Honfleur and Le Havre, near the Pont de Normandie, an orca is now found between Le Havre and Rouen (Seine-Maritime). She is in a very poor state of health and “his vital prognosis is engaged”according to the Cotentin Cetacean Study Group (GECC). We can him “help” however assures Friday, May 27 on franceinfo Alexandre Gannier, doctor in marine ecology, cetacean specialist and president of the cetacean research group.
According to him, people with experience of cetaceans, such as members of the GECC (Cotentin cetacean study group), could “with a semi-rigid canoe, with a lot of gentleness, a lot of patience, kindly suggest to the orca the direction to take to get out of these meanders of the Seine”. This operation must be carried out “in relation to the authorities of the State, the maritime prefecture.”
“I’m not talking about rescue, I’m talking about assistance.”
Alexandre Gannier, doctor in marine ecology, specialist in cetaceansat franceinfo
According to Alexandre Gannier however, “you have to have experience, a lot of skill, that is to say that people who do not know cetaceans cannot do this kind of operation”. He adds that he “You need a lot of patience, you have to detect the behavior of the cetacean that is in difficulty, see the evolution of its behavior”.
According to the president of the cetacean research group, for the moment “the orca is not in agony”. This adult male “is weakened, he has probably lost a few pounds but he still seems to have tone”. However, if no assistance operation is carried out and “If the orca stays in place like this for weeks, it will die”.
LIVE – An orca lost in the Seine ➡️ “According to the images, the orca is not in agony. He is weakened but seems to have tonicity”, estimates Alexandre Gannier, specialist in cetaceans, for whom “it seems difficult” that he finds the sea. “He is disoriented.” pic.twitter.com/2gUlnEEvpX
— franceinfo (@franceinfo) May 27, 2022
Navigation restrictions have been taken to avoid harming the animal’s health as much as possible.
⚠️ One #orca is reported in #Seine and is monitored by State services in particular. To avoid endangering it, please read the following notice to shipping: https://t.co/b45i4mWoA1 pic.twitter.com/joRJ2hrlyb
— HAROPA PORT (@haropaport) May 25, 2022