French authorities use sounds to help orca lost in river

An orca lost in France's Seine River is to be guided back to sea using sounds made by the species under a last-ditch plan to save the animal's life.

The local prefecture said it would monitor the animal, known as a killer whale, from a distance with a drone, while emitting orca communications in an attempt to guide it back to the sea, following a meeting with national and international scientists, including marine mammal specialists.

The use of these non-invasive methods from several hundred metres distance will make it possible to avoid using ships in the immediate proximity of the animal, which could cause its stress and endanger it survival, as well as the safety of rescuers, said the Seine-Maritime prefecture in a statement.

The four-metre 13 ft orca, identified as a male, was first spotted at the mouth of the Seine on 16 May between Le Havre and Honfleur in Normandy, before it travelled dozens of kilometres upstream to the west of the city of Rouen.

The health of the orca is deteriorating and is at risk of dying. It is unable to find enough food in the river and the fresh water is increasingly damaging its health.

Gerard Mauger, Vice-President of Cotentin Cetacean Study Group, told France 3 that it is in a life-threatening condition. Its state of health is very poor.

It is really hard to find solutions to make it go back to salt water. That helped the animal, and stressing it, was said by Mauger.

Muriel Arnal, president of French animal rights organisation One Voice, said there was an urgent need to rescue the animal. Arnal said that we have to be fast, and that using nets to guide the orca would be less stressful than placing it on a barge.

She also noted that male orcas are mummy s boys who stick to their mothers their entire lives.