Hey. I didn't want to bombard the Share something funny thread so here's an update of the baby Orca named Toa.

There's a youtube vid that pretty much outlines what happened when he got stuck/stranded. Long story short - he was with his family in the bay here and he got caught up with the tide and swept into a rockpool and couldn't get himself out. He got bumped up a little bit and was screaming like crazy for his mum but couldn't get out of the rockpool. The kids who found him knew exactly what to do and called for help while Ben stayed with him.

By law, orcas cannot be taken captive in New Zealand, so we don't want to keep him. As much as we're all falling in love with him, he belongs in the open waters with his family, and that is pretty much what everyone is working towards here. (Honestly, love the cute little guy dearly, but I'd really love the ability to use our jetty again...lol)

We've got coasties (people living on the coast from Wellington up to Whanganui) on Orca watch for any pods. We've had a couple of sightings the last few days, even yesterday when it was shi....erm.....crappiest weather (we're dealing with a storm coming over from Australia) at around 4.30pm but due to the bad weather were not able to get choppers up or boats out to follow them.

So yeah. real life is crazy right now and I'm all for positive thought and light and all that good stuff. So if you can, please send some COME AND GET YOUR SON MAMA!! thoughts, prayers, good vibes, whatever you believe in, our way.

We're in winter, it's cold, we're dealing and have dealt with up to 120km (over 80mph) winds which honestly is just called high winds around here but being out in it with torrential rain isn't fun and makes one wonder just how crazy they are (or more crazy than normal cray cray)

What I know as of today, he's doing great. He seems to be fine in the pool he's in. We were worried he'd stress a bit but he doesn't seem to be. He's loving his milk that's being made up for him and he's been doing zoomies (whizzing around in circles) and going under the water and prodding into you. And he's learning how to blow bubbles lol.

Here's the Youtube vid link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLiOutIClQw

Here's the Whale-Rescue.org Facebook page with our amazing Dr. Ingrid N. Visser and her team.
https://www.facebook.com/WhaleRescue/

Here's the Toa Coastwatchers Facebook page recently made up for coasties to keep up with where the're looking (you might see some cool up to date coastal photos)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1232947777161830/

*edited out typos galore, sorry*

I hope you guys get things sorted. He's a cute lil guy

Oh my gosh cuteness overload! He is so friendly and a happy little guy. I know he will be happier back in the ocean though so I hope you guys can find his mother or a pod. Thanks for sharing and updating us Mir!

Glad he is alright. Orca's are fasinating creatures.

We have pods of orcas here in the Puget Sound. They are amazing creatures. I hope the little guy is okay. Stay safe. You guys are getting pummeled there!

Aww poor baby, he is so cute. Fingers crossed he gets back to his family

Hi guys,

Mir's partner here, if you haven't been following a long with the Facebook groups but would still love to know news on baby Toa. It is with great regret, to let you know that he passed away peacefully at 8:20 PM NZ time on the 23rd of July 2021.

Rest In Peace Toa.

David (102796276) wrote:Hi guys,

Mir's partner here, if you haven't been following a long with the Facebook groups but would still love to know news on baby Toa. It is with great regret, to let you know that he passed away peacefully at 8:20 PM NZ time on the 23rd of July 2021.

Rest In Peace Toa.

Aw man....

Hug Mir for us.

David (102796276) wrote:Hi guys,

Mir's partner here, if you haven't been following a long with the Facebook groups but would still love to know news on baby Toa. It is with great regret, to let you know that he passed away peacefully at 8:20 PM NZ time on the 23rd of July 2021.

Rest In Peace Toa.

Oh wow, thats a shame.

Aww that is really sad.
I watched the videos that Mir had linked and was blown away at how compassionate and involved everyone was being at keeping Toa calm and happy!

Gutted as I'm sure everyone who has been involved with Toa will be feeling

Hey,
Thank you to everyone who took a minute to think of Toa.

I can't find the words to express just how much this baby orca touched our lives, my life. I live for the sea, I live to be near it, on it, in it, have it surround me. It means so much to me and so do the those that live in it.

We have a saying here:-

Tere tohorā, tere tangata.
Where whales journey, people follow

Toa, I will follow your fighting spirit. I will follow your strength. I will never forget your bravery. I will always remember you and I when I look out to sea, I will continue to search for your pod.

Toa and his mum, taken just before he got stuck



Ninis time







Arohanui pepe. Moe mai ra

Mir (102794171) wrote:Hey,
Thank you to everyone who took a minute to think of Toa.

I can't find the words to express just how much this baby orca touched our lives, my life. I live for the sea, I live to be near it, on it, in it, have it surround me. It means so much to me and so do the those that live in it.

We have a saying here:-

Tere tohorā, tere tangata.
Where whales journey, people follow

Toa, I will follow your fighting spirit. I will follow your strength. I will never forget your bravery. I will always remember you and I when I look out to sea, I will continue to search for your pod.

Toa and his mum, taken just before he got stuck



Ninis time







Arohanui pepe. Moe mai ra

I hate to hear he did not make it. Swim free Toa. So sorry Mir.