▲人類可能首度拍到虎鯨垂死的畫面。（圖／翻攝自Facebook／Pierre, the Orca WhisperertSonsdpreo，下同。）
記者吳美依／綜合報導
人類第一次拍到虎鯨（又稱殺人鯨）垂死畫面，一頭年邁的公虎鯨「亨齊」（Hunchy）被發現行為異常，一動也不動地漂浮在水面下方，最終緩緩下沉。根據拍攝者說法，當時還有另外2頭年輕同伴，不斷來回游動、努力把牠推到水面上呼吸，嘗試約50分鐘才放棄。
科學新聞網站Live Science報導，虎鯨可以在水下停留長達15分鐘，休息時通常每分鐘都會浮出水面呼吸，旅行時則把換氣間隔拉長至每3至5分鐘。拉圖爾（Pierre Robert de Latour）是資深鯨類觀察家，在挪威與虎鯨共潛超過20年，11月6日於挪威洛帕島（Loppa）北方海域認出年約35歲的亨齊，並且拍下這段影片。
拉圖爾回憶，亨齊「顯然遇上了麻煩」，不僅看起來非常消瘦，腹部形狀也表明已經很久沒進食，如果被同伴放棄，就會一直下沉並且死去，而年輕虎鯨也知道這一點，「牠們幫助牠直到最後一刻。」
他聽說過，虎鯨不會拋棄陷入麻煩的同伴，但自己是第一次看見類似景象，「我認得牠，這是非常令人激動的。然後，我看見牠的龐大身軀正在下沉…牠現在可能已經死了。」
Here is the full video (topside and UW) witnessing the probable death of the orca male we called "Hunchy". And with some delay, the information relative of this case ( I needed some time to process the emotion). On monday (about noon), we spotted from far a strange activity involving at least one adult orca male. Coming closer with the Sula, I first thought about social behavior. And closer, mating, as at least 2 orcas were rubbing each other. When we were at 12/15 meters distance, it was clear that the big male was static and the others ( at least 2 orcas) were keeping him at the surface. Then I recognize this large male to be one of the remarkable orcas we knew from the Kaldfjord. Due to the hunch in his back, Hunchy was the name we gave him. And he was obviously in big trouble. The question that was mine at that moment was: Is he entangled in some ropes? Is he sick? Injuried? Impossible to have a clear statement from the deck of the Sula. Decision was taken to go snorkeling close and check the situation from underwater perspective. And rescue him in case of need. For that, I also took my camera in order to document the situation and share all information with footage. I must clear a point: I was alone in the water. None of the guests onboard Hårek joined me. No ropes were entangling the orca. Obviously no visible injury. I just had the time to notice that he was very skiny ( peanut head, no fat in the back, empty belly,...) and I saw him sinking in the dark. To be honest, even if I know that this is the cycle of Life, it has made me very emotional. Also because I knew this guy from before. Things have been done like this. And if it happens again, I would do exactly the same. I will not let an orca in trouble dying if I can rescue him. Like I did in 2005 in Skrova when I saved the orca NP052 entangled in a fiching gear. My deepest thanks to all the people, all the scientists for their kind messages and their support, public or private. I hope to share better news from the kingdom of orcas with you, orca lovers. Stay tuned
由 Pierre, the Orca Whisperer 發佈於 2023年11月8日 星期三
不過，拉圖爾補充提到，第二艘賞鯨船在1、2小時之後抵達現場，也目睹了類似的掙扎場面，無法確定亨齊最後有沒有靠自己游回水面。
冰島大學研究員、冰島虎鯨計畫（Icelandic Orca Project）創辦人薩瑪拉（Filipa Samarra）認為，這段影片可能是北大西洋、甚至全世界首次有人類拍到成年虎鯨的死亡，「據我所知，團體中成年成員的死亡，以及在此情況下其他虎鯨如何表現，是先前從未被觀察到的。」
此前，研究人員曾記錄幼年虎鯨死亡時的情況。薩瑪拉說明，「幼崽死亡時，虎鯨會表現出非常特別的行為…已被多次觀察到攜帶（死亡）幼體，不斷把牠們推至水面，而這種情況可能持續數日。」先前曾有一起案例，虎鯨媽媽帶著死去寶寶的遺體，共游超過2周。
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