10 killer whales trapped by sea ice in Japan

A pod of orcas, or killer whales, appeared to be trapped in drift ice off the coast of Hokkaido in northern Japan on Tuesday (February 6). The group of at least 10 orcas was seen struggling in the ice about 1 km off of Rausu on Tuesday morning, drone footage provided by the group Wildlife Pro showed. They were clustered together and appeared to be sticking their heads out of the water to breathe. Rausu is located on the Shiretoko peninsula, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Japanese Yomiuri newspaper reported that the drift ice had been moving southward and reached the coast of Rausu on Tuesday morning. Read the best of our journalism: Subscribe to The Times and The Sunday Times YouTube channel: Find us on Facebook: Find us on Twitter: Find us on Instagram: #japan #killerwhales #orcas #hokkaido