Time running out for pod of killer whales trapped by ice in Canada

On Tuesday, a seal hunter discovered 12 killer whales trapped by ice near the small village of Inukjuak, on the coast of Hudson Bay in Quebec, Canada. The pod is still able to breathe by surfacing in a small patch of open water. But, as of late Wednesday, that patch is rapidly shrinking, raising fears it could soon freeze over completely. "It appears from time to time that [the orcas] panic," said Inukjuak mayor Peter Inukpuk. "We would need outside help to get them to safety." Representatives from Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans are due to visit the site on Thursday to investigate whether it's possible to save the whales. [Source]

Click to see more on msnNOW.com, updated 24 hours a day.