By Dirk Meissner Canadian Press in Victoria An orphan killer whale calf escaped from a remote Vancouver Island tidal lagoon Friday where it had been trapped for more than a month, immediately swimming towards the open ocean and making calls for its extended family members, say overjoyed rescue officials. The young orca’s bid for freedom occurred at a high tide early Friday and involved swimming through a swift-moving, narrow channel and underneath a bridge, with Esperanza Inlet in the near distance. “It’s been a joyful day, a really joyful day,” said Ehattesaht First Nation Chief Simon John at a news conference. “I’m very ecstatic how things happened today. There was a lot of anticipation for this moment for the past five weeks.” The orca has been the focus of intense…
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