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The whale must have been hunting close to the shore at low tide, according to a comment by a ministry representative.

The rescuers had to spend several hours in the freezing water near the whale, pouring water on it to keep it alive.

The panicking animal could have presented a danger to its rescuers, as it weighed more than 1,100 pounds (500 kilograms).

As the high tide came in, the whale was able to swim away and rejoin its mother, accompanied by the cheers of the rescuers.

In 2020 killer whales were included in the Russian Red Book of rare and endangered species, following a scandal involving captive whales being bred, which triggered a global outcry.