THE LUNA FILE 2014

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THE LUNA FILE
THE LUNA FILE is a chronological archive of media reports, updates, commentary and “Ship’s Log” journal notes on the sad saga of the
wrongway Southern Resident orca L98, also known as Luna or Tsux'iit (soo-keet) to the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation. The following is
a chronicle of a juvie whale gone solo in Nootka Sound, BC, and Orca Conservancy’s three-year battle to keep him safe and to engage the
entire community to find a timely and respectful way to reconnect him with his endangered orca family in Puget Sound. It’s a tale with
many turns, but in the end, an avoidable tragedy.
In the spring of 2002, we launched the effort to rescue and return the orphaned and displaced orca A73, or Springer, from the waters off
Seattle back to her natal Northern Resident Community in BC. “It was a daring, dangerous and highly publicized effort,” NBC Nightly News
would report about our Springer advocacy, “and now it appears it worked.” With little financial resources and against all odds – and in a
remarkably short amount of time – we rallied the public and the U.S. federal government and made it happen. But as the media reports here show, we always
considered Luna part of that grand international effort.
Orca Conservancy’s Fred Felleman and Michael Harris.
Our call to action to rescue Springer and return her to Canada
captured the imagination of the world. Her successful
reintroduction made history. But all along, we never took our eye
off Luna. We never stopped advocating for this other displaced
orca – this time one of our Puget Sound orcas stuck in Canadian
waters. At times, we were the only ones calling for the Department
of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to help Luna, which
stonewalled a response until the intense media attention we helped create – and
Springer’s triumphant family reunion – forced its hand. We also were the only ones
urging DFO to respectfully engage the First Nations, as our group and OrcaLab had done so well with the Namgis First Nation during the Springer effort. But
DFO and its partner Vancouver Aquarium didn’t listen. Despite our transboundary mediation efforts, the impending homecoming of Luna – Tsux’iit – fell apart
before the eyes of the world. Ultimately DFO left Luna to his own devices in Nootka Sound. The “Human Pod” came to the Sound and shadowed him like
paparrazi, one couple blatantly skirting federal law and the counsel of marine scientists to spend every day him, claiming to be assuaging his social needs, but
in fact just documenting his desperate interactions for a commercial film they were making. Luna became more increasingly and irreparably acclimated to
people (and vice versa) effectively becoming a free-ranging captive whale. On display for the camera. The story ended as we warned time and time again it
would – one stormy night in Nootka, with his usual company back in Gold River, alone and starved for attention, the orca went up to a seagoing tug that had
just come in from the frightful coast, brimming with wooing crew and passengers hanging over the side with cameras. Luna obliged, as always – until he
suddenly got sucked into the propeller tube, chopped to bits in an horrific scene that makes “Blackfish” look tame. It was Luna’s final performance in a tooshort life that began wild and devolved into captive entertainment. What a loss. We were all devastated. Some of us were “furious,” as we were quoted, at the
bureaucratic inaction, petty turf wars and commercial motives that killed this whale – the “Katrina of orca advocacy.” Some of that anger may come across in
this archive. But sometimes the hard truth about how a whale wasn’t saved can inform us how to do it right the next time.
Are we angry? Sure. But is anger such a bad thing, or can it be channeled into something positive? We hope so – and when
reflecting on the L98 tragedy, we’ll take any hope we can get. But through the sadness, we can always turn our eyes toward
Johnstone Strait and find the irrepressible spirit in Springer, the thing that worked, the never-ending story that adds a new
chapter every summer she returns happy and healthy to the Strait. And now, she’s a new mom. There’s hope also in the
remarkable minds and hearts of our friends at OrcaLab, who’ve done such an extraordinary and eloquent job keeping tabs on
Springer and her family and sharing that with the world. — Orca Conservancy
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March 2006
THE LUNA FILE, Beginning With the End…
ORCA CONSERVANCY -
P-I Cutline:
Bonding with people and boats may have led to Luna's demise.
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Photo: Scott Eklund / P-I
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Luna the Orca Killed by Tugboat
Young whale dies in propeller collision
By ROBERT McCLURE
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Reporter
In the end, the wayward orca Luna died as he had lived and become well-known – alone. And lonely.
The young killer whale, which somehow got separated from his whale family in the back bays of Vancouver Island, died in a grisly collision with a tugboat's
propeller Friday.
The death of a whale that attracted thousands of tourists – some from overseas – sparked anew arguments over whether Canadian officials and native leaders
mishandled the situation.
One minute Luna was frolicking around the back of a boat, as he did routinely in an attempt to secure the companionship he craved.
The next minute, he was sucked into a tube containing a propeller powered by a 1,700-horsepower engine. It chopped the whale into bits. Until authorities
recovered a large piece of the carcass, they were unsure they would even be able to positively identify the creature.
"I'm furious!" said Michael Harris of the Orca Conservancy, the Seattle-based group that had consistently argued
that the whale should be recaptured and returned to his whale family, known as L pod, which frequents the waters
around the San Juan Islands.
"This is the Katrina of orca advocacy," Harris said. "We saw a perfect storm gathering, and they sat around and
did nothing, and now we've got a dead whale! It's incredibly tragic and frustrating."
Luna's sad saga first came to light in spring 2001, when he turned up in Nootka Sound, a remote waterway that snakes inland from the Pacific to the old
logging town of Gold River, B.C. His pod is known to forage in the waters off Vancouver Island in the spring.
When the L pod returned to Puget Sound without Luna and an older male, his uncle, conservationists speculated the two may have been hunting together when
the elderly uncle died. Others wondered if Luna had been purposely shunned by his pod. There's no way to know the truth.
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Orcas enjoy a lifespan comparable to humans. Scientists who study orcas say the 1-year-old calf being left alone was not unlike a human infant suddenly
isolated in the woods. Fortunately, though, Luna was able to catch his own dinner.
At first, Luna stayed about halfway up Nootka Sound, avoiding boats as a normal orca would. But after a time he began to follow vessels. He had his favorites.
Orcas love to splash in the water together, to rub each other, and they enjoy close family bonds. Luna bonded with boats.
Then he started soliciting petting by humans. Eventually, Luna's search for intimacy grew disruptive. He was known to push around 30-foot logs for onlookers'
entertainment, carry twigs on his head, jump out of the water next to boats and push boats around with his nose. In one incident, he momentarily lifted a
kayaker out of the water far enough that she was temporarily trapped. Later, he damaged some boats.
With help offered by U.S. officials and conservationists on both sides of the border, the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans came up with a plan to
capture Luna and transport him back to be with his family – just as the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service recaptured Springer, an orca from a Canadian
pod that turned up alone near Vashon Island at about the same time.
But it was not to be. DFO officials had failed to consult closely with the local natives, or First Nations as they're known in Canada, the Mowachaht/Muchalaht –
who have long been angry at DFO because of its advocacy of salmon aquaculture in the area.
And the natives had come to believe that Luna embodied the spirit of their chief, Ambrose Maquinna, who died just days before the orca showed up.
When the DFO-sponsored capture was about to take place, members of the tribe showed up in canoes and lured the creature away from a pen in the water
where DFO officials were trying to lure him. The Canadian government gave up on the recapture plan.
"At the moment, the First Nation is in disbelief," Fisheries Program Manager Jamie James said Friday.
But he said the tribe still believes it acted in the whale's best interest, because authorities had said that if Luna were not accepted by his pod, he would be
recaptured again and put into an aquarium.
"This is nothing we could predict or prevent in any way," James said of the accident Friday. "We stick to our
statement that we let nature take its course."
Lara Sloan, a spokeswoman for DFO, said the department had never given up on trying to reunite Luna with his pod. The alternative plan, which the First
Nation acquiesced to, was to lead him out of Nootka Sound into the Pacific Ocean when the pod was nearby.
"We always considered the lead-out an option. We were always watching where the pod was," she said. "We were continuing to work with the First Nations."
She said Canadian authorities have no reason to doubt the word of the skipper of the oceangoing tugboat, the 104-foot General Jackson, that Luna's death was
accidental.
The vessel had come into Nootka Sound for refuge from foul weather in the Pacific, said DFO spokesman Dan Bate.
A spokesman for the tugboat company, Great Northern Marine Towing Ltd. of New Westminster, B.C., said the captain and crew of the vessel General Jackson
were heartbroken about the accident.
"We're all very sad about it," said the spokesman, Barry Connerty. "We did everything we could to avoid that outcome."
This report includes information from The Associated Press.
Now, Back to the Beginning…
ORCA CONSERVANCY -
October 2000
How A Boy Whale Gets a Girl Name…
Thursday, October 26, 2000
Welcome Orca Babies: Alki, Luna, Tatoosh
By GREG JOHNSTON
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
Until scientists decipher the orca language, their real names – if they
have them – will be heard only in the currents that swirl around the San
Juan Islands. But henceforth humans will refer to the three babies born
recently to the resident J, K and L pods as Alki, Tatoosh and Luna.
The three names were chosen from 1,178 suggestions entered by
P-I readers in a contest sponsored jointly by the newspaper
and The Whale Museum at Friday Harbor on San Juan Island.
Scientists who study orcas, the intelligent predatory marine mammals also
known as killers whales, assign pod identification numbers to all new calves
at birth. The three babies born last year were numbered J-36, K-31 and L-98.
However, The Whale Museum is seeking people to participate in its Orca
Adoption Program, which also assigns the animals a common name.
The winners were selected by a committee from the museum and the Center for
Whale Research. (Those who entered but didn't win should know that the
selectors said they were impressed with the high quality of the entries.)
Prizes for each winner are a whale-watching trip off San Juan Island,
lodging for four on the island, a guided tour of the museum and an orcaadoption package for the animal they named. Contestants who also suggested
the names chosen but were not selected as winners each win an orca-adoption
package and four free passes to the museum. (The tie-breaker was the quality of
the explanation given for choosing the name, although in one case it was so close
that a name had to be drawn from a hat.)
Alki was chosen for the whale first seen Dec. 18, 1999, and numbered J-36.
The name was entered by winner Priscilla Moore of Lynnwood and two others.
"In the Chinook language," Moore wrote, "Alki means the future, or tomorrow
or times to come. This calf was born close to the new millennium and I hope
she/he is the harbinger of a healthy future in Puget Sound."
Alki's mother is named Slick and its brothers are Mike and Keet. Sarah Ann
Haroldson of Seattle and Marlu Hartsock of Bainbridge Island also entered
the name.
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Luna was submitted by 8-year-old Ashley Green of Bellingham for an orca born
off San Juan on Sept. 19, 1999, and numbered L-98. Ashley's explanation:
"The orca whale explores the ocean like the moon explores the Earth and that
is why his/her name is Luna."
Luna's mom is Splash and its grandma is Grace. Luna has three brothers named
Orcan, Gaia and Wavewalker.
Four other people suggested Luna. They are Hana Arch of Sammamish, Maria
Tamblin of Penfield, Christopher Perez of Gig Harbor and Devrin Smith of
Lynnwood.
Orca K-31, first seen in June of 1999, will now also be known as Tatoosh, a
name submitted by winner Linda Hawkins of Maple Valley. Tatoosh is in
keeping with the Native American names of some other K pod members.
These include its mother Sequim and siblings Sekiu and Raven.
Andrea Rodgers Harris with L67, Luna’s mother, in Haro Strait,
San Juan Islands, WA.
Shari Blevins of Seattle also submitted the name.
The three names were selected from a list of finalists that included Domino,
Tuga, Tuxedo or Tux, Kozmo, Roca, Klicket, Sahalie, Quinault, Kismet, Kwaki,
Eclipse, Orion, Inky, Spangle, Quann, Tallulah, SohQua, Spiggit, Nova, Nutik
and Kookenaa.
The most popular entry was Echo, and there were several entries each for
Rain, Romeo, Splish and Oreo, which is already the name of a local orca.
Many people submitted names in the memory of loved ones or a pet, or after
themselves.
The latter included the entry Andy by budding comedian Andy Hull of
Sammamish, who wrote: "It is a short name unlike Tikki Tikki Temba No Sa
Remibo Chari Bari Pip Perri Pembo. And my name is Andy and I like that
name!"
J, K and L pods now total 82 animals – 16 in J, 19 in K and 47 in L – and
usually split their time between the inland marine waters of Washington and
British Columbia. One member is so far unnamed, a calf born this year to L
pod – designated L-99. It will be named next year.
LUNA AS A BABY. This first photo of L98 with her mother,
L67 (“Splash”), was taken in the San Juan Islands in 2000
by Orca Conservancy Board Member Susan Berta.
ORCA CONSERVANCY -
February 2002
The Cat’s Outa the Bag…
OC TIMELINE: THE SECRET ABOUT LUNA
It was mid-January 2002, around the time we first encountered Springer in the busy ferry lanes near Seattle. Orca Conservancy Board Member
Kelley Balcomb-Bartok gave us some inside info – there was ANOTHER young orca gone solo, this time a juvenile male from the Southern Resident
Community, now alone in Nootka Sound, BC. It was L98, or “Luna,” who had disappeared the year before and was thought dead. Only a handful of
people were kept in the loop about Luna, including Kelley’s father, Ken Balcomb from The Center for Whale Research. Of course we were absolutely
sworn to secrecy – presumably as Kelley was. But when Dr. John Ford, Graeme Ellis and Ken Balcomb finally broke the news about this
Lazarus orca to the media, it came as no surprise to Orca Conservancy. For months we kept our word to keep Luna a secret –
but were already conspiring on ways to get him home. Here we go again…
January 30, 2002
DFO and Partners Lay out Action Plan to
Protect Killer Whale
CCN
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – Fisheries and Oceans Canada has brought
together an expert team of marine mammal scientists from the Vancouver
Aquarium and the Center for Whale Research based out of Washington State to
develop an action plan to protect a juvenile killer whale (orca) separated
from its pod earlier last summer.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada marine mammal scientists have confirmed
sightings of a lone, juvenile killer whale in a remote inlet off the west
coast of Vancouver Island. Department staff, with the assistance of the
Centre of Whale Research in Friday Harbour, Washington, U.S.A., have
identified the whale as L98, a two and a half-year old juvenile, male from L
pod, one of three southern resident killer whale pods.
The southern resident killer whale population has been steadily declining in
recent years – 99 whales in 1996 to 78 whales in 2001 – and L pod has been
particularly affected by this decline. The southern resident killer whale
population, often found in the Strait of Georgia and Puget Sound, was
recently listed as endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered
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Wildlife in Canada.
Action Plan Highlights
* DFO research staff, the Center for Whale Research, and the Vancouver
Aquarium will monitor the status of the whale on a regular basis and
determine future steps.
* DFO will enhance conservation and protection patrols as required to ensure
the whale is not disturbed.
* DFO will provide information to the public on appropriate marine mammal
viewing protocols.
* DFO staff have already begun monitoring the juvenile. L98 appears to be in
good health and scientific observers report that he has been hunting and
feeding adequately. Experts agree that the whale is unlikely to be
reconnected with L pod because this group has never been recorded at or near
this location since studies began over 25 years ago.
"Fisheries and Oceans Canada takes protection of marine mammals very
seriously," said Paul Macgillivray, Regional Director of Fisheries
Management. "We are committed to the protection of this species and are
developing a management strategy to address the long-term health of marine
mammals on the Pacific coast."
"This is a very rare event and our action plan will be key to ensuring the
health and well-being of this young whale," said Dr. John Ford, Head of the
Marine Mammal Group at Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
"The Vancouver Aquarium has over 30 years of experience with killer whales,
and is pleased to assist in the effort to reunite this whale with its pod," said
Dr. Lance Barrett-Lennard, Marine Mammal Scientist at the Aquarium. "In this
case, a combined effort is particularly important as the whale in question belongs
to a critically affected population."
"Every individual whale is important to the population. We are optimistic
that this whale will survive and will be reunited with its family," said
Ken Balcomb, Director of The Center for Whale Research in
Washington State.
Dr. John Ford, with the late Bjossa at Vancouver Aquarium.
Orca Research Pioneer Ken Balcomb of The Center for Whale Research, San Juan Island, WA.
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Observations of L98 in British Columbia
July 2001 to January 2002
John K.B. Ford and Graeme M. Ellis
Marine Mammal Research
Pacific Biological Station
Department of Fisheries and Oceans
February 1, 2002
Since July 2001, mariners frequenting Nootka Sound on the northwest coast of
Vancouver Island have been observing a small, lone killer whale. The first documented
sightings were reported to the Pacific Biological Station and the BC Cetacean Sightings
Network in mid September. The observers reported that they had seen the whale on
numerous occasions since mid July, always in the same location.
During a sea otter survey flight on 5 October, marine mammal biologists Graeme Ellis,
John Ford, and Jane Watson searched the reported location by helicopter, and were able
to confirm that the animal was indeed a juvenile killer whale.
On 12 November, Graeme Ellis and Jane Watson travelled by boat to the area in an
attempt to locate the whale and to make observations and collect photographs for
potential individual identification. The whale was found and photographed, although
weather conditions were too poor for good photography. Subsequent analyses of these
ID photos suggested that the whale was most likely L98, a young whale born to the
southern resident L pod in 1999 and reported missing in June 2001 by researchers with
the Center for Whale Research, Friday Harbor. Improved photographs were needed for
positive identification.
On 25 November, Graeme Ellis and John Ford travelled once more to the site to obtain
additional ID photographs and to make observations of the animal's behaviour and
physical condition. The whale was again found in the same location. It appeared to be in
good condition, swimming and surfacing in an energetic fashion and showing no obvious
physical signs of emaciation. It was observed to catch and eat a salmon. Observations
and photographs revealed sloughing skin on the dorsal fin, which was not evident on 12
November. It occasionally responded to the boat by approaching to within 20-30 m, but
not closer. Comparison of ID photographs collected on this day with a photographic
catalogue of southern residents maintained by the Center for Whale Research confirmed
the identity as L98.
THE INLAND SEA. Satellite map of L98’s home territory – The Straits of Juan de Fuca, Haro and Georgia and Puget Sound.
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The situation with L98 is extremely unusual. Resident killer whales live in very stable kin groups called matrilines. A whale born to a matriline
rarely if ever strays for long from this group, especially in the case of young animals. Since photo-identification studies began in the early
1970s, there have been no cases where a young whale observed to be absent from its matriline for more than a few days, has returned to
that matriline, or any other group. There are only two past incidents on record that bear some resemblance to the L98 situation (1). In early
January 2002, another lone juvenile killer whale was discovered in Puget Sound. The behaviour of this unidentified individual appears rather
similar to that of L98.
It is not known how L98 came to be alone in Nootka Sound. It is possible that it accidentally strayed and became separated from its group
somewhere off the west coast of Vancouver Island, then wandered into the area. There is no physical barrier preventing it from leaving, but it
appears to be reluctant to travel outside of a small area. We are uncertain how likely it is that L98 will become reconnected with L pod. The
area frequented by L98 is far from the known travel and foraging routes of L pod, and there is no record of the pod at or near this location
since studies began over 25 years ago. However, the range of L pod during the winter and spring is mostly unknown, and it may be that the
pod does occasionally enter Nootka Sound. If so, the juvenile may become reunited with its group.
On 3 December, a meeting of killer whale specialists was held in Vancouver to discuss the situation and to develop a response strategy.
Representatives from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Center for Whale Research (Friday Harbor, WA), the Vancouver Aquarium Marine
Science Centre, and the University of British Columbia were present. The group agreed that the whale should be monitored regularly and, if it
began to show signs of deteriorating health, a plan for intervention would be developed.
L98 has been monitored four times since this meeting, the most recent being 21 January, 2002. On each occasion, it appeared to be in good
health and exhibited energetic, playful behaviours around the boat. It was again observed feeding, and scale samples from a salmonid kill
were collected.
Future Plans
We will continue regular field trips on a biweekly basis to monitor the health status of L98. Behaviour and appearance will be documented
with photographs and video. Fisheries and Oceans will undertake conservation and protection patrols as required to ensure the whale is not
disturbed. A team of killer whale specialists will be assembled to consider various options for future action if needed.
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February 1, 2002
TWO ORCAS LIKE PEAS WITHOUT PODS
Scientists Puzzle Over the Lone Whales in Puget Sound, B.C.
By ROBERT McCLURE, Seattle Times Staff Reporter
Two lost baby orcas – one in a remote Vancouver Island inlet, the other in Puget Sound – are puzzling scientists who say they have never
before seen young killer whales split off from their families that way. One orca, named Luna, was discovered last July in Nootka Sound along
the rugged northwestern coast of Vancouver Island, scientists announced.
The second baby orca turned up alone recently in central Puget Sound. Recordings of its underwater calls were used late this week to identify
it as coming from a group of whales never before seen there. "This is something we've never encountered before," said John Ford, head of
marine mammal research at the Pacific Biological Station on Vancouver Island. "The fact that there are two is very unusual."
Both orcas are about 2 1/2 years old. Normally, orcas of that age stay quite close to their mothers. In the past, they've been known to leave
their families for a few days at most. The only other cases in which such young orcas wandered away from their families for longer periods
involved sick animals. These two appear healthy.
Luna, known by its scientific designation of L-98, has been living in Nootka Sound at least since July. The whale has stopped calling out for its
family members but is successfully finding food and even appeared to be playing, said researchers who got within 70 feet of Luna in a boat.
Scientists are asking, "Is it a sulky teenager? Was he thrown out of the pod?" said Brian Gorman, a spokesman for the National Marine
Fisheries Service in Seattle. "Is this something to be worried about or something that's normal? We know very little about their behavior."
It's possible that its family was feeding in the vicinity and the whale wandered too far to hear other pod members using their specialized
system of underwater calls, Ford said.
Each year, the three families or "pods" of orcas that frequent Puget Sound and the waters around the San Juan Islands arrive in the spring.
Then they leave in the fall, their destination unknown. They returned last spring numbering 78. That alarmed conservationists, because it
meant their numbers dropped by seven percent in a single year. The number of orcas in those three families plummeted in recent years after
growing steadily between the early 1970s, when their capture for aquariums was banned, and the mid-1990s. Even with the reappearance of
Luna, though, their numbers are still down by nearly one-fifth since the mid-1990s.
The decline of the orcas is thought to be driven by reductions in the salmon and herring runs they feed on, as well as the presence of
polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, in their bodies. The PCBs, an industrial product used widely in electrical equipment until the late 1970s,
linger for decades in the environment. Stored in the orcas' fat, PCBs are liberated when the orcas go hungry and draw on their fat reserves.
This pummels the whales' immune systems, making them vulnerable to disease and early death. Under normal circumstances, orcas enjoy
life spans comparable to humans.
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It remains unclear whether Luna or the unnamed second whale spotted this month in central Puget Sound will ever be reunited with their
pods, scientists said. The whale in central Puget Sound was originally thought to be a so-called transient killer whale, meaning it doesn't
return annually to any particular place. The transient whales also are distinguished from the so-called resident whales that return annually in
that the transients eat seals and other marine mammals, while the resident orcas eat fish. They do not interbreed, but both kinds are known
as social animals that rarely are seen alone.
The whale in Puget Sound, which was spotted at times near Vashon Island, is almost certainly a member of a resident pod that hangs out
from mid-Vancouver Island north to Alaska, Ford said. He should know: Ford's specialty is distinguishing members of different orca pods
through their underwater dialects.
There is a remote chance that the orca in Puget Sound did not come from the northern resident pods. Analysis of the whale's DNA, based on a
skin sample, will tell for certain, Ford said.
The northern resident whales number about 200, split into 16 pods.
Local Digest
Baby Orca Does Reappearing Act
SEATTLE TIMES - February 1, 2002
VANCOUVER, B.C. — Scientists say a lonely killer-whale calf that has spent
the past six months in a remote inlet on Vancouver Island's west coast is
Luna, an orca presumed dead after disappearing from Puget Sound last summer.
The 2-1/2-year-old calf, known to scientists as L-98, was born in L-Pod —
resident orcas that frequent the state's inland waters.
"This hasn't happened since our studies began (30 years ago). We've never
had an animal disappear and then come back," said John Ford, a whale
researcher with the Pacific Biological Station.
Researchers have tentatively identified another lone whale swimming between
Seattle and the Kitsap Peninsula as belonging to a pod that lives off the
Canadian coast and rarely ventures into U.S. waters.
Researchers are simply observing the whales for now, although no one is
ruling out an attempt to help them reunite with their families.
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March 2002
First Springer, Then Luna – Quid Pro Quo.
Presented by Orca Conservancy and Earth Island Institute
Rehabilitation Proposal
SUBMITTED to National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) on 3/1/02. Re: Translocation and Repatriation of the Orphaned Orca Calf A73 (aka “Springer”) With Natal Pod via Towable Seapen. Objective: To Maximize Chances of Successful Rehabilitation by Minimizing Transportation Stress and Human Contact. Presented by Orca Conservancy and Earth Island Institute. Scientifically Reviewed by Dr. David Bain, University of Washington; Dr. Samuel Wasser, Woodland Park Zoo; Fred Felleman, MSc., Orca Conservancy; and Dr. Paul Spong and Helena Symonds, OrcaLab.
NAMU is towed via seapen from Namu, BC to Seattle, 1965.
Overview:
The recent stranding of a transient killer whale in Sequim, Washington and the matter of the isolated juvenile killer whales, A73 and L98, from threatened resident communities in the
Pacific Northwest, demonstrate the need to enhance the region’s marine mammal stranding/response capabilities. The success of the A73 repatriation effort will be enhanced by
drawing on the complementary expertise of field, aquarium and government biologists, while drawing from lessons learned from Keiko and Namu. This effort will serve as a model for
handling future incidents of this nature.
Phased approach:
1.) Independent ongoing observational data to assess baseline behavioral and physiological condition; i.e., respirations, activity levels and other indices of stress.
2.) Blood draw (taken in the field) to better assess the animal’s health and guide future intervention.
3.) Build hydrodynamic floating pen to temporarily hold and transport A73 while blood results are evaluated. Pen will be stocked with salmon and her feeding and stress levels
monitored through behavioral and fecal stress hormone measures to assess transport readiness.
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4.) If prolonged medical treatment is needed transfer to nearby embayment with lift may be required.
5.) When indicators suggest transport readiness, prearrange Customs clearance and initiate slow tow to embayment in Johnstone Strait stocked with wild salmon. Maintain behavior
and fecal stress hormone collections.
6.) Transfer lead responsibility to Canadian Government, who have already declared the Northern population as threatened and the Southern Community endangered.
7.) Monitor whereabouts of A4-Pod (due back in Johnstone Strait between June and July), their response to A73, and vice versa, to decide when to open net and initiate repatriation.
It is far more optimal to retain A73 in native waters than in mid-Puget Sound to optimize preparedness for reintroduction.
8.) Monitor whereabouts of Ls and seek Canadian support to apply same technique to L98 when timing allows.
In addition to providing for the best interests of A73 by reducing the stress of capture and transport to an aquarium, as well as minimizing human contact that could hinder future
attempts to repatriate the animal, this towable seapen approach helps build the capacity to manage the region’s wealth of marine resources by tapping the broad array of expertise
and public interest in this species in the Pacific Northwest.
L98, aka “Luna,” alone in BC’s Nootka Sound.
Orca Conservancy Policy Position re: A73, the Wrongway Orca
Orca Conservancy believes that A73 is in no immediate danger of starvation, based on observations from scientists on OC’s Advisory Board, as well as Board Members Kelley
Balcomb and Fred Felleman, MSc. and others. We feel it critical to take a thoughtful approach to intervention, should it be required. In such a case, OC proposes “THE NAMU
SHUTTLE,” a transfer of the animal into a sea pen and towed to the Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo, BC. A73 would be fed and rehabbed and then towed north to a cove in
Blackney Sound, her home waters. Attempts would be made there to repatriate her to her natal pod. This animal’s return to her family should be the ultimate goal of all parties
involved, and certainly we have the expertise and resources among research institutions and non-profit organizations here in the Northwest to make it happen, as well as with our
partner in these efforts, Earth Island Institute, the SF-based environmental organization responsible for assembling animal care staff and veterinary services and raised over $7
million toward the transport of Keiko from Mexico City to Oregon and the construction of the facility now in Newport. They are the most experienced and credible non-government
non-profit organization in the field of orca translocation. In addition, the plan and teamwork we put in place now on the A73 question would be invaluable in our hopes of returning
another wayward calf, our own L98 of the endangered Southern Community, back home from BC’s Nootka Sound.
Our position at Orca Conservancy is that we want to do what is best for the animal. As many among OC’s Board of Directors and Advisory Board have first-hand experience
in the orca roundups of the 1960s and 1970s for the captive-display industry (OC Board Members Ralph and Karen Munro were instrumental in putting a stop to these captures), we
feel strongly that all viable options need to be fully explored before any consideration is given to pulling this orphaned calf out of the water and translocating it into an aquarium, even
for temporary rehabilitation purposes. We are committed to doing all we can to preserve the ban on the removal of any orcas from these waters, for any reason. Article 3 in the US
District Court Stipulation of Dismissal concerning the State of Washington vs. Sea World, et al, is unequivocal~ it states that, “... Sea World will not exercise its right under Permit 22
or successor permits to take any Killer Whales within the waters of the State of Washington." The document is dated and signed March 23, 1976. All residents of the Pacific
Northwest need to remain vigilant. There is clearly great sensitivity in having the captive-display industry, including Sea World, once again working these local waters. In particular,
many of these have long track records of “rescuing” animals, bringing them into “the care of humans,” and then unilaterally deciding that these creatures are unfit to return to wild.
The human contact inherent in any translocation of a wild animal into a captive setting is the chief obstacle to reintroduction and must be avoided at all costs. OC believes that the
rehabilitation and ultimate repatriation of A73 could be done via a towable seapen, requiring far less stress and human contact than an airlift to the Oregon Coast Aquarium or other
aquaria which have offered to take the orca. Also, there is concern that while OCA is under a signed agreement with Free Willy Keiko Foundation (co-founded by Earth Island
Institute’s Dave Phillips) forbidding the permanent display of orcas, the agreement does allow OCA to transfer the animal to another aquarium after it is successfully rehabilitated.
Even to Sea World. Lastly, A73 is a Canadian resident. There is no need for this whale to remain in the United States.
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Environment
Second Baby Whale Isolated in Canadian Waters
3/7/2002 - Reported by Glenn Farley, KING 5 News
VASHON ISLAND, Wash. - A tremendous amount of attention is focused on "Springer,” the young orphaned whale swimming near Vashon island. But there's
another young whale considered even more critical to keeping local orca populations alive: L-98.
Luna or L-98 has inhabited the waters of Vancouver Island's Nootka Sound since last summer. For some reason he's been separated from the rest of the L pod,
a group of whales usually found in U.S. waters. He's north while his pod is south.
Meanwhile, Springer or A-73, a distressed calf of about the same size and age, is swimming in the waters between West Seattle and Vashon Island.
Scientists say this situation of two calves so far out of place at the same time is unprecedented, but they cannot find anything that connects the two. It's just a
very strange coincidence.
Resource Links:
Orca Conservancy
Center for Whale Research
But everyone would like to see L-98 back home because the population of U.S. based killer whales is small and getting smaller. And the National Marine
Fisheries Service is reviewing a petition to have the U.S. whales added to the endangered species list.
The local whale population had been climbing.
“But then just recently, maybe in the past five or six years, it's declined again and we don't know why,” said Brian Gorman, National Marine Fisheries Service.
“It's down to maybe 82 animals, not from a high of 96 or 97.”
The Orca Conservancy, a Seattle environmental group, is proposing to use a towed sea-pen, like the one used in the
‘60s, to bring L-98 back - if they are given permission to takes A-73 north to her home in Canadian waters.
“I'm tremendously optimistic based on a lot of new information that's coming to light in the last few days,” said Kelley Balcomb, whale researcher with the
Center for Whale Research and Vice President of Orca Conservancy.
And while L-98 is getting plenty to eat and appears healthy, there are big concerns.
“There is certainly less of a sense of urgency with L-98, compared to A-73,” said John Ford, Canadian Fisheries and Oceans. “But we are still not confident
about his prospects for the long term. Again, these animals live in highly structured pods and do so for a reason."
But L-98’s mother is still alive, improving his chances of successfully rejoining his pod, whereas A-73’s mother is dead.
The government cites pollution and declining salmon stocks as possible reasons for the decline in the U.S. orca population.
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April 2002
Presented by Orca Conservancy and Earth Island Institute
A73 Monitoring Proposal
SUBMITTED to National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) on 4/15/02.
Re: Supplemental Scientific Monitoring of the Orphaned Orca Calf A73 (aka "Springer") and Boater Education via NMFS-Authorized Vessel
OVERVIEW
Orca Conservancy and Earth Island Institute seek authorization from National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to be the official platform from which ongoing biological and behavioral
monitoring of A73 will be conducted. These activities will be conducted in cooperation with The Center for Whale Research and other institutions as sanctioned by NMFS.
Ken Balcomb of The Center for Whale Research has made available the 23' Bayliner Bobby D. to be modified with identification markings clearly establishing an official vessel
sanctioned by NOAA and National Marine Mammal Labs during the duration of the monitoring program.
The Bobby D. will be the exclusive authorized research/monitoring platform for National Marine Fisheries Service during its upcoming 10-day
evaluation period, and any additional period of time as needed. In addition, OC/EII will conduct boater education activities during the duration of the
program, complementing the weekend efforts of The Whale Museum's Soundwatch Program. During this weekday monitoring program, observers on
the platform will maintain the data collection protocols established during the initial 10-day monitoring period. In this way, any precipitous decline in
A73's health will be detected earlier than if NMFS were to rely primarily on weekend observations. Additionally, the Bobby D. will be in regular
communication with the Washington State Ferries operating the Fauntleroy/Vashon runs notifying the crew as to the exact whereabouts of A73,
helping to allay stated concerns of WSF of a possible collision with the orca.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The vessel will be the responsibility of Orca Conservancy, and OC/EII will assume all expenses related to its transport from San Juan Island to Seattle and all insurance and
operations, including any staffing outside of existing NMFS contracts. A slip has been donated to Orca Conservancy by the Port of Seattle's Bell Harbor Marina in Elliott Bay for one
month. NMFS will contract OC/EII for $1 to officiate this relationship. Anticipated scientific monitors include Ken Balcomb, Dave Ellifrit, Dr. David Bain, Dr. Brad Hansen, Dr. Marilyn
Dahlheim, Fred Felleman, Candice Emmons, Kelley Balcomb and others who have expertise with whales in the field and are familiar with observation techniques. Activities will include
independent ongoing observational data to assess baseline behavioral and physiological condition; i.e., respirations, activity levels and other indices of stress. All information
collected, including data, photographs, video and acoustic recordings, will be made available to NMFS, Department of Fisheries and Oceans and The Center for Whale Research. The
vessel and current/timely information will also be available to visiting veterinarians and biologists from NMML, the Vancouver Aquarium and the Canadian DFO to allow for consistent,
professional observation, monitoring and communication between all responsible parties.
As participants of the NMML monitoring team to date and in the recent Dungeness Spit stranding event, and as a key player in culling the expertise, potential funding and in-kind
sources and the logistics needed for a possible translocation of A73, OC seeks to continue its role in facilitating and being a collaborative force in pulling together the diverse talents
ORCA CONSERVANCY -
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Page 18
needed to make this a success. And the bridges that continue to be built between governmental and non-governmental organizations on both sides of the border, from Johnstone
Strait to San Francisco, will be invaluable for future efforts of this kind (i.e., L98).
TIMELINE
Orca Conservancy has already secured a slip at Bell Harbor Marina in Elliott Bay and has approved moving the vessel to Seattle immediately. It is anticipated that OC/EII can have the
Bobby D. in the water and begin its program by Monday, April 22. Adding to the urgency to this already unique situation is the increased concern by the Washington State Ferries as
to A73's proximity to the ferry terminal and the possible danger of harm or collision. This public/private partnership is an important step in preparing this animal for transport to her
home waters in Canada, once that decision is made by NMFS.
ORCA CONSERVANCY and EARTH ISLAND INSTITUTE
Orca Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization advancing the welfare of Orcinus orca, the killer whale, and protecting the wild places on which it depends. Orca Conservancy
teams up with some of the world's top research institutions and non-governmental environmental organizations to address the most critical issues now affecting wild orca populations.
Our urgent attention is focused on the endangered Southern Resident Community of orcas of the Pacific Northwest. These three pods, the Js, Ks and Ls, are declining rapidly, due to
the degradation of the ecosystem and depletion of their prey resources, the accumulation of toxins in the marine environment, increased acoustic disturbance and harassment, and
the destruction of nearshore habitats, the nurseries of the Inland Sea. Orca Conservancy Board Members are leaders in safeguarding vital fish habitats and advocating creative oil spill
prevention measures in the Pacific Northwest, and in the training and certification of naturalists and whale watch operators. OC is committed to the welfare of all whales and dolphins,
and is an authoritative source for information on cetacea in captivity and on-going studies on the feasibility of returning these remarkable animals to the wild.
Earth Island Institute (EII), founded in 1982 by veteran environmentalist David Brower, fosters the efforts of creative individuals by providing organizational support in developing
projects for the conservation, preservation, and restoration of the global environment. EII provides activists the freedom to develop program ideas, supported by services to help
them pursue those ideas, with a minimum of bureaucracy. Earth Island's Project Network consists of more than 30 projects worldwide. Through innovative education and activist
campaigns, we are addressing many of the most pressing social and environmental issues: Protecting rainforests, marine mammals, sea turtles, and indigenous lands; Promoting
organic and sustainable agriculture, ecological paper alternatives, and the emerging Russian environmental movement; Pursuing community-based habitat restoration, reduction of
marine pollution, and development of urban multicultural environmental leadership. MILESTONES include launching more than 50 environmental projects including such notable
alumnae as Rainforest Action Network, International Rivers Network, and Urban Habitat; being awarded six Project Censored Awards for the Earth Island Journal, the first tree-free
magazine in North America; organizing the largest and most successful consumer-led boycott resulting in the requirement that all tuna be dolphin-safe; successfully incorporating
social and environmental mandates in California's military base conversion process; bringing an end to commercial sea turtle exploitation in Mexico; organizing a highly influential
series of Conferences on the Fate of Earth, bringing together leaders in the environmental, peace and social justice communities to seek common strategies; and bringing major public
and industry attention to the opportunities to replace trees with agricultural alternatives like kenaf, wheat straw and corn for the manufacture of paper products.
ORCA CONSERVANCY -
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June 2002
Senator Maria Cantwell kicks off three-day international Orca Recovery Conference, hosted by Orca Conservancy, Earth Island Institute,
The Canadian Consulate General/Seattle and The University of Washington Department of Zoology.
Saturday, June 1, 2002
Teamwork Urged to Help Orcas
By Peggy Andersen
The Associated Press
Sen. Maria Cantwell opened the three-day Orca Recovery Conference with a
plea yesterday for better protection of killer whales, whose numbers are
dwindling due to pollution and other pressures.
The state's junior U.S. senator made four recommendations in her keynote
address at Kane Hall on the University of Washington campus in Seattle. All
of them are linked to the troubles of the orphaned female orca from Canada
that has been hanging around the Vashon Island ferry dock since January.
Cantwell called for a formal U.S.-Canadian protocol to allow speedy handling
of situations like this, a proposal also backed by Sen. Patty Murray,
D-Wash. Cantwell also urged new restrictions on whale-watching operations,
increased federal protections for the region's dwindling orca population and
more funds for whale research and rescue programs.
The National Marine Fisheries Service's decision to try to help A-73 came
only after months of discussion, observation and tests. The agency plans to
capture her, treat a range of apparently minor symptoms and then — if no
serious health problems are detected — return her to Canadian waters near
Vancouver Island, where her family group spends summers.
"Now comes the hard part — doing our best to reunite the whale with her
pod," Cantwell said.
"I hope that A-73" — the name scientists use for the young female, based on
her birth order in Canada's A-pod — "can be an example of the difference
that we can make in working together cooperatively."
ORCA CONSERVANCY -
Meeting of Orca activists
Cantwell's remarks marked the start of a weekend of presentations and
discussions by orca activists; U.S., Canadian and state researchers; and the
nonprofit Center for Whale Research in the San Juan Islands. Topics include
the effects of oil, noise and PCB pollution; the status of Northwest fish
stocks that orcas rely on for food; and the history and impact of
whale-watching operations.
The proposal for a U.S.-Canadian protocol was formally made in a letter to
fisheries officials in both countries sent yesterday by Cantwell and Murray.
They cited A-73 and the state's dwindling resident orca population, down
from 98 in 1995 to 78 today.
"The orcas that reside in the Pacific Northwest do not know national borders
or boundaries, and we need to combine our efforts to ensure that proper
stewardship of these wild marine mammals is undertaken," they said.
"We believe A-73 is merely a symptom of what appears to be a larger problem
regarding the health of the Pacific Northwest whales," they said, adding,
"The decline of the whale population ... is an issue that impacts our entire
region and cannot be dealt with in an isolated manner."
Activists have requested an endangered-species listing for the region's
orcas, and a decision on that request is expected this summer.
In the meantime, Cantwell said, a "depleted designation" under the Marine
Mammal Protection Act would expand federal protection for orcas under
current law. It would give support for developing a conservation plan, she
said.
"The time for taking action to save the orcas is now," Cantwell said. "There
can be no doubt that the southern resident orcas" — the three pods based
near Washington's San Juan Islands — "are a population in deep trouble."
Citing new research that indicates boat traffic can hinder whales' sonar
ability to hunt for food, she also suggested National Marine Fisheries
Service begin using its authority to enforce anti-harassment laws. While the
whale-watching industry has set a 100-yard limit for proximity to whales, it
cannot be expected to take on enforcement, she said.
Federal support urged
Cantwell also urged more federal support for existing programs that finance
study of orcas and other declining marine mammals.
A-73, orphaned last year, apparently wandered into Puget Sound — well south
of her pod's range area — after she lost contact with her family group. No
one can say whether her pod will accept her.
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Solitary juveniles are unique to the experience of area researchers
who've been in the field over a quarter century, but this year there
are two. The other — a young male from the San Juans called L-98 —
has been foraging for fish on the west side of Canada's Vancouver
Island. Activists are hoping to eventually return him to the
San Juans-based L-pod.
Orcas, actually a type of dolphin, are found in all the world's oceans.
6/13/2002
Orca Rescue Attempt Begins at Noon
The Associated Press/NWCN.com/KING5.com
MANCHESTER, Wash. - A last/Minute change in plans will attempt to make Puget Sound's orphaned orca whale, Springer, swim into a floating net pen, while surrounded by a lot more commotion than she’s used
to.The rescue had been scheduled for Thursday, but has been postponed until noon.
Conditions will be very different from Wednesday's successful trial run, largely because the net will be dropped below the water, instead of floating above the water as it was Wednesday. The rescue could take
several days depending on the weather and water conditions, as well as Springer’s health. If all goes well, the government will take Springer to a temporary site on the Kitsap peninsula for treatment before efforts
are made to reunite her with her family in Canada.
On Wednesday afternoon, whale researchers pushed a portable net pen to the north end of Vashon Island, where Springer has been residing. Researchers, petting and scratching her on her side, successfully
coaxed her into the pen. Because the nets were not in place yet, Springer swam in and then quickly swam out of the pen - a victorious moment for researchers. It all came not a moment too soon, said Bob Lohn,
National Marine Fisheries Service regional administrator.
“She seems to be rapidly losing her fear of humans,” Lohn said Tuesday. There have been numerous reports of her cozying up to ferries and smaller boats and rubbing against them, perhaps to ease the itching of
her worsening skin ailment. The young orca was orphaned last year and then became separated from her family group. Since mid-January, she has made a temporary home near the Vashon Island ferry dock just
west of Seattle.
Killer whales are social animals who live and hunt cooperatively. But at 11 feet long and about 2,000 pounds - roughly the size of a small car - this young whale could capsize smaller vessels if she got too friendly.
The plan is to keep her near this Kitsap Peninsula town in a 40-square-foot net pen at NMFS’s research station, where she can be easily tested and medicated. She may be moved to a larger pen here if her stay
extends beyond a couple weeks.
On Tuesday, members of the capture team affixed aluminum rails to a killer-whale sling on loan from the Point Defiance Zoo - a fleece-lined, 6- by 12-foot cloth apparatus with two holes for the orca’s pectoral fins.
The sling will be used to lift her out of the water and place her on the 65-foot crane barge Elsie M., owned by the Cypress Island fish farm of Bainbridge Island .
The barge was here Tuesday unloading live Atlantic salmon that will be fed to A73 – named for her birth order in Canada’s A-pod. A mechanical device will be used so she doesn’t associate humans with food. When
she has recovered from several apparently minor health problems, she’ll be moved to a netted-off cove in British Columbia waters near Johnstone Strait , east of Vancouver Island , where A-pod spends summers.
The strait is the narrowest point between the island and the British Columbia mainland.
When killer whales enter the strait, Lohn said, there’s a sense of “joyous reunion” as they squeak and call out, often leaping almost completely out of the water.
The goal is to release A73 there as they arrive, giving her “a chance to bond with them at the time they seem to be celebrating among themselves.”
Restoring a juvenile orca to her community has never been tried before, he noted.
Still, “we believe we have some of the best, most competent people in the world” lined up to help, Lohn said.
The capture team is headed by Jeff Foster of Auburn, a veteran of the so-far-unsuccessful effort to return long-captive adult killer whale Keiko, star of the movie “Free Willy,” to the wild near Iceland. Foster also
has done catch-and-release tagging of orcas for the Norwegian government.
Foster said he’s optimistic about A73’s prospects.
“Balancing the risks, we feel this is the best chance we can offer her,” Lohn said.
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The effort to restore A73 to her family is expected to cost at least $200,000, he said. Federal money is being sought, and whale activists planned to announce private fundraising plans Wednesday.
How A73 is caught will depend on her.
On Wednesday, the capture team decided against trying to loop a soft, nylon rope around her tail, opting instead to lure her into a floating netless pen by stroking her with sticks. It’s a sensation she seems to like,
since she’s often seen rubbing against chunks of wood floating in the sound.
If that succeeded, they planned to repeat the drill Thursday with the net. Then, she would be towed to a nearby crane barge, where a specially fitted sling would be used to lift her out of the water and onto the
barge for the 4- to 5-mile trip to Manchester .
Blood and skin samples would be taken on the barge if she’s not too stressed, and treatment could begin almost immediately, Foster said.
NMFS veterinarian Janet Whaley said a complete round of tests should be completed within days.
Boaters were told to stay 400 yards away from the capture attempt, Lohn said, adding the best view is likely from the Washington state ferries Seattle-Vashon run.
Springer often followed the Evergreen State ferry. Wednesday afternoon, the ferry hosted a sendoff party for the whale. Members of the Tlingit Dance Troupe performed a killer whale song on the Evergreen in
honor of Springer’s departure. Ferry workers say Springer often followed their boat and sometimes nuzzled up against it while it was docked.
While juvenile orcas surviving on their own are thought to be rare, this year there are two of them - A73 in Puget Sound , and L-98, a male
from one of the three southern resident pods that spend time around the San Juan Islands . He has been seen on the west side of Vancouver
Island since November.
According to recent reports from Canada , L-98 is also starting to get dangerously friendly with boats.
Killer whales are found in all the world’s oceans. The Washington state population - under pressure from pollution and boat traffic - has dropped from 98 in 1995 to 78 today. The government is to decide this
summer whether to list them as an endangered species.
July 2002
July 4, 2002
Kakawiin Stranded in Mowachaht/Muchalaht Territory
Ha-Shilth-Sa Newspaper
Jack F. Little (Northern Region Reporter)
Recently I had the privilege and honour of spending time with the permanent
resident of Yuquot, Ray Williams in a recent trip to Yuquot. Ray is a
member of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation. HE has been very concerned
about the Kakawiin (Killer Whale) who is stranded in the traditional
territory of his nation.
Ray is concerned about the health and especially the welfare of “Luna”, the
resident Kakawiin. “In my opinion we as a people are taking away the
Kakawiin’s freedom. In our teachings and customs, you or we are not
supposed to bother the Kakawiin,” said Williams.
Marsha Maquinna, Tyee Hawiih Mike Maquinna’s daughter shared in the
sentiments of Ray Williams who is also her grandfather. She too is greatly
concerned about the Kakawiin’s health. “I would like to respectfully
request from people to leave Luna alone,” said Marsha.
ORCA CONSERVANCY -
Seeing Luna up close was a very powerful, spiritual and moving experience
for Marsha as well as myself. “I was very, very moved seeing Luna, and it
is my wishes that she finds her home and family members soon,” she said.
Due to the major increase in traffic, Luna has a few scars. Williams
believes that it was from boats that accidentally may have cut her either
approaching, but more than likely while leaving Luna after visiting and also
petting her. “The Kakawiin is not a pet, it is not like the pets of cats
and dogs who love to be petted. I do not like to see Luna getting petted,”
said Ray.
Having witnessed up close and frost hand, it is well known that Luna
attracts a lot of attention. However a message to one and all is that she
is in the wild in surroundings that may not be too familiar to her. She is
not in captivity and should not be treated that way. Tyee Hawiih Yaalthuu’a
(Mike Maquinna) is also concerned about the Kakawiin. “We must all respect
the Kakawiin, it is a great honour to have the Kakawiin in our traditional
territories, however we must give her space. I would like to respectfully
request for all people petting the Kakawiin. Yaalthuu’a wants to remind
everyone that the Kakawiin is in the wild and it is not a novelty, we all
should allow the Kakawiin space, as we do not know of her future.
Williams wants everyone to know that the beautiful Kakawiin must be
respected. He felt that it was an honour to have one of our princesses in
our recent visit with Luna. “Luna is in the traditional territory of the
Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation, in the land of Tyee Hawiih Maquinna, and
she is the responsibility of our Tyee Hawiih,” Ray said. He also mentioned
that mother nature must be respected.
July 6, 2002 - CH News, Victoria
Friendly Luna Looking for His Pod
A two-year-old orca known as Luna has been swimming off the west coast of
Vancouver Island for about a year, and CH TV's Jonathan Bartlett visited to
find out more.
Luna, as area residents have named him, is a five-metre- long orca. He
showed up in Nootka Sound near Gold River last June.
Killer whales normally swim with their families or pods their entire lives.
Marine biologists speculate that Luna was separated from his mother and has
decided to stay and wait for his pod to return.
He has become acclimatized to humans, however, and scientists worry that
could pose a risk of Luna losing his natural instinct for the wild.
Luna (or L-98, his official name) is a member of L-Pod, a Southern resident
group of orcas who frequent Nootka water in the summertime.
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Page 24
Meanwhile, Springer Heads Home…
July 13, 2002
Orphaned Orca Goes North
By JIM KLOCKOW / KING 5 News
SEATTLE - An orphaned whale captured in Puget Sound in June finally headed home Saturday morning with the help
of an army of whale experts and researchers and a high-speed catamaran.
The orca, popularly nicknamed Springer, is two-thirds of the way to north Vancouver Island as she travels in high-style on a high-speed catamaran. Whale
experts say Springer is restless but appears to be doing fine. She is expected to arrive around 5:30 p.m.
Orca experts are pleased that the move so far is going without a hitch. Biologists and researchers from Canada and the U.S. loaded the orca into a holding tank
aboard a high-speed catamaran and departed around 7 a.m. Saturday morning in an effort to reunite her with her family. Forty five minutes earlier, workers
made the net pen the whale was being kept in shallow and climbed into the water with the whale in order to slip her into a sling.
Whale expert Jeff Foster stayed in the holding tank during the transport of the orphaned orca. The 2-year-old whale appeared
unperturbed by the procedure as a crane lifted her from her pen and into a waiting tank on the catamaran shortly after 6.
"She's very calm ... a bit of a laid back whale," Vancouver Aquarium spokesman John Nightingale said.
She was immediately surrounded by workers who massaged her and draped her with wet, ice-soaked towels. For the 8- to 12-hour
ride north, the whale will be covered with ointment and an awning to keep her cool and moist. The orca is to being taken to another
net pen a cove in Hanson Island near on the northern tip of Vancouver Island. About two-thirds of the way around Campbell River,
the catamaran stopped to refuel and load 100 bags of ice to cool the orca.
Scientists know the whale as A-73, a family designation that describes her relationship to other whales in the area. Scientists are
able to identify individual and families of orcas based on markings and vocalizations. After she was successfully loaded, beaming
organizers exchanged customs papers for the whale and described what will happen next.
"Everything's set up up north," Nightingale said. "The pens are ready, the fish are ready."
Now that Springer's pod is in the area where she was expected to be Saturday night, the only barrier to her release was transport-related stress. Researchers
say if the whale begins eating immediately, they'll take that as a sign that she's not particularly stressed and ready to be released. That could happen within
days, according to Clint Wright, also of the Vancouver Aquarium.
As the whale and entourage moved north, attention turned to the likelihood of A-73 being repatriated with her family.
As if on cue, the A-24 subgroup of whales researchers say includes A-73's most immediate family appeared in the
waters of Johnstone Straight.
Although the young orca could conceivably be taken in by any group of killer whales, researchers believe the chances are best
with the A-24 group.
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"On the wish list, this was right up at the top," Orca Conservancy
President Michael Harris said of the A-24 pod's arrival.
There were also reports that there may be a calf in the A-11 subgroup, also closely related to Springer and also arriving at
Johnstone Straight.
Harris said that could be good news for Springer because the pod may be moving slower and therefore be easier for her to
keep up with.
"The timing is just perfect," Project Seawolf's Bob McLaughlin said from the Catalina Jet Saturday morning. He said once the orphaned whale is in her new pen
and eating, researchers will listen to see if she exchanges vocalizations with pod members who are near.
"We're extremely hopeful," said Dr. Paul Spong of Orcalab.
Vancouver Aquarium veterinarian David Huff said the whale will be fitted with a suction cup transmitter to monitor her whereabouts after she is released. Even
so, he said, given her coloring and the wide network of whale observers in the area, she would be easy to spot.
On the boat, at least four people stayed in the holding tank with the whale in an effort to keep her calm.
Although no additional invasive tests were performed researchers closely monitored her breathing and temperature.
Huff said shortly after the trip started that the whale was taking 14 breaths every five minutes. By 11 a.m., that respiration rate had dropped to a calm eight
breaths.
"That tells us that she's nice and relaxed, stable. She's not upset at all," Huff said.
A similar attempt to move A-73 north from Puget Sound was scotched Friday morning after debris stuck in the catamaran's propulsion system prevented it from
reaching its top speed of 40 knots. The whale had not yet been loaded.
The vessel, which had not been used for months, was also slowed by a coating of barnacles, which the boat's owner said were supposed to have been removed.
The more than $8 million craft was donated for the move by Nichol's Bros. Boat Builders on Whidbey Island, Wash.
"We found a buoy inside one of the water jets so we really didn't have a chance with the (barnacle) growth. We had a diver that was supposed to have cleaned
all this and I think he fell short on his job a little bit," boat owner Matt Nichols said.
The boat was cleaned of crustaceans and brought up to top speed by Friday afternoon and determined to be ready for Saturday's trip.
"It's just one of those things that happen. Our main concern is, as always, the safety of A73," said Vancouver Aquarium spokesman John Nightingale of the
delay.
The young whale was captured in mid-June after she made a home in the waters off Vashon Island, Wash. and began getting too friendly with ferries and
boaters in the area. The whale's mother died some months earlier, according to scientists. Researchers are able to identify individual whales and their relatives
by their markings and vocalizations.
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Resource Links
Orca Conservancy
National Marine Fisheries
National Marine Mammal Laboratory
Researchers and biologists concluded that the whale's chances for survival in the busy waters of near Vashon Island and away from her family were slim. She
was suffering from a variety of minor health problems, including worms, a discoloring rash and a still mysterious condition that made her breath smell like paint
thinner.
Biologist ultimately determined that the whale had no known genetic problems or other diseases that would pose a risk to the northern population of killer
whales.
Aboard the catamaran Catalina Jet, The 400-mile trip to Johnstone Straight was estimated to take anywhere from 8 to 12 hours.
When the craft was unable to get to half that speed Friday morning, organizers from the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Vancouver Aquarium
determined that they would not be able to get the whale to her new pen in Telegraph Cove before running out of daylight.
For the second attempt, they were hoping to place the whale in her new pen by early afternoon Saturday.
The population of orcas in Washington waters has dwindled from 120 during the 1960s to 78 today. Nobody knows exactly why the animals have declined, but
shrinking salmon runs, heavy boat traffic and pollution have all been blamed.
HOW TO HELP
The Orphaned Orca Fund
Contributions to The Orphaned Orca Fund will go directly to the project to reunite A73 with her pod. It will be administered by The Whale Museum in Friday
Harbor, Wash. Donations can be sent to:
The Orphaned Orca Fund
c/o Juanita Johns at Islanders Bank
P.O. Box 909
Friday Harbor, WA 98250.
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Monday, July 15, 2002
Springer Swims Free
Released Orphaned Orca Shows Interest in her Pod
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER STAFF AND NEWS SERVICES
HANSON ISLAND, B.C. – Springer has been sprung.
The orphaned orca was released yesterday afternoon to join a pod of killer whales that swam by the mouth of the
forested bay where she was penned.
The pod uses the same dialect as the baby orca, which was captured in Puget Sound and brought to a temporary
home off this remote Canadian island for release.
"Based on what we saw (Saturday) night, we were quite sure that when we opened the gate, she'd go charging off. And she did go charging off,"
Vancouver Aquarium President John Nightingale said.
Using suction cups, scientists have attached transmitters to the orca to follow her movements. The cups will remain on the killer whale for about three
days before they fall off and are recovered.
All in all, things are looking good for Springer, said Paul Spong, a Canadian whale researcher who also served on a U.S. National Marine Fisheries
Service advisory panel.
"We thought it might take Springer two or three days to adjust from the trip, but she did so immediately," Spong said.
He said the killer whale was vocalizing and chasing salmon as soon as she arrived in her pen.
"She was vigorous and vocalizing and obviously interacting with the other whales. We were listening practically with our mouths hanging open
(Saturday) night."
Although he's hopeful that Springer will successfully integrate into the pod, Spong said that he'd like to wait awhile longer before evaluating the
ultimate outcome of Springer's rescue and transport.
Her big moment came early yesterday, when 20 to 30 killer whales swam by the mouth of the bay. The little female pushed against the seaside
netting, called to them and "spy-hopped," sticking her head out of the water to see what was happening.
The whales that passed by in the predawn darkness included members of her three-member natal pod and others from their language group, called
the A-clan, plus other whales. "This is not very scientific, but I think she knows she's home," said Lance Barrett-Lennard of the Vancouver Aquarium,
which oversaw her care in her home waters.
Any doubts about the young orphan's response – that she might want to stay in the pen, or that she might be intimidated or frightened – evaporated.
"Seeing her last night pushing at the net, spy-hopping to see what was going on" made clear her interest in leaving the 50-foot-square, 35-foot-deep
pen in Dong Chong Bay, on this small island off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island. "Her calls were so loud they practically blew our earphones
off," Barrett-Lennard said.
The passing whales did not appear to notice her cries amid their own – which was just as well, he said. Having dozens of killer whales surrounding the
pen in the dark would have been "a bit daunting."
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Springer was responding to calls to whales from subpods A-24, her grandmother's pod, and A-12, which Spong described as Springer's "distant
cousins."
The 2-year-old female, named A73 for the birth order in her pod, arrived here late Saturday after a 400-mile trip aboard a donated high-speed ferry.
The whale, which had wandered by herself to the busy, boat-filled waters of Puget Sound, was captured a month ago after whale experts feared for
her health and safety.
Since A73 was removed from a water-filled travel container aboard the 140-foot catamaran ferry Saturday, the 12-foot-long orca has been "extremely
frisky," aquarium veterinarian David Huff said. The journey from a net pen near Seattle lasted just over 13 hours.
Forty salmon – caught locally by First Nations fishermen who were granted a special out-of-season permit
for just this purpose – were in the pen when she arrived, with more in an adjacent pen for later.
A73, which was not fed for the 18 hours before her journey home, hunted and dined all Saturday night, Barrett-Lennard said.
Her caretakers worked from a 50-foot boat, the use of which was donated for the trip, as was the water jet-powered catamaran ferry Catalina Jet.
The donation of the Catalina Jet from Nichols Brothers Boat Builders of Whidbey Island made the relocation possible, said Nightingale, the Vancouver
Aquarium president. A long truck ride would have been too hard on her and an airplane flight too expensive, he said.
Boatyard President Matt Nichols, who estimated the value of his contribution at about a $100,000, has
already volunteered use of the ferry to bring another wayward orca home. That whale, L98, is a young
male from a pod that summers near the San Juan Islands.
L98 has been on the west side of Vancouver Island since November, and there are reports of friendly but potentially dangerous encounters
with boaters. Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans is investigating and charges and fines are anticipated against the boaters,
spokeswoman Michelle McCombs said.
L98's mother is still alive, and researchers on both sides of the border hope he will rejoin the L-pod as it travels north after summer-salmon
hunting.
A73 – called "Springer" by Canadian researchers – was first spotted in mid-January near the Vashon Island ferry dock. Worried about her health and
the danger posed by boats and people, experts took the unprecedented step of attempting to capture her and bring her home. She was caught June
13 – underweight and suffering from worms and an itchy skin condition. Her health problems were cleared up during four weeks in a pen at a research
station across Puget Sound from Seattle.
A73's arrival here was "a very emotional experience" for orca researchers, Barrett-Lennard said. "I don't think there was a dry eye in the net pen."
But we haven't seen the last of Springer yet. Spong said that Springer's pod – one of 34 frequenting the waters of the Northwest – generally spends
at least a month each summer in Puget Sound.
Killer whales, actually a kind of dolphin, are found in all the world's oceans. Resident pods in the inland waters of the United States and Canada are
struggling with dwindling salmon runs, increasing human contact and pollution.
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August 2002
August 1, 2002
Yaalthuu'a and Maquinna Family Host Dinner
Ha-Shilth-Sa Newspaper
Jack F. Little (Northern Region Reporter)
Tsaxana- Tyee Hawiih Yaalthuu’a, Mike Maquinna and his family members hosted
a dinner at Waamiish Hall recently during the NTC Regular Meeting. It has
been one year since his late father Ambrose Maquinna passed away. The
Maquinna family wanted to share a meal with the Hawiih and council members
of all of Nuu-chah-nulth-aht. Northern Region Co-chair Archie Little said a
prayer prior to the dinner and the Mowachaht/Muchalaht singers sang a dinner
song. All of the invited guests them enjoyed a wonderful meal of fish,
turkey and all of the trimmings. Members of the Maquinna family and
community members them served the meal.
After the dinner Yaalthuu’a addressed the gathering. “I would like to thank
all of you for honouring the invitation and being present here tonight.
Please stay seated as you will also be served chumas, also there will be
singing later on and our family would like to do some business,” he said.
Members from the Tseshaht and also Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation (TFN) thanked
the Maquinna family and community members for the meal, as well as being
hospitable hosts. Richard Watts spoke on behalf of Tseshaht and Tom Curley
for TFN. After everyone was finished their dinner Tyee Hawiih Yaalthuu’a
and the Maquinna family gathered to conduct their business.
“Again on behalf of my family I would like to thank everyone for staying and
especially sharing a meal with us, please we respectfully request for you to
sty as we would like to acknowledge a few people,’ Yaalthuu’a said. He said
that a year has now gone by since we lost our father. Tonight is just a
start with the business that our family will be doing to honour their
father. Part of the business is that we would like to give Indian names to
our family members as only tow of their family members have names.
The Mowachaht/Muchalaht singers were then asked to sing a few songs to
entertain thief guests. One of the songs they sang has been put away since
the passing of late Ambrose Maquinna, and has not been done since then.
Chief Jerry Jack spoke for his Tyee Hawiih in our traditional Language and
then followed up by doing a ciiquaa (chant). As the singers sang many of
the immediate family were very emotional. It was a very touching moment for
all those who witnessed this. Yaalthuu’a then acknowledged each of the Tyee
Hawiih from each respective Nuu-chah-nulth-aft First Nation. His mother
Gloria Maquinna then also acknowledged a few people who helped her and the
family during the past year, especially for helping in her time of need.
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A very special moment occurred after the business was completed for the
evening. “There has been a Kakaawin (Killer Whale) in our traditional
territories for quite some time now. It is our family’s wished that it be
named after our dear father and from now on it’s name will be Cuuxiit,” said
Yaalthuu’a. There was acknowledgement for this as a few witnesses were then
called on for this special occasion. Everyone who were in attendance
enjoyed their evening and I especially was very privileged to be present.
Special thanks to the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation for permission to
post their article.
Friday, August 2, 2002
Orca Guards Will Keep Humans at Bay
Times Colonist (Victoria, BC)
by Jeff Bell
Luna the killer whale is becoming too friendly for his own good.
Like Springer, the young orca moved from Puget Sound to its home waters in B.C. last month, Luna has begun to get much
too comfortable with the presence of humans. Three-year-old Luna, living on his own in Nootka Sound,has taken to
swimming right up to boats and allowing itself to be touched and patted.
Early this week, he even latched onto a kayak in an apparent attempt to keep the craft from leaving the area, said Marc
Pakenham, who helps co-ordinate Victoria's Marine Mammal Monitoring Project.
He said Luna is an orca calf that somehow became separated from its family or pod, and was first reported to be living on its own in Nootka Sound last fall. His tendency
to approach boats has developed in recent months, Pakenham said, but his problem behaviours are not as entrenched as Springer's were.
"It (Luna) seems to be exhibiting pretty healthy signs," he said. "It seems to be feeding well and certainly doesn't seem to have some of the symptoms that were
observed with Springer.
"It's just the habits that the calf is exhibiting right now that are worrisome."
He said preventive measures are needed to stop Luna from becoming "a circus animal."
"The whale is becoming much too familiar with human company, and with each encounter like that it reduces its chances for rehabilitation to the wild."
Pakenham has joined the Veins of Life Watershed Society and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to send a special patrol boat to Nootka Sound, located on
Vancouver Island's northwest coast. The idea is to approach vessels near Luna's chosen domain near Gold River and let people know the implications of approaching or
disturbing the creature.
"We want to ... try and discourage any activity with humans whatsoever," said Michelle Kehler, who will be crewing on the boat with Erin Hobbs. "We want to promote it
to be a wild whale."
The Veins of Life Watershed Society has launched a public appeal to help fund the efforts to protect Luna, said the group's Peter Dixon. He said whales in distress tend to
be supported by the public "because they're sentient beings, and somehow we feel very interconnected with them."
Mark Pakenham (right) with Garry Fletcher and Angus Matthews of Lester B. Pearson College at Race Rocks, just off Victoria, BC.
Photo by Angus Matthews.
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August 29, 2002
MULTI-ORGANIZATIONAL LETTER OF SUPPORT TO TRANSLOCATE L98, OR "LUNA" FR: Michael Harris, on behalf of:
The Humane Society of the United States
The Free Willy Keiko Foundation
Earth Island Institute
Friends of the San Juans
Orca Conservancy
TO: Marilyn Joyce, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Marine Mammal/SARA Coordinator
300-555 W. Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 5G3
RE: The Matter of L98 in Nootka Sound
Dear Marilyn:
Our organizations have followed with great interest the matter of L98, also known as “Luna,” a key member of our endangered Southern Resident Community of orcas
now alone in Nootka Sound. As you well know, the situation with L98 has quickly turned into a crisis. We urge DFO to take immediate action to translocate and repatriate
the orca into its pod, and our organizations stand together in our desire to do all we can to support your efforts to do so.
As you’re aware, time is of the essence. As Marc Pakenham and his team have documented, L98 is in dire trouble. Like A73 in Puget Sound, this orca’s social deprivation
has led him to increasingly seek out interactions with boats, and with each incident L98 becomes critically sociable with humans. Conversely, people are aggressively
pursuing L98, despite the tireless efforts of M3 and others in Nootka Sound to protect the orca. We’ve had reports of people stroking the whale, feeding it, and even
pouring beer down its throat. There’s even a report of someone putting his head in L98’s mouth. As A73 demonstrated in the Sound, each incident of human contact has
made L98 more inclined to approach humans on the water, even bumping and pushing watercraft. We’re told he has now taken to surfacing in the path of the speeding
boats to get attention. The orca is in very real danger of propeller strikes, as occurs so frequently with cases of solitary sociable whales in other parts of the world. In just
this year alone, there have been one mortality and one possibly mortal injury to solitary sociable beluga whales in eastern Canada.
Human interactions aside, L98 is clearly in danger of starving to death in Nootka Sound. Fisheries officers there report a fair amount of food now in the Sound, but predict
a dramatic decline this fall and winter. By December, the fish will dry up completely. Last winter, in the absence of salmonids, L98 subsisted primarily on an unusually
robust run of pilchards. A similar run two years in a row is extremely unlikely. It is not considered a reliable food source. If he does not die from a boat strike, he faces a
high risk of starvation. At best, L98 may leave the Sound in search of food and end up somewhere that decreases his chances of naturally repatriating with L-Pod.
Our organizations acknowledge DFO's expertise in addressing this urgent matter, and are fully confident it will do what must be done to give this orca the best chance
possible to rejoin L-Pod. With the support of our organizations’ collective experiences in both the Keiko project and in the recent translocation and repatriation of A73
which by all accounts is a remarkable success story), there is no doubt that we can move quickly, materially and with extraordinary expertise in responding to the L98
crisis. We would be pleased to assist in any of the planning aspects of this operation, wherever we may be of help. Most importantly, we are prepared to assist in sourcing
the in-kind support critical to this translocation and repatriation, much as many of us did in the A73 project, and to help in securing necessary funds for this operation.
We stand with DFO in our commitment toward the recovery of the troubled Southern Resident Community of orcas. The opportunity presented us here is extraordinary, to
restore one key member to an endangered population of 83 critically short of breeding-age males. As with our success in bringing one young orca back to the threatened
ORCA CONSERVANCY -
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Northern Resident Community of 215, we have a very real chance here of achieving quantifiable recovery. For all of our determined efforts to protect critical habitats,
fight bioaccumulative marine toxins and reduce the risk of oil spills in the Sound and Straits, our collaborative efforts here to return this healthy young orca back to L-Pod
will yield immediate and measurable results. And as with the A73 effort, it will inspire people around the world to become more involved in protecting orcas and the wild
places on which they depend.
We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
The Humane Society of the United States
The Free Willy Keiko Foundation
Earth Island Institute
Friends of the San Juans
Orca Conservancy
August 31, 2002
Another Orphaned Orca Raises Concerns
By Leslie Knopp, KOMO 4 News (ABC Seattle)
BRITISH COLUMBIA - Just when the excitement over the orphaned orca Springer died down, along comes Luna. He's the young orca hanging out by himself in Nootka Sound, on the
west side of Vancouver Island.
But, there's a problem: he's making so many friends, he makes Springer look shy.
"Keep moving, keeping going! If you stop, you won't get rid of him!" yells an officer from a Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) boat as Luna swims up for a visit.
"Luna has been known to go under boats and hang around the business end of boats, the propeller. He'll pop up in front of other boats to slow them down for a little entertainment,"
says Marc Pakenham of Canada's DFO.
Before Luna was entertaining himself in Canada's waters, he was a member of the 'L' pod which is native to the Puget Sound.
For some reason, like his counterpart Springer, he moved away on his own.
"Given that we do understand them to be social creatures by nature, I would suggest it's analogous to a prisoner in solitary confinement up there," said Pakenham.
Loneliness isn't the only reason to try to reunite Luna with his original pod.
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Michael Harris of Seattle's Orca Conservancy says the dwindling Puget Sound
Orcas could use a breeding male.
"We thought he was dead. We thought he was gone," says Harris. "Another male
disappeared from the Southern Resident population. We have the chance to put one male
back into an endangered pod with a population of 80, that's great math. We like that."
Canada seems open to the idea. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is in the early stages of planning a move. There are
the same obstacles that faced scientists moving Springer, and more.
In Luna's case they have only a month before his fish supply dries up and the weather turns nasty. Plus, he's getting too
popular and many think above all he needs to come home, where he can socialize with creatures his own size.
For More Information: www.orcaconservancy.org
September 2002
Sunday, September 15, 2002
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Focus:
Now is the Time to Return Luna to his Wild Ways
By LEIGH CALVEZ
Deep in remote Nootka Sound on the northwest coast of Vancouver Island,
B.C., Luna swims alone. Three-quarters of a mile away, two no-nonsense,
young women sit in their black Zodiac anchored off the island that forms the
northeast boundary of "Luna's zone."
Since Aug. 1, Erin Hobbs and Michelle Kehler from the Marine Mammal
Monitoring (M3) Project from Victoria have been working to persuade the
public to stay away from Luna. "There used to be 30 boats around him a day.
Now we're down to about five to 10, " Kehler said. "We want people to leave
him alone so he'll be ready to socialize with his pod."
In June 2001 Luna, or L98, was pronounced missing and presumed dead along
with six others from the southern resident community of orcas. Friday
Harbor's Whale Museum sent "dead whale letters" to those who had adopted
Luna. The Center for Whale Research removed the photo ID picture of his
dorsal fin and white saddle patch from its catalog.
ORCA CONSERVANCY -
But like Lazarus raised from the dead, Luna was found alive in Nootka Sound.
Miraculously, this 2-year-old whale survived the winter without his family
by feeding on an unusually abundant run of pilchards, or northern anchovies.
For more than a year, Luna has not heard the voices from others of his kind.
Like the orphaned orca Springer, this highly social animal turned to people
and boats for company. He allowed fishermen to touch him. Others fed him
loaves of bread. And even though he has been nicked by at least one
propeller, he learned that boats mean attention. Now, if Luna is to have any
chance of reuniting with his family, he must relearn how to be a wild whale.
To help Luna, the M3 crew strongly discourages any interactions with the
young orca. It's tough love for a whale. Luna, however, doesn't seem to like
this new approach. On one occasion when the M3 Zodiac intervened to stop an
interaction between Luna and a sailboat, he physically pushed the Zodiac
away, like a petulant child. He then returned to the sailboat and spy-hopped
to look at the crew. "It's tough on us emotionally. It's like we're taking
away his only friends," Kehler explained.
When M3 first arrived in Nootka Sound, the crew asked boaters to maintain a
constant speed and course through Luna's zone, urging them not to stop even
if he approached. But Luna is intelligent and adaptable. Recently, he
learned to surface in front of speeding boats, slowing the boats to beg for
attention – a desperate behavior that could cost Luna his life.
Hobbs and Kehler are unsure what will happen to Luna when the stewardship
project ends for the season today. "We definitely don't want to see him in
an aquarium, and we just can't leave him here," they said.
In August, whale scientists from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in
Canada met to discuss Luna's situation. Some researchers believe he will
naturally find his pod on his own. He is still within L pod's known home
range. Others disagree. Luna already has been in Nootka Sound more than a
year, and the southern pods are not known to venture far into the sound
where he is living.
Currently, Luna is healthy and feeding on the summer salmon runs. However,
food is scarce in Nootka Sound during the winter. Fisheries officials
working in the area warn that the pilchard run that sustained him last year
is unlikely to occur again this winter. Luna is in danger of starving.
Jim Borrowman, a longtime whale advocate and owner of Stubbs Island Whale
Watching in Telegraph Cove, B.C., where Springer was released, believes we
should do the same for Luna. "These whales are too valuable not to do the
right thing," he explained.
Several environmental groups, including the Humane
Society of the United States and the Orca Conservancy,
agree. They sent a letter urging the Canadian government
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ORCA CONSERVANCY -
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Page 35
to return Luna to his family. With only four mature males
left to sire calves within pods J, K and L, Luna represents
the future of Washington's orca population.
Considering Springer's successful reintroduction to her family,
it may be even easier for Luna to reunite with his pod. Unlike the
orphan Springer, Luna's mother L67, or Splash, is still alive.
Because orcas form such tight social bonds with their families,
Luna normally would live his entire life at his mother's side.
For more than a year, Luna has survived as a social animal living alone and
being vulnerable. His family will remain in the San Juans only until October
before moving offshore to feed during the winter. Now is the time to take
action to return Luna to his wild pod.
Leigh Calvez of Bainbridge Island is a nature writer who has studied whales
and dolphins as a scientist and naturalist. Letters urging the Canadian
government to bring Luna home can be sent to: Marilyn Joyce, Marine Mammal
Coordinator, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, #460--555 W. Hastings St.,
Vancouver, B.C. V6B 5G3; [email protected]. gc.ca. For reports on Luna go
to www.salishsea.ca
September 29th, 2002
Officials Mull Orphaned Orca Problem
Peggy Andersen, Associated Press
An orphaned Canadian killer whale made headlines last summer when she was plucked from busy Puget Sound and reunited with her family up north.
But no effort has been made to reverse the process with a juvenile male from Washington state who's been going it alone in Canada for more than a year.
"We just assumed the momentum generated by Springer would carry right over to L-98," said Kari Koski of the Soundwatch Boater Education Program, operated by the
Whale Museum in the San Juan Islands.
But authorities on both sides of the border say they hope the male will find his family without help.
"People are getting very panicky about L-98," said Marilyn Joyce, marine-mammal resource coordinator for Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans. "Our
observation to date is that he's very healthy, a very robust-looking whale."
"In general, it is not wise to be moving wild animals about willy-nilly because people don't like where they are," said spokesman Brian Gorman with the National Marine
Fisheries Service in Seattle.
The female relocated last summer - called A-73 for her birth order in Canada's A-clan and also known as Springer - was an orphan. Her very public struggle took place in
Elliott Bay, about 400 miles from her family's range. She suffered an itchy skin condition, worms and other ailments, and couldn't find enough to eat.
The male - dubbed L-98 and also known as Luna - is not an orphan, though his mother remains with their family group, L-pod. He's settled in remote waters on the west
side of Canada's Vancouver Island, which is within his family's year-round range. He appears fit and well-fed.
L-98's human allies worry that the 3-year-old, 15-foot whale - bored and lonely - is getting too cozy with people and with boats, posing risks to both sides.
"If Fisheries wants to leave him a wild whale, this is not a wild-whale situation," Koski said.
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Whale activists also worry that L-98 is too far inland to make contact if his family passes by. He recently moved into long, narrow Muchalat Inlet in Nootka Sound's
southeast corner to chase chum and king salmon at Gold River.
"He's very unlikely to be heard," said researcher Paul Spong at the private OrcaLab research station just off Vancouver Island.
"He also doesn't vocalize much - with nobody else around, why should he? So if they're just passing and he's not within acoustic range, the chances of them hearing each
other are pretty slim."
Some activists and researchers believe moving him closer to open water would increase his chances of reconnecting with his family as they head into a winter range that
extends as far north as Southeast Alaska and as far south as Northern California, but is usually from Vancouver Island to Oregon.
Before anything can happen, the decision must be made to intervene.
"I've been getting a lot of urging to do something myself, but it's pretty much an internal Canadian deal," said veteran orca researcher Ken Balcomb at the nonprofit
Center for Whale Research in Friday Harbor.
The office of Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), which urged a protocol for U.S.-Canadian cooperation in such matters last summer, has been in touch with the Canadian
government and orca advocates, but "no one has asked us for a specific intervention or help," spokesman Jed Lewison said.
Matt Nichols, the president of Nichols Brothers Boatbuilders, volunteered use of a 140-foot high-speed catamaran ferry to move Springer in mid-July, and he is ready to
make a run for L-98. He kept the special tank used to move the first whale "in case this came up. We're set and ready to go."
Activists and researchers say L-98's community - the so-called southern resident population made up of three pods totaling 81 animals - needs every healthy individual if
it is to survive.
Passed over for an endangered-species listing last summer, the orcas seen around the San Juans during summer salmon runs are struggling with pollution, boat traffic,
food shortages - and still have not recovered from the 1970s captures that removed dozens to zoos and aquariums.
Koski saw L-98 earlier this month while she worked with the Marine Mammal Monitoring Project based in Victoria, B.C. That group seeks to educate boaters about whales
and made a special project of the lone youngster at the Canadian government's request.
While the orca is in a relatively remote area, Koski said there is a lot of boat traffic.
On her first day on the water, Sept. 10, she and a colleague in a rigid inflatable were called over by a larger vessel that stopped to avoid hurting L-98 and wanted them to
lure him away.
Easier said than done, Koski reports.
"He gets underneath the bow of your boat and pushes straight up," she said.
When the boat is small, the youngster "is very able to push it around in circles, rocking it back and forth. He's playing."
The first time they met him, he got bored and left when they didn't interact. The next time took more effort.
"We had to learn how to ditch him. It took over 45 minutes before we were able to lose him," Koski said. "He knew we were trying to leave him alone. He tried everything
to keep us from leaving."
As summer boat traffic dies down, "he's more demanding. He's used to getting more attention, so now he's getting less, he's sort of hey, hey, hey!"
Solitary juveniles are considered extremely rare, but with two spotted in the region just this year, researchers note that with miles of unpopulated coast, such separations
may occur more often than is believed.
"We just don't know," Spong said.
ORCA CONSERVANCY -
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Page 37
October 2002
A Call for Joint Orca Effort
Cantwell, Murray Urge U.S., Canada to Craft Rescue Protocol
Thursday, October 17, 2002
By PEGGY ANDERSEN
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, both D-Wash., pressed yesterday for a progress report on their call for an international
protocol to deal with lost or orphaned killer whales – notably those who move between U.S. and Canadian waters.
The letter – sent to regional director Bob Lohn of the National Marine Fisheries Service and his counterpart at Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans – says the
need for such guidelines has been underscored by the recent cases of two wayward orcas. Both young killer whales became separated from their family groups – one
based in U.S. waters, the other in Canada – and wound up on the other side of the international border.
"We believe that bilateral international cooperation must be the guiding principle in our efforts to protect these magnificent creatures, which are cultural icons of our
entire region," the Democratic senators wrote. The lack of a clear policy "has resulted in agency indecision and community frustration."
Calls to the Canadian fisheries agency were not returned yesterday.
Lohn said his agency would be discussing the senators' proposal with officials in Canada "to see if the interest is mutual, and, if so, how we should proceed to develop this
protocol."
Cantwell and Murray initially raised the issue May 31. About six weeks later, authorities agreed to move a young Canadian orca – called A-73 or "Springer" – from where
she had wandered into Puget Sound, to waters east of Canada's Vancouver Island, where her family spends summers chasing salmon.
"We are extremely pleased with the successful outcome of A-73's reunification with her Canadian family," Cantwell and Murray wrote yesterday. But they said the case
made clear that "we should have decision-making guidelines in place to facilitate our future response to similar situations."
They noted that another young orca – L-98, whose family summers near the San Juan Islands – “has been alone for over a year in Nootka Sound, even
though his mother is still alive, and his pod is nearby."
No intervention has been undertaken in that case.
Authorities in both countries have said they hope that L-98, who is still within his family's range in B.C. waters, will rejoin his pod without human assistance.
ORCA CONSERVANCY -
October 10, 2002
Scientific Panel to Evaluate Options for Lone Orca
Fisheries and Oceans Canada News Release- NR-PR-02-062e
Vancouver — Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is convening a scientific panel
of Canadian and U.S. experts to consider the long-term future of the lone
killer whale known as L98 (Luna). Departmental Science staff will continue
to monitor L98’s health throughout the winter while the scientific panel
analyzes the risks versus the benefits of intervention with the whale in the
summer of 2003.
"DFO wants what is best for the whale and its pod," said Marilyn Joyce,
Marine Mammal Coordinator at Fisheries and Oceans Canada. "L98 is healthy,
in a good location with clean water and plenty of food, and he is within his
pod’s known range."
There has been considerable public interest in relocating and reintroducing
L98 to his pod. However, marine mammal experts are concerned that if an
attempt is made to reintroduce L98 this year, and he fails to connect with
his pod, he may be faced with spending the winter in a less desirable
location than Nootka Sound where food is available and there will be fewer
disturbances from year-round human activity.
L98 is a member of the southern resident L-pod, whose summer feeding grounds
are off the southern tip of Vancouver Island in the Victoria/Puget Sound
area. L98 has drawn international attention in the past year because he is
residing alone in waters just off the West Coast of Vancouver Island. Luna’s
fame comes in the wake of another lone orca, A73 or "Springer", who was
orphaned, became ill, and was rehabilitated and relocated from U.S. waters
back to her home range in Canada.
Boating season is coming to a close in Nootka Sound, greatly reducing the
likelihood of human interaction. DFO fishery officers will continue
patrolling the area to remind boaters to stay away from L98 and allow him to
live as a wild whale.
For more information:
Marilyn Joyce
Marine Mammal Coordinator
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region
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ORCA CONSERVANCY -
DFO RESPONSE TO NGO LETTER OF SUPPORT TO TRANSLOCATE L98, OR "LUNA"
----- Original Message -----
From: Marilyn Joyce, DFO
To: Michael Harris, Orca Conservancy
Sent: Friday, October 11, 2002 12:41 PM
Subject: Luna update from DFO's Marilyn Joyce
Dear Mr. Harris.
Unfortunately, I have not been in a position to provide you with an answer
as to what DFO intends to do about L98 until today. Your offer to support
and contribute to efforts to re-unite L98 with its pod this fall is
certainly acknowledged and appreciated. I apologize if you consider this
delayed response as a lack of appreciation.
As you can see from the announcement, our intention is to convene a
scientific panel scientific panel of Canadian and US government and
non-government experts will convene during the winter months to analyze the
risks versus the benefits of intervention with the whale in the summer of
2003. We believe it is in L98's best, long-term interest to consider, plan
and implement any interventions thoughtfully and carefully. We are very
concerned that if L98 were moved and failed to connect with his pod, he
might be faced with spending the winter in a less desirable location than
his current one, both in terms of food availability and increased human
interference.
If it is determined that it is in the best interests of the southern
resident population and L98 to intervene, your interest in supporting such a
plan would be welcomed. I think that, at this point, is is premature to to
speculate how any intervention would be conducted or who would assume what roles.
In reflecting on the project to rescue, rehabilitate and reintroduce A73 to
her pod, I would agree that it took many groups and agencies on both sides
of the boarder to ensure that the funding and capabilities were available
for such a complex and risky operation. In my view, everyone involved made
a significant and valuable contribution and I fell that many productive
relationships were forged. Your organization deserves credit for your hard
work and commitment to that process.
Fisheries and Oceans is committed to the conservation and protection of all
our marine mammal populations here in this Region. We will be working with
many experts and interested parties over the coming months to evaluate the
long-term options for L98. I will keep you posted on what is transpiring.
Marilyn Joyce
Marine Mammal Resource Coordinator
Fisheries Management Pacific Region
Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Stn 460 - 555 W. Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 5G3
THE LUNA FILE
Page 39
ORCA CONSERVANCY -
THE LUNA FILE
Page 40
January 2003
Published October 2 - 8, 2002
Overjoyed Orca
Humans Tame Another Stray Killer Whale
BY ERIC SCIGLIANO, Seattle Weekly
YOU HAVE TO HAVE a little sympathy for the fisheries officials— American and Canadian— who find themselves stuck with lost baby killer
whales. Until last year, such strandings were unknown. Last summer, the whole world watched while federal officials first dithered, then
permitted volunteers to transport orca A-73, a.k.a. Springer, from Seattle to her pod off British Columbia. Meanwhile, 200 miles north of
the TV crews on the remote west shore of Vancouver Island, another 2-year-old whale had already spent a year alone after getting
separated from his family. Orca L-98, named Luna, is still stranded in Nootka Sound as a long, possibly hungry winter looms.
Canadian Fisheries and Oceans officials seem as much at a loss as to what to do with Luna as their Yankee counterparts were with
Springer before media and public clamor made them spring her. But Luna's been lost much, much longer than Springer was, and the
clamor's just starting over him.
Last Thursday, L-98 turned 3 years old in the bay where he's spent nearly half his life. He's had a steady supply of fish and looks fitter than Springer did, and with a
steady supply of adoring visitors to caress him and stick their hands and heads in his mouth, he hasn't really been alone. Tourism operators have hyped Luna, New Agers
have meditated with him, and drunken loggers have poured beer down his throat. Everybody loves a baby orca— loves him to death.
A lot of people around Nootka Sound like having a whale child to call their own. And call him their own they do. The local Mowachaht/Muchalaht natives named him
Cuuxit, after a revered tribal elder who died just before the whale appeared; they believe he came to mourn. At least the Mowachaht keep a respectful distance from
Cuuxit and urge he be returned to his family. Others have shown less respect. One local fishing resort spices its Web site with "amazing pictures of Nootka Sound's orphan
resident orca." Other promoters have gone further, advertising whale-watching tours that are really whale-petting sessions. Luna, with no one else to play with, would
surf beside boats, dive beneath them, bump their hulls, squeak, spy-hop, blow bubbles, belch fishy breath, and all but climb up the gunwales to get attention.
ALL THIS INTERSPECIES cavorting is heartwarming, inspiring — and potentially dangerous for humans, and very dangerous for the orca. The cozier an animal gets with
people, the more accustomed to following boats, the less apt he is to successfully rejoin his pod, and the more apt he is to have a fatal encounter with a propeller. Even
after representatives of the Victoria-based Marine Mammal Monitoring (M3) Project arrived in August to keep the whale and boaters apart, they found that "the level of
interference that continues makes it clear that as long as Luna is here, his interactions with boats and interpreted 'friendliness' will be exploited and his future
jeopardized."
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) paid M3 to keep an eye on Luna with money from an anonymous (and, according to one insider, American) donor.
The monitors established a de-marinerized zone around Luna, which boats were supposed to cross without tarrying, and lectured and filmed the many boaters who tarried
anyway. Often they would have to rescue the trespassers when the 3,000-pound whale with a puppy's disposition refused to let his playmates leave.
The monitors fell for Luna just like everyone else. "He is so charming," says Kari Koski, the boater-education director at the Whale Museum in Friday Harbor on San Juan
Island, Wash., who recently returned from a monitoring stint. "He's a seducer. It's asking a lot to ask people to restrain themselves." Some monitors would joke about
"telepathic communication" with the irresistible orca.
They'll have to communicate from afar now; funding for the monitors ran out in mid-September. Fortunately, the gawkers and pleasure boaters are also fading away with
the summer weather, and local fisheries officers have taken up guarding him. Ferry crew members and floatplane pilots check on him during their daily transits. But
another deadline looms. "After September, you're looking at storms without warning," says Ed Thorburn, a Department of Fisheries and Oceans field officer on Nootka
Sound. Leading or hauling a whale on the 10-foot winter seas would be perilous to impossible. Officials must move him soon or leave him till next spring. And they're not
in a rush.
ORCA CONSERVANCY -
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Page 41
"No final decision has been made," insists DFO marine-mammal coordinator Marilyn Joyce, but a decision by default seems implicit in her other remarks. There's the cost:
"Relocating whales is not something we do as part of our business plan." More important, "there's risks in moving as well as leaving him. He's healthy and in a good
location. The boat traffic settles down over the winter. If he fails to connect with his pod, he could be faced with spending the winter in much worse circumstances."
That last fear reflects DFO scientists' doubts that Springer has reintegrated with her pod after her transfer north from Puget Sound. Yes, she's swimming happily and
healthily with them and has attached herself to an adult pair. But "we really don't know how long it takes to form a permanent bond," says Joyce.
BY THAT LOGIC, counters Seattle whale activist and biologist Fred Felleman of Orca Conservancy, "You'll have to
wait 12 years, till she reproduces and contributes to the species, to say the relocation succeeded."
He, along with Koski, Thorburn, and others who've worked with L-98, see the risk of broken bonds as one more reason not to
wait. And a returning Luna would enjoy one advantage: Unlike Springer, he's no orphan. His mother's still with the pod, though
the uncle he followed into Nootka Sound has since died.
Thorburn, who still checks on Luna, sees "some indication that he's not doing well." His breath smells of acetone, which can indicate malnutrition or just a change in diet.
Fish — chum salmon and sardinelike pilchards – are still plentiful, but the chum run could end in four weeks and the pilchards in mid-November. Luna thrived last winter
only because of an extraordinarily long pilchard run.
One leading Canadian orca biologist, Paul Spong, doesn't see any urgency. "L-98 is a very capable predator. If a particular food source dries up, he'll just find another."
Spong also thinks the best time to move him would be spring, when his family returns to the inland waters from wintering in the open ocean and he could be monitored.
Koski and Ken Balcomb, the dean of Washington orca experts, think Luna and his pod might get reacquainted better in winter, with peace, privacy, and no stressful boat
traffic. "Put a satellite tag on him and finally find out where they go in the winter," suggests Balcomb.
That would be a big boost for scientists, who never get a chance to tag wild orcas. But Luna's gene-pool contribution might be even more important. Whatever's killing the
southern resident orcas has killed an outsized share of the males in his pod. Only four at or near breeding age survive. They need him.
But such weighty matters are doubtless far from the lonesome 3-year-old's mind, as he cruises Nootka Sound wondering where his playmates went.
"The less contact time with people the better," says Fred Felleman, a board member of
the Seattle-based Orca Conservancy. "That's why we were trying to get something
going last winter."
That was about the same time Springer turned up in the waters off Vashon Island.
But Springer, who also grew lonely and started making nice to boats and
people, is a big success story. Known to scientists as A-73, she was
captured under the auspices of U.S. officials and whisked back to a joyous
reunion with her pod in Canada. She started getting friendly with boats
again, but her cousins quickly dissuaded her.
Just as no one is quite sure how Springer strayed hundreds of miles, it's
unclear how Luna found himself alone in Nootka Sound. His whale family –
dubbed the L Pod by scientists – usually leaves Puget Sound in the winter
and returns in the summer. In 2001, the Ls returned without Luna or an older
male, his uncle.
SPRINGER SURFACES IN SEATTLE. Ken Balcomb and a mysterious, solitary baby orca “Springer” in the waters off Seattle.
ORCA CONSERVANCY -
Whale enthusiasts speculate that while the pod was foraging out near the
Pacific, the uncle went inland and Luna followed, perhaps thinking he was
getting a hunting lesson. Luna's uncle may well have grown sick and died,
they believe.
Consider that orcas have life spans similar to those of humans. So this
year-old calf was left alone, not terribly unlike a human infant suddenly
isolated in the woods.
Fisheries officer Ed Thorburn says at first, Luna stayed alone in a bay
about halfway up Nootka Sound, avoiding boats like a normal orca.
By about Christmas, though, Luna was coming close to boats. Then he was
pushing around 30-foot logs for onlookers' entertainment, carrying twigs on
his head, jumping out of the water next to boats and eventually pushing
boats around with his nose. One unlucky kayaker was lifted far enough out of
the water that she was trapped momentarily.
"I believe I can see a real loneliness in the way Luna looks at me,"
Thorburn says.
The Jervis Bay is nearly back to the docks when a dorsal fin slices through
the water about 50 yards off the port side.
"Just wait," Radar says. "He'll be coming right to the door. Just let me
know when he's underneath the hull." Radar wants to make sure not to hurt
Luna.
Soon the 15-foot-long orca is bobbing boatside. He is lonely. He puts his
head in easy petting distance, holds it there.
Radar hops up and runs to the stern. He pokes his head over the side to take
a look. Incredibly, Luna lunges up perhaps 12 feet, grazing Radar's
forehead. The grizzled sailor grabs his Southwestern-style storm hat, which
Luna has knocked askew. He smiles broadly.
Pakenham looks at the whale. "We're going to get you out of here, Luna," he
says.
'Biggest problem is people'
Maybe, maybe not.
In coming weeks, Fisheries and Oceans Canada's expert panel, which still is
being assembled, will begin meeting to talk about Luna.
"His biggest problem right now is people," says John Ford, head of the
government science team that monitors orcas.
The whole situation is really weird. Until the cases of Luna and Springer,
marine mammal scientists in this part of the world hadn't seen a young orca
separated from his pod for more than two decades.
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ORCA CONSERVANCY -
Can anything be done? Should it?
"That's the real purpose of pulling together this scientific panel," says
Marilyn Joyce, marine mammal coordinator for Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
"What are the risks of leaving it there versus intervening and making some
attempt to reintroduce the whale? What are the benefits?"
Canadian officials had hoped Luna's pod would return to Nootka Sound and be
naturally reunited. But that's looking increasingly unlikely. The pod has
never been seen in the waters far up Nootka Sound where Luna now hangs out.
Leaving Luna alone is not without risk. He could run afoul of a propeller.
Already he frequently prevents boats from leaving the dock. Recently the
whale has started approaching floatplanes on takeoff and landing. He has
developed a keen interest in dockside dogs. And it's unclear that supplies
of the fish Luna eats will always hold out.
On the other hand, moving an orca isn't something that's done easily. He
could be hurt.
But conservationists say Luna is needed by his family. They point out that
the Puget Sound orca population plummeted in the late 1990s for a variety of
reasons after being battered in the '70s, when many young orcas were
captured by aquariums.
These orcas slowly are being poisoned by industrial chemicals. Scientists
have shown that the levels in their bodies have interfered with reproduction
and other functions in seals, another marine mammal. Eliminating those
industrial chemicals from the environment would cost untold billions. Moving
Luna back to Puget Sound might cost hundreds of thousands.
Says Pakenham: "You have to ask: What is the value of having this whale as a
solitary whale? Not much."
Joyce says the expert panel will include genetics experts who will consider
the contribution Luna could make to keeping the orca population of Puget
Sound viable.
"We want to look at it from a very objective point of view as to what's best
for this whale and what's best for the pod," she says.
The Luna situation is different from Springer. For one thing, Springer was
sick. Luna seems to be in fine health, as Pakenham sees this day from the
deck of the Jervis Bay.
"Isn't this an amazing animal?" he squeals. "God, what a creature!"
The whale, seemingly answering, vocalizes in the weird little language of
orcas, a sort of squeaking and whistling and clicking all melded together
into something else.
Radar starts the boat. It's time to head back. As the vessel gets under way,
Luna follows. It seems clear that when summer rolls around and
vacation-loving hordes arrive, he quickly will be mobbed.
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ORCA CONSERVANCY -
Last summer, M3 assigned a boat to guard against that. And government
fisheries officers still are trying to keep folks away. For those found
flagrantly violating the no-touching, no-swimming rules, "we will be seizing
gear and charging individuals," fisheries officer Garth Sinclair warns.
But even his partner, Thorburn, acknowledges that fish cops can't be there
all the time. They know the whale is steadily being tamed.
"It's like the bearded lady," says Hascarl. "He's become a curiosity and a
lot of the respect has gone out of the window. It's easy to lose sight of
this creature as being a wild killer whale and just see him as this little
sideshow."
As the Jervis Bay reaches the dock, the sideshow starts anew. Luna has
followed all the way – incredibly, swimming upside down, partly to port and
partly aft of the old boat, within a few feet of the propeller.
At the dock, Luna plants himself where passersby can see and pet him. Up
walks Alberto Girotto, who works for the M/V Uchuck III, a coastal freighter
that docks nearby.
Girotto bends down and looks at Luna.
"Hi, goofy," Girotto says. "You're back again, eh?"
Girotto says the Uchuck crew loves Luna and does its best to keep folks
away.
"We don't want to touch him," Girotto says, "because we don't want to be the
people who slowly but surely put him in an aquarium."
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ORCA CONSERVANCY -
1/31/03
Fate of Displaced Whale Stirs Debate
By ROBERT MCCLURE
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
GOLD RIVER, B.C. – The captain of the vessel that will locate the whale
this day is known around here simply as Radar. Although he sports dirty
fingernails, unkempt silver-gray locks and eyeglasses in serious debt to
duct tape, Radar is a soft-spoken, kind and highly capable old salt.
Alongside him is environmentalist Marc Pakenham, recently retired from the
Canadian government and still running the Marine Mammal Monitoring Project,
or M3. He wants to check on the condition of Luna, a 3-year-old orca that
belongs back in Puget Sound but lost his way more than a year and a half ago.
As captain Glen Hammond looked for Luna, Luna rose and touched the bill of his hat. This sort of activity causes Luna's monitors to cringe because it will make it more difficult for Luna to reunite with his pod.
The battery in Pakenham's boat isn't reliable, so he and two hangers-on are
hitching a ride aboard Radar's salvage-logging boat, the Jervis Bay. Its
handrails are crumpled, its hull bashed in. The wheelhouse, redolent of oil,
is jammed with an old outboard, a chain saw, miscellaneous boat parts
stuffed into milk crates and a water-damaged copy of "Boatowner's Mechanical
and Electrical Manual."
Radar lights a Players Filter. He nods toward an open-flamed stove fighting
a losing battle against the chill of the cramped wheelhouse.
"Don't get too close to that," Radar warns.
Lately, the little orca has been getting way too close to people and boats,
begging for attention. The lonely whale is on his way to becoming the local
pet.
Conservationists and government officials worry that Luna will grow too
people-friendly, turn tame and never rejoin a Puget Sound orca family
already ravaged by pollution and other woes. A slow-moving Canadian
government needs to do something soon, activists say.
In the next month, the government plans to assemble a panel of orca experts
to start figuring out what's best for Luna.
Should he be left alone?
Should he be captured and taken back to his family?
Another wayward young whale named Springer was plucked from the Sound and
ferried to her Canadian home waters amid breathless news coverage last year.
But since spring 2001, Luna has wandered the remote back bays of Nootka
THE LUNA FILE
Page 45
ORCA CONSERVANCY -
Sound in northwestern Vancouver Island, largely ignored 200 miles from the
summer range of his nearest relatives.
Lacking any contact with his kind, Luna craves intimacy. And some folks here
are only too happy to oblige. They've grown quite comfortable – casual,
even – with this American whale in their charge.
One young spectator recently wondered aloud what would happen if he stuffed
a soda bottle in the whale's blowhole. Last summer, someone poured beer down
Luna's throat. People have swum with him, tried to "helpfully" wipe away
protective mucous around Luna's eyes. He is routinely – illegally – petted. If it goes on too long,
conservationists fear he will grow so tame that authorities will decide the
best place for him is an aquarium.
"It's hard not to touch him. It's irresistible," says Gold River resident
Mary Lou Hascarl, who nevertheless tries to shoo people away. "He's
absolutely starving for attention. . . . It's just like feeding a fat dog.
He loves it, but you know that it's wrong."
Fisherman Felix Harry says he's friendly enough with Luna that he thrusts
his entire arm into the whale's mouth. Then he scratches Luna's tongue. The
whale loves it.
Isn't Harry afraid?
"No," he says. "He knows me."
Springer set example
Radar – his real name is Glen Hammond – pilots the Jervis Bay into the
drizzle toward Victor Island, where he figures to find Luna. Twenty minutes
pass. Half an hour. He's circled the island. No whale.
"Maybe he'll be back at the dock waiting for us, saying, 'Where were you
guys?' " Pakenham says jauntily.
"No," Radar replies tersely. "More likely he'd follow us."
With no Luna anywhere in sight, Radar turns back.
Pakenham complains that Oceans and Fisheries Canada, his old department, has
talked for months about convening this science panel to talk about Luna. So
far, no meeting.
"This whale seems to have fallen off the radar screen. The longer he's
isolated, the greater the risk is to the whale," says Pakenham, executive
director of the Veins of Life Watershed Society, a Victoria-based
environmental group.
Conservationists are pulling mightily for Luna to be reunited with his pod
when it returns to Washington waters this summer.
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Page 46
ORCA CONSERVANCY -
THE LUNA FILE
Page 47
January 13, 2003
M3 Coordinator Louise V. Murgatroyd Reports on Luna, Still Alone in BC
I've checked in with some of the community members in Gold River (British Columbia) and have some updated information for you on how L98 is doing in Nootka Sound. Observers
have reported that he appears to be in good health and still frequents the waters off Gold River. However, L98's food supply, the pilchard, have now all but left Gold River and Nootka
Sound raising serious concerns with respect to his food source over the remainder of the winter.
L98 was the subject of increased dockside visitation and viewing activity over the holiday season. Visitors came from Campbell River and further south and locals brought their own
visitors for a look. People were observed to pet, rub and put their hands in Luna's mouth. A report received several weeks ago from a local resident at the dock describes a man
attempting to wipe away the slime under Luna's eyes (a normal occurrence) and another who spoke of his intention to don dive gear for a swim with the whale.
L98 continues to engage vessels coming to and from the dock which is becoming problematic for frequent users of the marina. He does not appear to interact with the log boom
vessels regularly operating in the area however he has begun to approach float planes taxiing to and from their landing areas. There are no reports of direct interference with float
plane operations as of yet. Finally, L98 has been observed in the company of sea lions which may provide some distraction from the human contact he has been receiving.
The large public notice previously posted at the tourism kiosk at the entrance to Gold River has been relocated to the dock area and reminds the public not to interact with the whale.
Fisheries Officers continue to monitor the situation along with members of the community. A representative of the Marine Mammal Monitoring Program visited Gold River prior to
Christmas to observe the dock situation and we plan to send additional representatives to monitor the dock in the upcoming months.
February 2003
Feb 12 2003 07:53 PM PST
RCMP Bust BC Woman for Disturbing Orca
CBC British Columbia
GOLD RIVER, B.C. - Charges have been laid against a Gold River woman for allegedly disturbing a young orca whale off the west coast of Vancouver Island.
The three-year-old old male named "Luna" has been living alone in Nootka Sound, after becoming separated from his pod.
He spends much of his time hanging out near the government dock in Gold River, and has become very accustomed to people during the past two years.
People have been patting him, feeding him, swimming with him and even worse – according to
Michael Harris of the Orca Conservancy in Seattle.
"There are actually people going out in the dead of night and pouring beer down its throat," he says. "That’s not loving a whale. That's
exploiting a whale."
In an effort to make a stand, police arrested a woman caught patting the whale.
The woman will appear in court in May. If convicted, she could face a fine of up to $100,000.
Scientists have warned people to stay away from the whale, saying if he socializes too much with people he won't return to his pod.
John Ford, a marine mammal scientist with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, says the whale is very friendly, which makes it harder to leave him alone.
"He seeks out people and people are occasionally rubbing on his head, patting him and so on," he says. "And so our hope is that this whale gets connected
back to his pod which would require that he stay as a wild whale."
Ford says unlike Springer, the whale moved from Puget Sound last year, Luna is not orphaned and they are hoping he is able to
ORCA CONSERVANCY -
return to his pod without human help.
Feb 12 2003 7:53 PM PST
Woman Charged for Patting Whale
CBC News British Columbia
GOLD RIVER, B.C. - A British Columbia woman could face a huge fine for
playing with a killer whale.
After concerns were raised that an orca hanging around the Nootka Sound
was becoming too socialized to humans, police in Gold River, B.C.,
charged the woman with disturbing a marine animal.
Residents of the small community on the west coast of Vancouver Island
have been getting friendly with the orca, known locally as Luna, for the
past two years. The whale became separated from his pod and has gradually
become more accustomed to people, now spending much of his time near the local
government dock.
John Ford, a marine mammal scientist with the federal Fisheries and
Oceans Department, has been watching the whale.
"He's catching salmon and sardines and other things, so he's making a
living there," said Ford. "His main problem right now really is people."
The patting and playing is concern enough, but some say the socializing
with Luna has gone too far.
"There are actually people going out in the dead of night and
pouring beer down its throat," said Michael Harris of the
Orca Conservancy in Seattle. "That's not loving a whale, that's
exploiting a wild animal."
In an effort to make a stand, police arrested a woman caught patting the
whale and charged her for the whale's protection. The woman could be
fined as much as $100,000.
"The behaviour of humans is getting dangerous for the whale," said RCMP Cpl. Jackie Olsen.
The woman will appear in court in May and could face a fine of up to
$100,000 if convicted of disturbing the whale.
The experts hope people will leave the orca alone, and hope he will
return to his pod.
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Michael Harris, president of Orca Conservancy, said a coalition of environmental
groups has offered financial support to move the whale when the time is right.
He said a capture and reunion could be planned along the coast when L Pod
is seen off the west side of Vancouver Island.
February 19, 2003
ORCAS
Researchers Ponder What to Do About Luna
By Christopher Dunagan, The Bremerton Sun
Like concerned family members, whale researchers are worried about Luna's
diet, which includes junk food and beer. And like some concerned family members,
they are considering an intervention.
Killer whale researchers from the United States, Canada or both are watching
Luna, the lone orca now living off the West Coast of Vancouver Island.
Luna, or L-98, is a member of L Pod, which frequents Puget Sound in the
summer. Since July 2001, he has been away from his pod – and his mother,
who is believed to be alive.
The big question is whether humans should launch a rescue, such as the one
that placed Springer, another young orca, back with her extended family in
British Columbia.
Nothing has been decided, said Marilyn Joyce of the Canadian Department of
Fisheries and Oceans, but experts generally agree that Luna needs to be
evaluated for health and psychological conditions.
On Tuesday, a variety of orca experts from both countries talked by telephome
for the second time in a week. Concerns are running high since Luna has been
showing up at a dock on Nootka Sound near Gold River, where some people
have been seen feeding him junk food and beer.
Last week, a woman was cited by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for
interfering with a wild animal.
"It is clear," Joyce said, "that there are risks with both leaving him there
and trying some kind of intervention."
"One of the outstanding questions is, 'Is there a reason he is on his own
the way he is?' Did he lose his way or was he kicked out (of his pod)," she
added.
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"When you decide to intervene, you want to make sure you understand why he
is in the situation he is."
Luna showed up in Nootka Sound even before Springer showed up in Puget
Sound. One difference is that Luna has been considered healthy, while
Springer suffered with a severe skin disorder and was acting listless before
her capture. Also, Springer is a Northern Resident – a group of orcas that almost never
ventures into U.S. waters. Luna is in Nootka Sound, considered part of the
range for Southern Residents – although they are rarely seen inside the
waterway where Luna is now.
April 2003
Tuesday, April 15, 2003
Orca Births Strengthen Viability of Coast Pods
Carla Wilson
Victoria (BC) Times Colonist
A modest baby boom has boosted the population of endangered Southern Resident killer whales off the coasts of Vancouver
Island and Washington State.
"It is kind of nice to see a few new puppies," said John Ford, senior marine mammal scientist with Fisheries and Oceans
Canada's Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo. Five calves have been born since last summer. One died, however, leaving the
population at a precarious 84 animals. With such a small group, even having a few extra animals can make a big difference,
Ford said Monday. "But it may not represent the long term."
The Center for Whale Research in Friday Harbor, Wash. has been collecting information on the whales. More calves may show up
because two of the three pods are not nearby. They will likely turn up in this area next month, and then more will be known.
Killer whales usually mate in the summer and have a 16- to 17-month gestation period. Calves are typically born over the winter months. Normally only one to
two calves are born to the southern residents every year. It has been difficult to build up the population because calves have a mortality rate of about 40 per
cent. As for this year, Ford said, "I don't know if it is a record or not. But it is a big jump after the last couple of years anyway. It does give cause for
encouragement."
Members of the L Pod appeared in California's Monterey Bay last month but have yet to return to this area. The J group was off Parksville in early March.
Meanwhile, a Canadian-U.S. team of scientists is slated to talk again this week about another member of the Southern Residents, L98, also called Luna. The
young whale has been living alone off Gold River.
"I saw him last week. He's looking great," Ford said. "He is clearly making a good living up there."
The question facing scientists is whether Luna should be left where he is or if humans should intervene and relocate him to join his family.
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May 2003
LUNA SIDEBAR – When the Navy Blasted the Orcas…
May 6, 2003
POSSIBLE NAVY SONAR LINK TO PORPOISE DEATHS
CBC
The Center for Whale Research in Friday Harbour reported that a half dozen harbour porpoise have
washed up dead off the coastal waters of Washington and Canada. The Navy’s Monday, May 5, midsonar testing off the San Juan Island is being investigated as potential cause of death. This comes at
a time, ironically, when the US Navy is seeking congressional exemptions from the US Marine
Mammal Protection Act and the Federal Endangered Species Act which protect the porpoise and other
marine mammals such as orca and minke whales.
On May 5, the US Navy guided missile destroyer Shoup DDG 86 conducted sonar operations for five
hours in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and in Haro Strait off Vancouver Island, creating what experienced
observers called one of the most obvious displays of marine mammal distress ever seen, anywhere.
The terrorized whales and porpoises in the region could not escape the intense mid-frequency (3kHz) long duration ‘pings’ from the ship’s SQS 53C sonar. The
carcasses of the ‘coincidentally’ stranded Harbour porpoises have been collected for forensic examination for acoustic pressure trauma (bleeding in ears and
brain). Harbour porpoises are blue-listed as ‘vulnerable’ in BC.
By chance, the 22 killer whales of ‘J Pod’ were in Haro Strait at the time of the sonar operations. Observers noted that they abruptly stopped their feeding and
gathered in a tight group to swim close to shore at the surface for the duration of the sonar exercise. Military ship, whalewatchers and ‘J-pod’ Porpoise deaths
attributed to naval exercise. The sonar ‘pings’ were so powerful (>200 dB re 1 uPa) that they could be heard in air by visitors along the shoreline of San Juan
Island.
Marine biologist Lance Barrett-Lennard commented, ‘Re: permanent damage to the J’s: I think it’s a bit unlikely that the incident caused immediate,
catastrophic hearing loss in the whales, based on their relatively normal behaviour over the last few of days. There’s no easy way to rule out a threshold shift
type loss however - the kind of hearing loss people suffer gradually from exposure to industrial noise (for example). For an animal dependent on hearing like
the killer whale, a slow reduction in hearing sensitivity is likely to have dire consequences in the long run.’
‘The US Navy is currently seeking exemption from the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act in Congress, in part because they know
they are the most egregious of marine mammal harassers and killers worldwide,‘ says the Friends of the San Juans organization. ‘In March 2000, mid sonar
Naval ‘testing’ caused 17 whales to go ashore in the Bahamas. The Navy has known that their sonar kills and injures whales at distances well beyond the visual
horizon, yet they continue to exercise in inappropriate and confined waters killing these innocent
animals.
‘We had hoped that after the Bahamas event (in which at least seven whales and dolphins were killed by the Navy sonar
testing) that the Navy would have learned from their mistake, but apparently somebody didn’t get the memo,’ said Michael
Harris, President of Orca Conservancy.
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‘These are the loudest sounds ever created by humans, capable of literally imploding the heads of whales and dolphins. These porpoises killed
off the San Juan Islands died a terrible death, and our endangered orcas were subjected to the same inescapable torture that day. We can
only imagine what damage it may have caused. The military is an important part of this community; instead of seeking exemptions from
environmental laws, we need them to be part of the solution, to work with us instead of against us in protecting our resident orcas.’
‘In just this one day that we recently videotaped, the Navy’s lethal sonar adversely impacted every marine mammal within twenty miles of the ship, stated, ‘No
wonder marine mammals are stranding and their populations are declining. This is a literal ‘no-brainer’ for the Navy and the whales.’
‘Bush has waged war against our oceans - there is no safe harbor for our nations’ whales and porpoise, said Stephanie Buffum, Executive Director of Friends of
the San Juans. ‘By gutting the Endangered Species Act in the name of National Defense, the current administration is condoning the killing of orcas, porpoise
and other marine mammals.’
She recommended contacting elected officials to register opposition to the amendment.
Ed’s Note: Reports are coming in from Islanders who saw strange whale behaviour in Haro Strait on May 5. These folks might like to get in touch with the Friends of the San Juans, PO Box 1344, Friday Harbor, WA
98250, 360)-378-2319, fax: 360-378-2324. Or Ken Balcomb, Center For Whale Research at [email protected]
US Navy Sonar Blasts Pacific Northwest Killer Whales
By Ken Balcomb
Center for Whale Research
5/12/03
PRESS RELEASE: On 5 May 2003, the US Navy Guided Missile Destroyer Shoup DDG 86 conducted sonar operations for five hours in the Strait of Juan de Fuca
and in Haro Strait between Vancouver Island, creating one of the most obvious displays of marine mammal harassment that experienced observers have ever
seen, anywhere.
The terrorized whales and porpoises in the region could not escape the intense mid-frequency (3 kHz) long duration "pings" from the ship’s SQS 53C sonar;
and, several porpoises are reported to have "coincidentally" stranded and died following the sonar event. The carcasses of these mammals have been collected
for forensic examination for acoustic pressure trauma (bleeding in ears and brain).
By chance, J pod of 22 killer whales was in Haro Strait at the time of the sonar operations. Observers noted that they abruptly stopped their feeding and
gathered in a tight group to swim close to shore at the surface for the duration of the sonar exercise. The sonar "pings" were so powerful (>200 dB re 1 uPa)
that they could be heard in air by visitors along the shoreline of San Juan Island.
The US Navy is seeking exemption from the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act in Congress this week, in part because they know
they are the most egregious of marine mammal harassers and killers worldwide. Since March 2000, when they chased 17 whales ashore in the Bahamas, the
Navy has known that their sonar kills and injures whales at distances well beyond the visual horizon, yet they continue to "exercise" in inappropriate and
confined waters killing these innocent animals.
In just this one day that we recently videotaped, the Navy’s lethal sonar adversely impacted every marine mammal within twenty miles of the ship. No wonder
marine mammals are stranding and their populations are declining. This is a literal "no-brainer" for the Navy and the whales.
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Another Dead Porpoise Found
5/14/03
The Whidbey Island Marine Mammal Stranding Network received reports of two dead Harbor Porpoise on west
Whidbey Island on Tuesday, May 13, 2003. A female Harbor porpoise was found in Fort Casey State Park, near
Admiralty Head Tuesday morning by Waste Wise Program Coordinator Janet Hall. Sandy Dubpernel, a volunteer for
the Whidbey Island Stranding Network responded to the report, collecting information, photos, and securing the
specimen for National Marine Fisheries so they can investigate into the cause of death. There were no visible signs of
the cause of death, but the porpoise was bleeding from its eye and blowhole.
The second Harbor Porpoise report was from an Oak Harbor citizen who found it beached on West Beach Monday
afternoon. The Whidbey Stranding Network is still trying to locate the second porpoise.
A total of nine porpoise have stranded in the Strait of Juan de Fuca region during the past week, coincidental with Navy Sonar Exercises off San Juan Island on
May 5th, and during the last week of April. It is not known at this time if the deaths are related to the sonar exercises, but as with any stranding, and especially
an event of multiple strandings such as this, specimens will be sent to NMFS for examination to determine cause of death.
Porpoises Deaths Studied for Connection to Sonar Incident
5/14/03
Necropsies will be performed on the bodies of several porpoises which washed up recently in the coastal waters of Washington and Canada according to the
Center for Whale Research. Kelley Balcomb-Bartok, whose father, Ken Balcomb, runs CWR, told the San Juan County Commissioners testing will be done to
determine if the sonar the Navy used for five-hours on May 5, 2003 caused the deaths of the porpoises or if the deaths were just coincidental. Balcomb-Bartok
said the whales were subjected to 150 decibels. "That's like a rock concert," he said.
The three county Commissioners will send a letter to the Navy and elected federal officials expressing their concern about the sonar incident and its apparent
effect on the killer whales in J-Pod.
May 20, 2003
Letter from San Juan County Commissioners to Commander Evon Bernard Carter
Dear Sir,
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On 5 May 2003, the US Navy Guided Missile Destroyer Shoup DDG86 conducted sonar operations for five hours in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and in Haro Strait between Vancouver
Island and San Juan County. The whales and porpoises in the region could not escape the intense mid-frequency (3 kHz) long duration "pings" from the ship's SQS 53C sonar. By
chance, all 22 members of the Southern Resident J-Pod were in Haro Strait at the time of the sonar operations.
Observers noted that they abruptly stopped their feeding and gathered in a tight group to swim close to shore at the surface for the duration of the sonar exercise. The sonar "pings"
were so powerful that they could be heard in the air by visitors along the shoreline of San Juan Island.
Respected killer whale expert Dr. David Bain of the University of Washington, collecting field data on vessel impacts to orcas as part of a five-year study funded by Friday Harborbased Orca Conservancy, also witnessed the event. He reports that "after the ship passed, (the porpoises) were observed traveling away from the ship at high speed. This is similar to
the behavior of Dahl's porpoises in the presence of other loud sounds, such as air gun blasts."
Dr. Bain also observed a 30-foot minke whale in the area at the time of the sonar blast, exiting the area at such a frantic rate of speed that its massive body literally exploded at the
surface with each breath of air - a behavior described by researchers as "porpoising." He reported seeing "a porpoising minke whale just south of the Center for Whale Research. It
has been about 20 years since I've seen a minke porpoising."
Sonar tests have also been reported a week prior to the May 5th blast. A total of ten Dahl's and harbor porpoises have stranded and died following the sonar events. The carcasses of
some of these mammals have been collected for forensic examination for acoustic pressure trauma (bleeding in ears and brain). We can only guess what kind of damage Navy sonar
tests - the loudest sounds ever created by humans - have done to the whales, who rely on their acoustic abilities to survive. With our beloved Southern Resident orcas in such trouble,
their numbers dropping some 20 percent over the last eight years, these underwater explosions could be the final blow to the survival of the population.
On Thursday the 14th, killer whale expert Ken Balcomb appeared on KCPQ Television in Seattle, suggesting that increased Navy
sonar presence in the Sound since 1994 may be directly correlated to the precipitous decline of our orcas. While Balcomb admits
that much work needs to be done to confirm this link, Michael Harris of Orca Conservancy notes in the story that "Ken is not
only one of the foremost authorities on killer whale research in the country but a former Navy acoustics specialist. If he says
there's a link between sonar activity and the decline of orcas here, I'd listen to him."
A similar practice sonar event in the Bahamas in March 2000 killed at least seven and as many as 17 rare whales and dolphins, some of the animals stranding on, coincidentally, the
very doorstep of Ken Balcomb's research facility there. Balcomb's quick work in transporting a carcass back to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute for a C-T scan revealed that
massive acoustic trauma killed the animals. It took a year for the Navy to admit that its tests resulted in the mass stranding, and to promise it would take every precaution in the
future to prevent it from happening again.
This is not a time for the military to be seeking exemptions from environmental laws protecting our marine mammals. This is a time to be working with the communities in which they
live, rather that against them. We want you to be able to do your job. But national security certainly doesn't need to come at the cost of our natural heritage, and specifically the
majestic, sentient beings that reside in our waters. These are not just our totem species; our whales and dolphins are at the very heart of the San Juan Islands, our spirit, our
character, our business interests. Our environmental laws, including the Marine Mammal Protection are not just designed to protect our plants and animals, they are designed to
protect our communities.
In Senate testimony last month, Christine Whitman, head of the U.S. Environment Protection Agency, said, "I don't believe that there is a training mission anywhere in the country
that is being held up or not taking place because of environmental protection regulation."
We implore our military, and specifically the Navy, to stand with us in protecting our whales and dolphins, to help us address the startling decline of our orcas, and whenever possible
deploy its vast resources toward our conservation efforts. You are in an important part of our community. We need you to do all you can to allow these creatures to continue to thrive.
Board of County Commissioners, San Juan County Washington
Rhea Miller, Darcie Nielsen, and John Evans
Back to Luna…
Saturday, May 31, 2003
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Canada to Leave Solo Orca Alone
Some experts uneasy with plan to simply keep people away
By ROBERT McCLURE
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
The young orca from Washington that turned up lost in a remote Canadian waterway won't be getting any help finding his way back to reunite with his family,
the Canadian government has decided.
Instead, Canadian officials facing the busy summer boating season will warn away sightseers who might try to pet the orca, named Luna, and hope he
somehow finds his way back on his own.
But if he doesn't, maybe that's just what nature intended, Oceans and Fisheries Canada says.
"There are some signals that he is going about being a whale, and we don't know how this will work out," said Marilyn Joyce, marine mammal coordinator for
the agency's Pacific region. "We want to see how this process develops. There may be something natural going on here."
Barring some major development or change in Luna's status, the plan is likely to remain in place at least through the summer, she said.
Orca-protection activists and some of the scientists who advised the Canadian government hoped for a decision to reunite Luna with his family, the so-called L
pod.
In one version, Luna would have been scooped up and later released near his pod, much as the young orca Springer, which wandered astray into Puget Sound
last year, was captured and returned to Canada to rejoin her family.
Another idea was to get Luna attached to a boat – he's become fond of a number of them while hanging out in Nootka Sound, on the west coast of Vancouver
Island – and lead him on a course to intercept family members.
Oceans and Fisheries Canada is instead setting up a program, in conjunction with several orca-protection groups, to fend off people who try to get close to
Luna. Lacking whale company, the orca has repeatedly come up to boats and at one time was routinely petted at the waterfront near Gold River, B.C.
Since then, though, enforcement of regulations against approaching the whale been stepped up by the Canadian government. Last month a Canadian woman
was fined for petting the 3-year-old whale.
"The biggest problem here is people staying away from him and we think if we can encourage the public to leave him alone, he'll be more interested in going
about being a whale," Joyce said.
U.S. officials said the Canadians' decision is fine with them.
"It's not our call. The Canadians seem to be acting perfectly rationally. That's what we did at first with our killer whale," said Brian Gorman, spokesman for the
National Marine Fisheries Service. "Initially, our reaction was that it's not in harm's way, it's not causing problems, we should just chill."
Later, though, Springer developed health problems and, clearly lonely, began approaching passing boats to get some company. By this time last year, U.S.
officials were preparing to capture and return Springer, citing the increasing boat traffic as summer approached.
Scientists who advised the Canadian agency were divided.
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Said Paul Spong of Orcalab, the Vancouver Island research center that monitors orcas' underwater calls to each other: "Luna is in a situation where he is
increasingly in jeopardy himself and he's potentially going to put people in small craft in jeopardy. As a prospect for the long term, I don't see that as a helpful
situation."
But others, including those from the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre, said it's probably a lost cause because the orca has been separated from his
pod for more than half of his three years.
Joyce said other marine mammals, such as a beluga whale on the East Coast and dolphins in the Bahamas, have been known to leave their families.
U.S. officials this week designated as "depleted" the orcas that call Washington waters home, and environmentalists are suing to protect them under the
Endangered Species Act. The orcas are suffering from decades of industrial chemical pollution that interferes with their reproductive capacity, and their
numbers plummeted by one-fifth in the late '90s alone.
Activists worry that if Luna harms someone in Nootka Sound, the Canadian government might depart from its normal procedure and agree to allow him to be
captured for display in an aquarium.
Marc Pakenham of the Victoria-based Veins of Life Watershed Society, one of the groups helping guard Luna, said the whale could easily tip a kayak. Kayaking
is a popular pastime in Nootka Sound; when two kayakers recently turned up dead, early speculation focused on Luna's possible role.
Although that idea was later discredited, there is also the possibility that Luna could be hurt, he said.
"I am worried about that errant propeller or that inattentive driver and the
consequence that could be fatal to the whale," Pakenham said.
HOW TO HELP
A collaborative effort to protect Luna and educate people about the whale's predicament has been established in Nootka Sound, B.C. Participating are The
Whale Museum, Veins of Life Watershed Society and Strait Watch.
To contribute to the Luna Stewardship Project, send donations to: The Whale Museum/Luna Stewardship Project, P.O. Box 945, Friday Harbor, WA 98250.
For more information: 800-946-7227, Ext. 24 or 28.
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July 2003
July 8, 2003
Is Luna Headed for Disaster?
By Paul Spong, PhD
Victoria (BC) Times Colonist Comment Section
As a member of the scientific panel convened by Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to provide advice about
Luna (L98), the solitary male orca who has been in Nootka Sound for the past tow years, I cannot reveal details of our
conversation.
However, I can say that the decision of the DFO not to intervene and attempt to return Luna to his family and community at
this time was not based on the advice of the panel, as has been widely reported by the media.
Simply put, I believe Luna to be headed for disaster if nothing is done to alter the course he is on. I also believe that it is our
collective obligation to give Luna an opportunity to rejoin his social group because we know where he belongs.
No one knows how Luna came to be where he is, alone in Nootka Sound, thought there are various theories ranging from rejection and abandonment to
inadvertently losing his way. I am partial to the thought that perhaps he had gone into Nootka Sound with his uncle (L39) who had then died, leaving Luna
alone in unfamiliar space, but we cannot know if this is true.
What we do know from several prior instances is that when orcas find themselves in strange confined waters they sometimes get stuck and have difficulty
making their way out. The cognitive or perceptual mechanisms involved are unclear, but the phenomenon seems real enough.
In January 2002 the orphan Springer (A73) showed up near Seattle and spent months within a tiny area between the city and Bainbridge Island; in 1997 19
members of L pod seemed trapped for weeks in Dyes Inlet, virtually in the heart of Seattle; and in 1994 a group of orcas became trapped in a confined ocean
space known as Barnes Lake in Alaska and had to be driven out.
The ends were very different in these cases - some of the Barnes Lake orcas died of starvation, the L pod orcas eventually made their way out the Dyes Islet,
and Springer was returned to her family and community via an extraordinary human effort.
Making appropriate judgments regarding intervention in cases such as these is not an easy matter. Let nature take its course is a common refrain. However I
am sure that everyone involved in the Barnes Lake incident wished they had acted sooner, that a huge sigh of relief accompanied L pod as its members left
Dyes Inlet, and that everyone involved in bringing Springer home felt buoyed by the outcome.
Luna's case is complex and in many ways quite different from Springer's. Luna is male and Springer is female; Springer is an orphan and Luna's mother is
alive. But most importantly Springer was in poor health when she was found alone, whereas Luna appears healthy, and Springer was far from here home range
whereas Luna is at least in theory within it.
The upshot is that the urgency evident in Springer's situation is not so clear in Luna's case. However, there is a common element which I regard as sufficient
grounds for regarding Luna's situation as dire - his behaviour toward and around boats.
At the end of her sojourn near Seattle, Springer became increasingly fixated on boats, and it took great effort and discipline on the part of observers and the
boating public to help her break the habit. Active intervention by other orcas helped too. Luna's fixation on boats is obviously a huge problem, one that comes
from his existence as a lonely social being. Though there may be some amusement derived form Luna's habit of pushing boats around, preventing them from
leaving the dock at Gold River or diverting them from their course, there are huge risks as well, for both him and for boaters.
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Luna's body already shows minor abrasions and scars from encounters with boats and as time passes the risk of major injury increases. This is certainly a
concern, but even more so is the risk his behaviour poses to boaters.
A large vessel like the Uchuck is impervious to the danger but tiny craft like kayaks are not. Luna pushes kayaks around in much the same
way he deals with speedboats, and though his actions seem measured in that he applies much less force to kayaks; I cannot help
believing that a tragedy is in the making.
The waters of Nootka Sound are cold and kayaks are not easy to climb back into.
At this point, given the DFO's decision not o intervene, Luna's fate seems pretty much up to him. If he manages to make it though the
summer without being severely injured or injuring someone, or if he somehow manages to make his way out of Nootka Sound, he might
have a chance of rejoining his proper society. But I doubt the latter and I fear the former.
In my view a plan must be put together as a matter of urgency which will give Luna the chance he deserves to find his way home.
Whether such a plan is of the contingency "what if" variety of something to be implemented with a timetable is perhaps a matter for
discussion.
I favour active intervention as soon as possible because I sense our obligation to Luna, and the experience we had last year with Springer convinces me it can
succeed & and yeas, I know the cases are very different and that many problems must be faces.
If the worst happens and Luna inadvertently kills someone, he will be labelled a problem animal and dealt with accordingly. He will be removed, either to a tank
or euthanised. I sincerely doubt whether either end is acceptable to the public at large, or even to the DFO.
Paul Spong, PhD, is director of OrcaLab on Hanson Island, BC.
OC TIMELINE NOTE: LINKING SPRINGER WITH LUNA
Orca Conservancy’s media strategy on behalf of Luna had one critical component – to link the success of Springer to the prospects of doing the same for Luna. Our biggest obstacle
from the very beginning was DFO, which cautioned the public at every turn that “we don’t know Springer was a successful reintroduction,” that “we won’t know for sure until she
returns back to Johnstone Strait after her first winter at sea with her family.” Many within DFO privately predicted that Springer would not return, that she would be left alone to die
in the open ocean. And their public statements suggested that they would not begin to even consider rescuing Luna until Springer was back in the Strait with her family.
So, OC took them DFO to its word – during the winter and spring of 2003, we plotted with our friends at OrcaLab to launch a full-scale media blitz at the very
first news that Springer had safely returned with her family, probably sometime in early July. We had no doubts she would.
Our gamble paid off. When Springer did come back to Johnstone Strait, Dr. Paul Spong rushed us the first photos, which we disseminated widely. Springer was top story on every
station in the Seattle and Vancouver markets. From there, she made the international wires. AND IN EVERY NEWSCAST, DFO was not only asked for its response to Springer’s
triumphant return, but what it meant now to the prospects of doing the same for Luna. Every report linked the two, and suddenly the pressure was back on DFO to stop stonewalling
and do something for L98. It was perhaps the high point in our three-year media campaign on behalf of these displaced orcas, and an extraordinary example of inter-organizational
collaboration. Orca Conservancy and OrcaLab together turned around yet another federal agency unwilling to step outside its institutional lethargy
and do the work taxpayers – on both sides of the border – were paying them to do.
But we weren’t finished.
When OrcaLab captured the first video of Springer safely back in her summer waters, Dr. Spong rushed us the images.
Orca Conservancy held a press conference at the offices of Outpost Media in Seattle. We offered exclusive “B-Roll” video to the participating
news organizations. We invited our friend Mike Bennett, owner of Mosquito Fleet Whalewatching and then-President of the Whale Watch
Operators Association Northwest, to stand together with OC at the press conference reiterating the Association’s wide support for the return of
Luna… despite the fact that the commercial whalewatching would be one of the industries most impacted by the effort. The room was packed
an hour before the presser, with every TV station in the Pacific Northwest radio, major newspapers – all just to see and report on the newest
pictures of Springer. And the heat was on DFO again – our message, quid pro quo… we brought your whale back, now we want ours. The
press conference also gave us an opportunity to forecast yet again a storm kicking up in Nootka Sound – a warning to DFO that they need to
do a better job consulting and engaging the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation, as we did so successfully with the
Namgis during the Springer effort. They didn’t listen.
PROOF POSITIVE. Michael Harris at Orca Conservancy press conference sharing first video of Springer (on big screen behind him) safely back with her family.
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VIDEO
TOP STORY: Luna Advocates Unveil Latest Video of Springer Back Home
Orca Conservancy's Michael Harris and Fred Felleman on KING 5 News 10/8/03 (NBC Seattle)
VIDEO
TOP STORY: Latest Video of Springer Inspires Those Who Would Move Luna
Orca Conservancy's Michael Harris on KIRO 7 Eyewitness News 10/8/03 (CBS Seattle)
A73 back in Johnstone Strait with her family after seven months out at sea. Her successful repatriation may open the door for another orca family reunion –
that of the wayward L98 from Puget Sound's endangered Southern Resident population.
July 9, 2003
'We Are Very Happy'
By Kevin Reece, KOMO 4 News (ABC Seattle)
VANCOUVER ISLAND - Scientists tell KOMO 4 News that Springer, the once-orphaned orca who was repatriated with her family pod in the waters of Vancouver Island, has
returned alive and well after several months at sea.
A professional photographer took several pictures of what he believed was the juvenile orca, known officially as A-73, traveling with the A-11 pod near Port Hardy at the
northernmost point on Vancouver Island.
The photos were sent to Dr. Paul Spong at OrcaLab on Hanson Island who made a positive I.D. He says the sighting means the orca survived 7-months in the open ocean
and is still swimming with her re-adopted family.
"This is great. This is a great experiment that is a success. We are very happy," said Michael Harris with the Orca Conservancy.
"What a test for a small orca like that who's spent so much time in a ferry lane in urban Puget Sound, swimming about a mile a day,
to keep up with her family traveling 75 miles a day in the big ocean. She's now back. She's with her family now, she's fat, she's
happy. We've been holding our breath for a long long time and this is great news."
Springer did spend several weeks alone in Puget Sound last year swimming back and forth between West Seattle and Vashon Island frolicking in the wakes of pleasure
boats and ferries until U.S. and Canadian scientists agreed to intervene. They worked together to lift her from Puget Sound, place her on a fast/Moving ferry for a 10-hour
trip to Johnstone Strait, and re-introduce her in her native range.
Springer's apparent success also gives some orca groups ammunition to seek a second attempt. Luna, a lone male orca,
continues to frolick with boaters in Vancouver's Nootka Sound. As recently as last May Canadian scientists decided not to
interfere and let nature take its course. The Orca Conservancy for one hopes that Springer's return proves the same course
could be taken with Luna to re-introduce him to his native L-pod.
"We hope that we give Luna the same chance that we gave Springer. Let Luna hear his family. If you give these animals a chance to repatriate with other orcs, away from
humans, if you give them a choice between humans and orcas, every time they choose other orcas."
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7/10/2003
All's Fine With Springer
By GARY CHITTIM / KING 5 News (NBC, Seattle)
SEATTLE - A Canadian orca expert, Graeme Ellis, has confirmed reports that Springer has returned to British Columbia waters with her pod. She appears to be
in good condition.
That's good news to everyone involved in last summer's capture and release, said Brian Gorman, a spokesman for the National Marine Fisheries Service in
Seattle. A professional photographer took several pictures Wednesday of a juvenile orca swimming with the A-11 pod off the northern point of Vancouver
Island in British Columbia.
The still photos captured what appeared to be a typical orca doing typical orca things, but
excited researchers with the Orca Conservancy said Wednesday that the open saddle patch on
the left side of the orca - that size, shape and style - could only belong to one whale.
A professional photographer captured pictures of an orca, believed to be Springer, off Vancouver Island.
"We've looked at the photos and we're convinced this is Springer,” said Dr. Paul Spong, OrcaLab director.
The orca was first sighted by the Naiad Explorer around 11 a.m. Wednesday morning to the west of Numas Island in Queen Charlotte Strait. She was amidst a
large group of about 30 orcas. Scientists said judging from the pictures, Springer appears to be in good health. The Canadian government has yet to say that
the orca is indeed Springer; Canadian fisheries agents are taking a closer look at the photos and are expected to make an official confirmation Thursday.
Springer, known officially as A-73, spent weeks last summer alone after her mother died. Separated from her pod, she had frolicked among the boats in busy
Elliott Bay in Seattle. She thrilled ferry riders but had whale experts fearing for her life. She was underweight and had developed a skin condition.
In an unprecedented joint effort, Canadian and U.S. government and private groups joined forces, captured the orphaned whale and nourished her back to
health, eventually reuniting her with her great-aunt's pod.
After an 11-hour ride aboard a jet-powered catamaran, Springer arrived at her new Canadian home in Dong Chong Bay at Telegraph Cove, Hanson Island, just
north of Vancouver Island, B.C. Springers' great aunt appeared to have adopted Springer, becoming her surrogate mother. They were spotted heading north
with a large group of orca families.
It was a daring, dangerous and highly publicized effort, and now it appears it worked.
"I'm quite confident Springer has made it,” said Spong.
Researchers have been keeping their eyes peeled for the last year for Springer. They spent a lot of time and money getting her out of Elliott Bay and back with
her family and now they think it all paid off.
News may impact fate of Luna
Pictures of a healthy whale with its natural pod may be proof of the most successful, human-led, killer whale intervention ever.
"It certainly is very encouraging for the whole idea that you can take a young whale or an orca that has been out of his or her social context for some time and
put the whale back into the proper context and hope that things will go well," said Spong.
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The news may impact whether Canadian and U.S. officials attempt to reunite another orphaned orca in Canadian
waters. Luna, known to scientists as L-98, somehow became separated from his family as a one-year-old. He
turned up alone in Nootka Sound off Vancouver Island in July 2001.
Last year, the orca started nosing up to boats and people began petting, feeding and even swimming with him. Luna currently swims near the area's public
dock, playing with boats and people who sometimes pet or play fetch with the orca using balls.
The Canadian government has attempted to stop human interaction with Luna by posting warnings that it is illegal to disturb a wild marine mammal in Canada.
In an effort to stop the interaction with Luna, officials posted warnings that it is illegal to disturb a wild marine mammal in Canada.
WHALES
Springer Safe, but What Future Does Luna See?
The orphan orca rescued from Puget Sound is swimming with her pod, but another young killer whale
remains isolated in Canadian waters.
Christopher Dunagan
Bremerton Sun (WA) Staff
July 11, 2003
Whale researchers are rejoicing over the return of Springer, the rescued orphan killer whale, to Canadian waters, where she has been swimming with her orca
relatives.
But many are asking a hard-edged question about another young whale. Why can't the same kind of rescue be launched for Luna?
Luna, a member of a whale family, or pod, that frequents Puget Sound, remains isolated in Nootka Sound off the West Coast of Vancouver Island. He has lived
there without contact from his own kind for two years.
Observers say the young orca is acting more and more like a caged animal or perhaps like a pet.
While Springer's dramatic rescue from central Puget Sound and return to her family in Canada has become legend, Luna is getting attention by performing
tricks for humans.
Many researchers had doubts about whether Springer would survive the winter.
"The winter is often when we lose animals," said Graeme Ellis of the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans who has been studying killer whales for 30
years. "I think orphans have the deck stacked against them."
Springer, or A-73, was spotted Wednesday by the whale-watching boat Naiad Explorer as she swam with about 30 orcas in Queen Charlotte Strait in British
Columbia.
Nearby was her late mother's aunt, Yakat or A-11, the matriarch of the pod. Yakat seemed to take Springer under her wing last July and stayed with her
through October.
Researchers don't know where the whales go in winter, because they aren't tracked during the wet season.
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"What we do know," said researcher Paul Spong, who runs OrcaLab off northern Vancouver Island, "is that Springer has truly succeeded in making it back
home and rejoining the company of her own society."
Others celebrating were Bob Lohn, regional director of NOAA Fisheries.
"By any measure, this rescue, rehabilitation and return have been an unprecedented success," he said.
"It is the event we have been waiting for all winter," said John Nightingale, president of Vancouver Aquarium, another rescue partner.
Springer captured the world's attention last year when she began to hang out in the ferry lanes between Seattle and Vashon Island. After her health started
failing, she was captured, treated and rushed by high-speed catamaran to the north end of Vancouver Island, where she was released near her closest
relatives.
Many whale supporters hope something similar can be done for Luna, but the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans has decided against capture so
long as the young orca remains healthy.
"We are extremely concerned about Luna," Spong said. "DFO needs to ... do something before it's too late."
In fact, the Canadian agency might be dropping its support for the only whale-watching education program in Nootka Sound, said Marc Pakenham of the Luna
Stewardship Project.
Pakenham said Canadian officials assured him of funding to continue the project this year, but then withdrew support after eight days.
Canadian officials with knowledge of the funding were unavailable for comment Thursday, according to Lara Sloan, spokeswoman for DFO.
Pakenham said he's worried about Luna, who is "showing signs of depression," such as repeatedly bumping into boat fenders.
As for the people, "the atmosphere is becoming more circuslike this year."
Two people have been arrested for harassing Luna, and others continue to bother the whale when authorities are not around, he said.
"Luna is either going to be injured or killed by a boat or someone will recommend that he be taken into captivity for his aggressive behavior," Pakenham said.
Michael Harris of Orca Conservancy in Puget Sound says the answer is to capture Luna and place him in a netpen near his present location but within earshot if
his pod comes by. Private funding is available, he said.
"I was hopeful the local community would take on the stewardship of this animal," he said. "The only thing you can say is that you're putting a nail in his coffin
every time you interact with him."
LUNA’S FAMILY TREE. Center for Whale Research.
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Monday, July 14, 2003
Thoughts on Fatherhood During a Springer Day
By ROBERT L. JAMIESON Jr.
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER COLUMNIST
A fishy story, right – guys with ticking biological clocks? Who knew?
When a recent study said men 35 or older have half the chance of fathering a child within 12 months compared with more fertile guys a decade younger, I
yawned. Then I clicked over to "SportsCenter."
Why rush to fatherhood when the bachelor seas are so wide open for, um, exploration?
Whenever friends plop their tiny bundles of joy on my lap, I enjoy the infant giggling and cooing, the "Uncle Robert" shtick.
But after that first drool dribble, that first diaper leak, I'm outta there – off to the safe confines of a barstool with my drinking posse.
I never really heard the slightest tock of the DBC – the Dude Biological Clock – until my newshound pal Jeff sent me on an unexpected journey of discovery
with two words.
"She's back!" he said.
A nearby TV screen confirmed his utterance – and my worst fears.
I saw the dorsal fin. The telltale black-and-white coloring.
Hell, it can't be – Springer?
"So what do you have to say for yourself now?" Jeff asked.
Can you say busted?
Springer was the fish – yeah, I know, a mammal – who made the entire Seattle area go bonkers last summer.
After her mom died, Springer was orphaned in Puget Sound. An international team of scientists huddled to do everything their fine minds could think of –
including spending hundreds of thousands of dollars – to reunite Springer with her orca kin.
One problem. Springer loved people. She enjoyed nosing up to state ferries and small boats. Scientists feared that her behavior – Springer kisses, some locals
called them – would get the young whale injured or worse.
Springer Schminger, I wrote at the time.
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I figured people were getting all frenzied for nothing, wasting valuable dollars for one silly fish.
Let nature take its course.
Leave Springer alone to the fates.
There was no guarantee the whale repatriation would work. And no orca, I felt, should get such a crush of media attention when kids in our region are starving.
So ridiculous was L'Affaire Springer that I anticipated the whale's demise. I jotted down jokes about selling Springer burgers on Alki, about roasting Springer
kabobs over an open fire.
Now I'm forced to eat blubber.
Springer – A-73 in science-speak – was spotted last week with her family off northern Vancouver Island. One environmental expert said her anniversary
appearance means the rescue, rehab and reunion effort I had panned was an "unprecedented success."
"She's fat and happy," adds Michael Harris of the Orca Conservancy. "We've been holding our breaths."
I suppose that in these days of negative news all over the place, we all should be heartened by any story of a happy homecoming.
That's one reason I filled this space today with thoughts on Springer rather than news to give you the blues. The tiny whale defied the odds by sticking with her
family after having been solo for so long. On top of that, she survived a year in the wet yonder with her new pals. The scientists and environmentalists who
pushed for the unlikeliest of reunions were inspiring. They forged into uncertain scientific terrain and stared down critics like me. They held on to this hunch: If
Springer could be successfully reunited, the event could pioneer future reunions and help preserve the species.
Springer has thus far vindicated their efforts (though she could still vindicate me by pulling a fast one by breaking away and sidling up to a ferry). Scientific
progress, whether it occurs in the sea or outer space, whether it involves mammals or mechanical beasts of human creation, is laudable. More than anything
else, Springer's family tale has unexpectedly hit home – as it did for thousands of people across the region and country – stirring fatherly feelings in a fellow
who has never minded flying solo.
Just yesterday, with Springer on the brain, I caught myself glancing at a baby magazine at the checkout line. Later, at a coffee shop, I was playing peek-a-boo
with a kid in a stroller. The baby's mom said words that previously would have sent me out the door like an Olympic sprinter: "You'd be a great dad."
I felt something different this time. It just might be the nascent sounding of an alarm clock signaling the time has come for a 33-year-old bachelor to take the
plunge. That thought doesn't scare me. But I need to take a cue from Springer first. I've gotta find the pod-mate of my dreams.
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Monday, July 14, 2003
Springer's Success Inspires Whale Experts
By Eric Sorensen
Seattle Times staff reporter
The successful reintroduction of a Canadian killer whale rescued last year from Puget Sound has orca advocates pushing to have another orphaned whale
brought back from Canada to the U.S.
The Canadian orca A-73, or Springer, was spotted Wednesday safe and sound with her family off northern Vancouver Island. Whale experts say this is proof
positive that she has successfully reunited with her pod after a joint Canadian-U.S. effort rescued her last summer from waters off the Vashon Island ferry
dock.
"By any measure this rescue, rehabilitation and return have been an unprecedented success," said Bob Lohn, regional administrator for NOAA Fisheries
Northwest Region.
Now several groups are calling on officials to repeat the process with L-98, or Luna, a young male who has been
swimming alone in Nootka Sound, on the west side of Vancouver Island, since 2001.
With his fellow southern residents dwindling in numbers, orca advocates have been pushing to see him brought back to his subgroup, the L-pod.
"Given the success of Springer and the physical health of Luna, the two countries need to rise to the occasion before September, when sightings of L-pod begin
to become less frequent," said Fred Felleman of the Orca Conservancy.
But U.S. officials say it is the Canadians' call to make, and Canadian officials have been reluctant to undertake a reintroduction. They remained so yesterday.
A panel of experts assembled by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the agency responsible for L-98, earlier this year concluded it would be too risky to try reuniting
L-98 with his pod.
"A-73 coming back doesn't change that risk," Lara Sloan, a spokeswoman for the Canada fisheries department, said yesterday.
While A-73 appeared sick and possibly undernourished in Puget Sound, L-98 is healthy, active, eating well and in a good, clean environment with plenty of
food, according to the Canadian fisheries department. The agency said he might also reunite with his mother naturally, whereas L-98's mother was dead when
her reintroduction was considered.
Marc Pakenham, executive director of the Veins of Life Watershed Society in Victoria, said L-98 appears to be depressed, distractedly bumping up against the
fenders of boats out of Gold River. Meanwhile, tourists are getting increasingly aggressive about approaching him, risking a propeller injury to the orca and a
domestication that will make a reintroduction more difficult.
Moreover, he said, the Canadian fisheries department just this week cut funding for his group to continue a project of discouraging people from approaching the
orca.
“So there are no resources going into protecting the whale," Pakenham said.
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Tuesday, July 15, 2003
Seattle Times Editorial Staff
One Lonely Orca With Something to Prove
Even the most cynical must have entertained a chuckle at the news that Puget Sound's darling of the summer of '02 was back.
The story of Springer, the not-so-little orphan orca, is of an international gamble that this baby, who separated from her pod after her mother apparently died, could
successfully be reunited with her non-immediate relatives. The lonely orca had become sickly and took to socializing with boats.
But last week, when Springer glided into Queen Charlotte Strait off northern Vancouver Island with 30 other orcas after a winter in the ocean, she proved it could be
done; the first successful reunion ever.
Last summer, Springer's vulnerability and membership in perhaps the most iconic of Northwest species played on the hearts of children and federal bureaucrats alike. The
U.S. and Canadian governments cooperated in a scheme that rehabilitated Springer in Puget Sound and then moved her to waters off Vancouver Island.
After hanging back but following her aunt's pod, she appeared to be adopted by a 16-year-old female who sharply discouraged Springer's interaction with boats.
Springer's success provides an important counterpoint to that of Keiko, star of "Free Willy," whose years of captivity clearly have made the 26-year-old's reintroduction to
the wild much more complicated.
Two summers ago, he finally left the familiarity of his pen near Iceland and swam to Norway, where he continues to swim alone, minded by supporters who shoo curious
boaters away. A major obstacle, however, is that his family pod is unknown.
Canadian officials decided it's best not to intervene in the case of another solitary young orca,
L-98. Nicknamed Luna, the orca is apparently thriving off Nootka Sound on west Vancouver Island
and he might yet reunite naturally with his mother, who is still living.
Much about Springer's case is exceptional, but the reunion project has confirmed for scientists many theories about these mammals and inspired
new ones.
Orca Conservancy’s Michael Harris and Capt. Dan Wilk of Orcas Island Eclipse Charters.
The Whale Watch Operators Association Northwest has been a critical partner not just in
the Springer and Luna efforts, but also supportive of our Petition and successful lawsuit to
get the Southern Resident Community of orcas listed under the ESA.
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OC TIMELINE: THIS IS GOING TO HURT ME MORE THAN IT HURTS YOU…
The following is a story that I broke to KOMO 4 NEWS, the ABC affiliate here in Seattle. I got the tip from one of my friends up in Nootka Sound
who witnessed the attack first-hand. We did some sleuthing and confirmed it was actually a DFO contractor who allegedly beat Luna, in full view
of people on the dock. A guy they hired to protect the whale! This was during the time that DFO had announced they were not going to do any
intervention on behalf of the whale, that he was fine where he is, and that DFO would instead provide regular monitoring to ensure his safety – yet
at the same time DFO just cut the funding for our colleague Marc Pakenham’s Luna Stewardship Project. Of course, we strongly disagreed with
DFO’s assessment of Luna’s well being. He was already cozying up with humans and we warned this was a disaster waiting to happen. We found
it interesting to say the least that it was somebody from DFO who was the first to prove us right. We understand the contractor in question ended up losing his job. And
the fire we helped light under DFO’s toes got them to start doing theirs…
Michael Harris, Orca Conservancy.
July 15, 2003
Canadian Official Accused of Beating an Orca Whale
By Tracy Vedder KOMO 4 News (ABC Seattle)
VICTORIA, B.C. - There are new allegations that a government worker from Canada was caught beating an orphaned orca whale.
KOMO 4 News has learned that Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans is launching an investigation. The incident in Nootka Sound off Vancouver Island increases
pressure to move Luna back home to Puget Sound.
Videotape shot last summer shows Luna, an orphaned killer whale, cavorting in Nootka Sound off Vancouver Island. The juvenile orca is clearly comfortable around boats
and humans. But that comfort level has become dangerous for the young orca. Now, as many as 200 people a day show up to pet and play and sometimes abuse the
killer whale.
"Luna's being fed chocolate chip cookies, having beer poured down his throat," says
Michael Harris with Orca Conservancy. "They're out there teaching him tricks and
hand signals like Shamu."
In the most recent incident, a contract worker for Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans – the same agency that's
supposed to protect marine mammals – allegedly beat Luna. Grant Howatt of Nootka Aviation talked to the worker, who
allegedly admitted he'd hit Luna.
"When Luna got up close he was smacking it with a board to get it away from his boat," says Howatt. Canada's DFO is
bringing in an investigator from Victoria. That person will determine if charges should be filed against the worker. But it's
this type of incident that spotlights the growing problem: Orphaned orcas and humans aren't a healthy mix.
"Anytime you have a wild animal," adds Harris, "particularly a wild killer whale interacting with human beings, you're asking for trouble."
Last year it was Springer, the orphaned orca in Puget Sound, so starved for attention she adopted a ferry and wouldn't leave boats
alone. Springer successfully reunited with her Canadian orca family.
Orca advocates say it's time to give Luna the same chance and bring him home to Puget Sound.
Canada says at this point it is not considering any type of reunion for Luna. Instead the government says it's focusing on keeping people
away from the whale.
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Thursday, July 17, 2003
Whale-Whacking Accusation Sparks Probe
Jeff Bell
Victoria (BC) Times Colonist
Department of Fisheries officials are looking into an incident in which one of their contractors is alleged to have swung a board and hit Luna, the lonely orca living in the
waters of Nootka Sound.
Marc Pakenham of the Victoria-based Veins of Life Watershed Society, the group that has led protection efforts for Luna, happened to be in the area just after the
encounter July 11 on a dock at Gold River.
He said "credible" witnesses reported that the playful Luna, who commonly approaches humans, was hit after getting in the way when the contractor was trying to secure
a boat. Pakenham said he was told the man likened the whale to "a troublesome bear that should be shot."
Ron Kehl, Fisheries' acting area chief for conservation and protection on Vancouver Island, said Wednesday an investigation has begun into the incident with the
contractor. "Apparently it is alleged that he took something in his hand to strike or fend off the whale."
Kehl said the contractor, who has worked for the department for a number of years doing such things as boat counts, is being co-operative.
"He has indicated he is prepared to make a statement."
Kehl said the case went initially to the RCMP, who then passed it along to Fisheries. He said a local Fisheries investigator and one from Victoria are overseeing the case.
"There are currently two witnesses that will be interviewed by our investigators."
Kehl said the investigation should wrap up by end of the week, with a report to follow next week for Crown counsel to consider.
Luna, a constant in Nootka Sound since getting separated from his pod in 2001, has had other attention-grabbing encounters with humans in recent months. In June,
Luna kept four boaters on the ocean for an entire night by preventing them from getting to shore, and in May, a Gold River woman was fined $100 for petting the whale.
The maximum fine that could have been set for touching Luna was $100,000, under Section 7 of the federal Fisheries Act's marine mammal regulations.
For Pakenham, the recent alleged encounter with Luna coincides with general concerns for the animal's future. Those concerns are what took him to Gold River last week,
just after Luna was reportedly struck.
"DFO had just cut my funding for the Luna stewardship project, and so I was going up to see how I could 'keep the lights on' and maintain some security there for the
whale."
He said the reports of what is said to have happened "focused my attention, because I don't have a large organization and a lot of resources, and right now we're hoping
we can find some donations to keep the Luna stewardship project going."
The Veins of Life Watershed Society and Fisheries launched a protection program for three-year-old Luna last summer.
Pakenham said he did not get close enough to Luna to check for injury.
"I think that this is a very healthy whale generally, but his state is deteriorating pretty rapidly, both from threats and also from isolation. "At this point, the stage is set for
a tragedy."
Two volunteers will be on Nootka Sound this weekend in the effort to keep Luna from contact with people, Pakenham said.
He said many scientists and concerned groups are meeting in Seattle on Friday to consider the best course of action to take with Luna. Some of those involved were
involved in working with Springer, an orca in similar circumstances who is now back with her pod.
"I'm optimistic that we're gong to get some results," Pakenham said.
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Friday, July 18, 2003 · Last updated 7:20 p.m. PT
Activists Mobilize for Second Stray Killer Whale
By PEGGY ANDERSEN
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
SEATTLE – Whale activists concerned about the future of a young American killer whale met here Friday, determined to press government officials on both sides of the
U.S.-Canada border to help the orca rejoin the family he last saw more than two years ago.
The problem is that Luna - also known as L-98 for his birth order in L-pod - is drawing growing crowds of tourists to the town of Gold River on remote Nootka Sound, on
the west side of British Columbia's Vancouver Island.
"The situation is quite desperate right now," said Mark Pakenham of Victoria, British Columbia, who heads a group working with Canadian officials to monitor the animal and the humans.
"We had a report yesterday that there were more than 100 people on the dock, all trying to touch Luna," Pakenham said after the meeting here. "That combines with
hundreds of vessels in the area - generally for sports fishing, but a lot of those boaters are attempting to get close to Luna."
Canadian fisheries officials decided last spring to leave the 4-year-old whale alone and hope he rejoins his family members as they pass nearby. L-pod spends much of the
year chasing salmon around Washington's San Juan Islands.
But officials are reviewing that decision due to the worsening situation, said Marilyn Joyce, marine mammal resource coordinator for the Canadian Department of Fisheries
and Oceans.
"We're aware that interactions between Luna and people in Gold River are increasing," she said, and this week enlisted Pakenham's group, fisheries enforcement officers
and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police "to get this situation under control."
Interfering with marine mammals violates Canadian law, with penalties up to $100,000. So far the only person convicted of harassing Luna was fined just $100, but Joyce
said the judge made clear the next penalty would be harsher.
The contact is "reducing his chances to be a wild whale," she said, and small vessels could be endangered by the 16-foot whale.
Pakenham sees three possible outcomes: Luna is killed, intentionally or accidentally; Luna is injured and spends the rest of his life in activity; or he is reunited with his
family group.
One Gold River man has compared the whale to "a troublesome bear" that has lost its fear of humans, Pakenham said.
L-98's pod usually stays in the region until December-February. Activists feel the orca should be moved within 60 days, to give the young animal time to reconnect with
the other whales before they head for the open sea.
"This is Canada's call," said spokesman Brian Gorman at the National Marine Fisheries Service in Seattle.
U.S. officials worked with Canada last year to move an orphaned Canadian orca, A-73 or Springer, about 400 miles from busy Puget Sound to rejoin her family on the
east side of Vancouver Island.
That intervention was declared a success when A-73 returned to those waters last week with her family.
But the situations are very different.
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"With Springer we had a sick animal in a ferry lane who had no chance whatsoever of ever naturally reuniting with her family pod," Gorman said. "With Luna, we have a
relatively healthy animal ... that could re-establish contact with his family pod."
The groups that met Friday are volunteering to help cover "the financial and logistical challenges that we are encouraging both
DFO and NMFS to take on," said Fred Felleman of Orca Conservancy.
"We don't believe it's going to be nearly as challenging as Springer," who spent a month in quarantine in a net pen as NMFS scientists wormed her and fattened her up.
Luna "just needs an opportunity for social reintegration," Felleman said.
But Luna may not be welcomed by his family group, Joyce said. His mother has a new calf now, and he's missed two years of important bonding and learning experiences.
There's more vessel traffic around the San Juans, and he could wind up in worse trouble.
"We don't know why he's apart from his population in the first place ... if he was kicked out or got lost. We don't know his odds of rejoining successfully," she said.
Still, she added, "Certainly, Springer does give us some hope."
Matt Nichols, who last year gave Springer a smooth ride north in the catamaran ferry Catalina Jet, said the vessel is currently under contract to the Navy, ferrying sailors
between Everett and the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton.
"If the Navy says I can do it, I'd love to do it," he said, wondering aloud if the special crate used for Springer would be big enough for Luna, who is older and larger.
L-98 has based himself about 50 miles inland from the open sea - about 350 miles from his family group's summer home, which is just about the same distance involved
in moving A-73.
Washington state's killer whale population is down to a dangerously low population of 83 - including L-98 - and last year was declared a "depleted species" eligible for
federal aid.
Killer whales, actually a kind of dolphin, are found in all the world's oceans.
July 28, 2003
Canadian Officials Dealing With a Whale of a Dilemma
John Yeager
Q13 Fox News
GOLD RIVER, B.C. – Canadian officials are dealing with a whale of a dilemma. What should they do with "Luna?" The young orca is removed from his family
and is living in a remote BC inlet hundreds of miles away. Some believe the whale should be brought back to his home in Puget Sound while others say it's too
late for that.
Imagine, you're miles from home, somehow you've lost track of family, friends and you can't hear your mother calling. Now imagine you're four years old and
lost.
That's exactly what some people say happened to the orca nicknamed "Luna" L-98 to scientists, a lovable nuisance to folks here in his adopted home, Gold
River, British Columbia. Locals know him. Are you kidding?
Lorraine Howatt/Air Nootka: "If you're not petting him he goes around your boat and flips water on you."
Ed Thorburn/Dept. fisheries & Oceans: "One time he just went around the back of this boat, splashed, all the way. I was standing in the back, soaking wet.
Because I chased people away."
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Everybody has a story about Luna and whale advocates say that's the problem.
Locals say Luna's gotten extremely friendly, drawing crowds and now more security and warnings from the government to keep your distance.
Fred Felleman/Marine Biologist: "Whales have a great capacity to learn but with no context of a social group it doesn't know the things it needs to know to do
as an adult."
Paul Spong/Whale Researcher: "Luna's just a big kid, 4 yrs old, healthy from a physical point of view but he's a social creature and he's desperately lonely. His
problem is he's seeking contact with humans."
Michael Harris/Orca Conservancy: "This is unnatural, this isn't right. It's upsetting.
The problem is, Luna belongs with his family."
Not so fast say Canadian officials here in Vancouver, who are ultimately responsible for what happens to Luna.
They say a plan to repatriate with the whale's family in the San Juan Islands is not without its problems.
Marilyn Joyce/Dept. fisheries & Oceans: "We're very concerned that if Luna was brought down into the area
that he has more opportunity to interact with people and boats which will become even more of a danger for
him and the public."
In June the Canadians said they would not move the whale. Now, they are reconsidering that decision in light
of what they say is an increase in human-whale interactions.
Marilyn Joyce/Dept. Fisheries & Oceans: "We wish people would just stay away from the whale and give him
the best chance of remaining wild."
How did Luna stray so far? Even the experts don't know for sure.
But a steady food supply and all the attention is keeping him happy in B.C. waters, for now.
7/28/2003
Is it Time to Send Luna Home?
By GLENN FARLEY / KING 5 News (NBC Seattle)
NOOTKA SOUND, B.C. - Luna the whale just won't leave Canada's Pristine Nootka Sound to rejoin his mother and his family known as L pod.
"He's taken to things like slapping the water with his pectoral fin or his fluke, or
doing things that say, hey, pay attention to me, I'm here. He's so bored," says
Michael Harris, Orca Conservancy.
Harris recently took pictures of Luna going from boat to boat, interacting with people, and the things that people make, rather
than with other orcas.
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It was just a year ago this month, when biologists released Springer back to her native pod along North Vancouver Island after she spent six months
languishing around west Seattle, orphaned and alone.
This summer, Springer is still with her native pod. It's the proof scientists were looking for that her homecoming was successful.
Helena Symonds of OrcaLab says Spinger is seen every day.
"She seems great. She's put on weight, her body tone is great, she's in with her own pod," says Symonds.
There are some big differences between Luna and Springer's situations. Luna is larger, he's also been living much longer, for several years in Nootka Sound.
He's also in much better physical condition.
But Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans is reconsidering its decision not to move Luna back south to his family.
"We don't want to make the situation worse than it currently is, and at the same time, we want to do what's best for this whale in the longer term, and for the
population as a whole," says Marilyn Joyce, Canada Dept. of Fisheries & Oceans.
Would Luna give up boats and stick with fellow whales as Springer did, or become an even bigger pest further south where there are more people?
It will be up to the Canadian government to decide whether to move the whale or not. Another question: Could the 16-foot-long Luna be coaxed out of his
home and lured back to his pod, or would he have to be picked up and carried?
July 29, 2003
Why All This Fuss Over One Whale?
John Yeager
Q13 Fox News (FOX Seattle)
GOLD RIVER, BC – Canadian officials say they should know in a week what's in store for Luna, the young orca whale from the San Juans, living alone off
Vancouver Island. Whale advocates say it's important to understand what's at stake, if Luna's future is not secured.
So what's the big deal over one, little orca whale? He looks healthy. He sure isn't shy.
Paul Spong/OrcaLab: "Luna at this point, has been in Nootka Sound for two years, his behavior is progressively becoming more fixated on boats."
The Canadian government, responsible for the whale's health, worries that people are getting too close, too often. So round-the-clock security is in place.
Why all the fuss? Consider the numbers. The Center for Whale Research says only three males in Luna's family are old enough to reproduce.
Chantelle Tucker/Luna Stewardship: "And we have Luna here, who's the fourth. We need him down with his family."
The number of orcas in J, K and L pods, the Southern Community in the San Juans this time of year, is down by 20 percent since 1995. The Northern Residents
number more than 200, Southerns only 83, if you count Luna.
Fred Felleman/Marine Biologist: "It's an evolutionary dead end to the whale population while it's here. We've lost more
whales from L pod than any other of our resident community."
Locals say Luna hangs out here at the dock for hours at a time. How he got there is anybody's guess.
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Fred Felleman/Marine Biologist: "This animal was traveling with a family member that passed away and was led astray, took a
left when everybody else took a right."
Right now Canada says it's "reviewing the situation" but that could change.
Marilyn Joyce/Dept. Fisheries & Oceans: "We're looking at information coming out of Gold River about what his current behaviors are and whether there's still
an opportunity for him to go about life on his own, where he is."
Others say time is running out for one, little orca. And that returning him to his family is a "big deal."
Michael Harris/Orca Conservancy: "It all comes down to diminishing numbers. We've got 83 left here. This is our 'totem'
species and it's disappearing. It's going to be extinct."
The Canadians have listed the Southern Resident orcas as endangered. But so far, the U.S. government has not followed suit.
July 30, 2003
Luna Controversy: Compare Him To Springer
John Yeager
Q13 Fox News
GOLD RIVER, BC – Q13 Fox News takes you to a remote inlet off Vancouver Island for a new look at the controversy over an orca called Luna. Many compare
his plight to that of Springer, the whale rescued from Puget Sound last year.
First of all one big difference: Luna's found a home near Nootka Sound, at a dock in Gold River, British Columbia. His neighbors are the hundreds who live here.
Springer's adopted home was here in Seattle. Her neighbors? Try hundreds of thousands.
All Springer had to do was sneeze last year and the media covered it. You remember in the weeks leading up to Springer's departure?
News that the whale here in Puget Sound wasn't healthy, wasn't eating enough? Well Luna looks healthy.
Marilyn Joyce/Dept. Fisheries & Oceans: "The situation is very different than we had with Springer, Springer was a sick animal something needed to happen
immediately, Luna's doing very well. He's making a living in Nootka Sound and it a better spot in terms of minimizing interactions with people."
Video provided to Q13 Fox News by whale activists (Orca Conservancy) seems to contradict that.
Canadian authorities are so alarmed by what they call "increased interaction" that they've arranged for round-the-clock
guards. Still some merchants don't want the whale to go.
Remi Charette/Uptown Espresso: "No, because I think a lot of people come into town that don't have the opportunity to go
out and watch a whale. He's always out here and he's been really good for business."
Lorraine Howatt/Air Nootka: "He's a nuisance.
But others in town say it's time we learned a lesson from Springer.
This spring Canada said it wouldn't try to re-unite Luna with his family. Now? They're reconsidering.
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Michael Harris/ORCA CONSERVANCY: "I think what we found out with Springer is that if we give these
orcas a chance they will pick other orcas over humans."
One unanswered question – How did each young whale get so far from home and why?
Reports coming out of British Columbia show Springer doing well with her adopted family in Johnston Strait. She was just about a year old during her visit to
Puget Sound. So now she's two.
August 2003
Thursday, August 7, 2003
Future of 'Sad' Orca Presents Dilemma
By ROBERT McCLURE
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
GOLD RIVER, B.C. – The M/V Uchuck III pulls away from the dock and a gaggle of tourists streams toward
the parking lot. Show's over. Luna is gone.
The young orca that has been wandering the back bays of Vancouver Island for two years has left to follow
the Uchuck, a converted minesweeper that makes deliveries to remote settlements.
Luna and the boat will be back. But the whale is lonely, say folks around here. He's following boats because they're the closest thing he
knows to his own kind.
Canadian authorities decided two months ago to leave the 4-year-old orca alone. But now they are reconsidering and plan to announce a
decision as early as this week.
If they decide to take action, they could put Luna in an aquarium. Or they may try to reunite Luna with his pod, which hangs out around the
San Juan Islands this time of year.
The second look was prompted in part by accusations that a boater, frustrated when the orca prevented him from docking, smacked the
animal with a board. Also this summer, the whale kept a fishing party from docking, forcing the men to stay on the water overnight. Then this
week, the whale started interfering with salmon fishermen in the area.
"It's becoming a circus," said Michael Harris, president of the Seattle-based Orca Conservancy.
"This is not tenable. This is not going to work," said Ed Thorburn, a Fisheries and Oceans Canada enforcement officer, moments before he
hopped into a Zodiac to dissuade boaters from hanging around the orca.
Thorburn referred inquiries to his superiors, but his frustration was evident.
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"We have a serious problem on our hands," he said.
Hundreds of visitors have come in a single day to the dock 13 kilometers west of Gold River to see Luna – so many
that one day last month the dock was in danger of collapsing.
Bosom Buddies – L98 and The M/V Uchuck III.
Most come from Washington and British Columbia, although vacationers from Africa and Europe have stopped by, too, said Sher Anderson of
Victoria, a volunteer who recently was out warning onlookers to stay a safe distance from Luna.
"I'd say most people get it – that he's separated from his family, lonely," Anderson said. "The odd person says he should be shot like a
grizzly."
Anderson was at the dock on behalf of the Veins of Life Watershed Society, a Victoria environmental group under contract to the Canadian
government to monitor activity at the docks and inform visitors about rules against approaching the orca.
"I look in his eye and I see a very sad whale," Anderson said. "I see a lonely guy."
Not for lack of human company, though.
"There are more and more people going up there to interact with him," said Christiane Coté, spokeswoman for Fisheries and Oceans. "His
behavior is getting more and more assertive with people, and ... he's also interacting with boats sometimes in a way that is really beginning
to worry us."
As Luna grows more aggressive about seeking attention, emergency situations and conflicts are becoming more common.
Early this summer, a 17-foot boat carrying three fishermen ran out of gas 10 minutes from shore. When the men started paddling in, Luna
showed up and pushed them in the other direction. At one point, the whale even towed the boat by its bowline. The hapless boaters were
rescued about 6 a.m. by a passing prawn fisherman.
The boater who allegedly smacked Luna on July 11, a contractor who counts fish catches for Fisheries and Oceans, may face charges. Another
man angrily confronted a Veins of Life volunteer over restricted access to the dock and is now under investigation for assault.
"A lot of people are finding this whale to be a nuisance," said K'ari Fisher of Veins of Life.
Orca duty is growing ever more common for the two Fisheries and Oceans enforcement officers assigned to the Gold River region. They were
plenty busy before the orca ever showed up, regulating commercial and recreational fisheries and enforcing marine safety rules in this boating
mecca.
"It's putting a strain on our already limited resources," said Ron Kehl, Oceans and Fisheries' West Coast enforcement superintendent.
Canadian officials had hoped Luna would reunite with his pod naturally when it swam past the inlet to Nootka Sound around the beginning of
June, as it does once in awhile. But Luna was too far up in the inlet to hear his kin were passing by in the Pacific.
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Orca enthusiasts are calling for Fisheries and Oceans to find some way to bring Luna home. They point to Springer, the baby orca who was
reunited with her Canadian pod last year after being lost in Puget Sound. A unique group of marine mammal experts lifted the whale from the
water in a sling and ferried her on a barge to her native waters.
Washington's orca population still is recovering from a pummeling in the 1960s and '70s, when at least 58 whales were taken for display in
aquariums and sea shows, or died as a result of capture attempts. On top of that, scientists say industrial chemicals released into the
environment continue to interfere with the orcas' reproduction, and much of the food web the whales depend on has been obliterated by
overfishing and other causes.
Navy sonar and boat noise also may be playing a role in the orcas' decline by interfering with their
acute hearing and navigational skills, experts say.
The orca population in the Sound hit a low of 67 in the early '70s, then rebounded. By 1996, it had climbed to 97. But now their numbers
have dropped to 82, and scientists say the population is still dangerously low.
Luna, also known by his scientific name L-98, showed up in Nootka Inlet, near Gold River, in summer 2001. His pod is known to have swum
past Vancouver Island that summer. It's unclear whether Luna left his pod on purpose or got lost when he was off hunting with his uncle, who
died. Anderson said virtually everyone who shows up at the dock here wants to see him reunited with his pod.
"The majority of people really care about this whale," she said.
American officials are taking a hands-off attitude.
"It's a Canadian call. It's a Canadian decision," said Brian Gorman, spokesman for the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service. He said it seems
as if Fisheries and Oceans "is going through, maybe in slow motion, some of the same steps we went through with Springer. (Right now it's)
keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best."
High-ranking Fisheries and Oceans officials are currently considering what to do, but no decision is expected until Friday at the earliest, Coté
said. No government or organized group is actively pushing to leave Luna where he is. But authorities wonder: What if Luna's pod won't take
him back?
"If he continues doing what he's doing in Gold River, but on a larger scale in a more urbanized area, the concern would be for public safety,"
said John Ford, head of marine mammal research station for Fisheries and Oceans in Nanaimo, Vancouver Island.
Although there are striking similarities between the Springer incident and Luna, there are important differences, too.
For one thing, Springer appeared sickly, and it was unclear how long she could fend for herself. Luna is healthy, and the 12-foot-long, 1,500pound whale is finding all the food he needs. Also, Springer had been separated from her pod for perhaps six to eight months, while Luna
has been on his own for about two years.
"We don't know too much about the natural history of isolated killer whales," said Gorman. "I don't know that we understand if it's truly an
aberration or if it's something that happens from time to time among killer whales."
Orca advocates, though, say they are confident based on the Springer incident that Luna would be accepted by his family.
Putting Luna in an aquarium shouldn't even be considered until he has had a chance to rejoin his family, they say.
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"The commercial value of this whale is nothing compared to the biological value of this whale," said
The Orca Conservancy's Harris.
That's a sentiment backed by most of the people who visit Luna, including Victoria residents Peter and Val Lupini. They recently brought their
sons Jesse, 11, and Elliott, 9, to Gold River for a day of exploring, not really intending to see the whale.
"At the tourist office they said, 'Why don't you go down and see Luna?' " Val recalled.
At the dock, the volunteer "was talking about how he's not always around – that people have the impression you can just waltz up to the
dock anytime you want, but that they hadn't seen him for 24 hours. And right then his dorsal fin popped up," Peter Lupini recalled.
The Lupinis were among the tourists who left the dock after the Uchuck's departure on a recent afternoon.
It was only about 15 minutes before more tourists began to arrive. The patriarch of the first family to show up chatted for a while with
Anderson, the volunteer, then rejoined his family at the water's edge.
"Is the whale with the boat?" a young girl asked her Dad.
"I don't know," he answered. "They haven't seen the whale for 24 hours."
P-I reporter Robert McClure can be reached at 206-448-8092 or [email protected]
WORKING THE MORNING SHOWS… Michael Harris on Q13 FOX News.
Friday, August 8, 2003
Online Petition Drive Supports Returning Luna to Pod
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER STAFF
Activists have launched an online petition drive to persuade the Canadian government to try to reunite the orphan orca Luna with his whale family, or pod.
The 4-year-old orca, apparently lost, was separated from his pod about two years ago and has been in the back bays of northwestern Vancouver Island.
Because of his aggressively playful antics, Fisheries and Oceans Canada is considering a reunification attempt, along with other options, including putting the
whale in an aquarium.
About 1,500 people have signed the petition so far, said activist Rene Halliburton of Campbell River, B.C. Luna belongs to a pod that hangs out around the San
Juan Islands this time of year.
The petition is at www.petition.com/cgi/petition.cgi?id=5960
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OC TIMELINE: KEEP MOVING, NUTHIN’ TO SEE HERE…
Even after having one of its contractors caught red-handed attacking Luna, and with all the other problems that whale was getting into, DFO was still behaving like a beat cop at
the scene of a fender bender – “keep moving, people… nuthin’ to see here.” Despite a preponderance of evidence of trouble afoot, the agency was still sitting on its hands about
Luna and putting out ridiculous statements to justify its inaction. It continued rejecting our organization’s repeated calls to act on behalf of Luna, saying that the whale was healthy
and perfectly safe left alone in Nootka Sound. There was no need to intervene, DFO argued. But we knew first-hand that Luna’s increasing acclimation to boats and people was a big
problem. Someone was going to get hurt, human or whale. At every opportunity – be it the report we got about Luna being trapped under a fishing net (below), to our media blitz
getting the word out about the orca’s injury due to a propeller strike (beginning on page 84) – we gave the media plenty of material to make our point.
August 11, 2003
Luna Trapped Under Fishing Net
Seine boat fishing and Gill net fishing have opened in the Gold River area presenting another hazard for Luna. Recently, Luna was tangled in a
prawn net with his blow-hole trapped just below the water surface. Orca whales are mammals and will drown without breathing. On average
Orcas breathe every few minutes; the longest dive seen for Resident Orcas was about 12 minutes.
In a moment of panic, an axe was found and the net cut, freeing Luna so that he could breathe. Luna is not aware of the dangers involved
with fishing operations. Now, there is added concern about the salmon fishing season.
Interestingly, when Orca whales travel with their pods, they seem to avoid fishing nets. Unfortunately, Luna has no one to teach him the
dangers of fishing nets. If he was with his pod, he would have teachers.
By all accounts, Luna was a lucky little whale this time to escape with only a bad scare.
Luna alone in Nootka Sound; Michael Harris on Q13 FOX News.
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Sunday, August 10, 2003
Luna Should Return Home
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER EDITORIAL BOARD
Bring Luna home.
As Canadian authorities study what to do with the lone orca, returning him to Washington waters appears to be the best course
of action.
It's a decision that rests partially in Canada with federal officials and, to an extent rarely mentioned, tribal nations on the
coast. But Americans should have a voice, too.
The lost 4-year-old is from Puget Sound, where orcas number just over 80. We need every orca possible here.
Luna apparently became separated from his pod while swimming past Vancouver Island. Since 2001, he has been alone in
Nootka Sound on the island's West Coast.
As a Post-Intelligencer news story reported Thursday, a lot of people look at the killer whale and see loneliness. Probably for good reason:
Orcas are extremely social and maintain close family relationships.
Luna has become comfortable with human contact and, more distressing, with boats. That creates dangers for him from propeller blades. It's
also dangerous for people on boats because Luna's a big, strong guy. Canadian fisheries officials take the dangers seriously.
They also worry that a return to Puget Sound might cause more risky encounters with busier boat traffic. If things got bad enough, they say,
he might have to be placed in an aquarium – a terrible option.
Those concerns likely can be addressed. Operators of whale-watching boats have promised not only to avoid Luna but also to help assure
recreational boaters wouldn't illegally harass the orca.
Last year's successful return of another orca, Springer, from Puget Sound to Canada argues strongly that Luna could be
reunited with his family. Fred Felleman of the Orca Conservancy said Luna is healthy and has a living mother, advantages
Springer didn't enjoy.
The Orca Conservancy raised much of the approximately $250,000 for returning Springer. Felleman says donors already are volunteering to
help again, and costs would likely be much less this time.
National Marine Fisheries Service officials have taken a low-key attitude, but this could be an opportunity for cross-border cooperation.
If it is indeed best for Luna to come home, maybe he can teach humans a few lessons along the way.
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Dear P-I Editors:
Orca Conservancy applauds the Seattle Post-Intelligencer for its recent editorial on repatriating the wayward orca L98 (aka "Luna") back to the endangered
Southern Resident Community (Luna should return home, 8.10.03). When referring to last year's successful effort with the orphaned orca A73 (aka "Springer"),
the P-I writes that "Orca Conservancy raised much of the approximately $250,000 for returning Springer." Regrettably, this statement, culled from a recent
article in the Vancouver Sun, fails to acknowledge the many others who also contributed to these efforts.
Orca Conservancy did take the lead in advocating on Springer’s behalf from the first days she was found in mid-January 2002. Our photographs helped identify
her as a Northern Resident orca, some 300 miles from home. In February we teamed up with our partner Earth Island Institute to provide National Marine
Fisheries (NMFS) a scientifically reviewed plan for her repatriation, one of just five submitted to NMFS – and the only one not offered up by a captive display
aquarium. We established the first dedicated fund on Springer's behalf, helped restrain curious boaters, and worked with NMFS and non-government
organizations to monitor her health and safety. We launched an extensive international media and public information campaign to heighten awareness about
Springer's deteriorating situation. We also helped establish and identify the Prescott Marine Mammal Stranding Fund, resulting in a federal grant earmarked
specifically for crises like Springer's.
In late spring, we were asked to join with a coalition of environmental groups to found The Orphaned Orca Fund (OOF), raising the required matching funds for
the Prescott Grant. Together with The Whale Museum, People for Puget Sound, Friends of the San Juans, Orca Alliance, and American Cetacean Society/Puget
Sound OOF was able to generate $66,000 in cash and in-kind support that triggered an additional $200,000 from the Prescott, all the money needed to get
Springer home.
Orca Conservancy is now moving ahead to give Luna and the Southern Resident Community the same chance that we helped give Springer and the
Northern whales. As with Springer, we continue to face the skeptics. There are also important Tribal and international permitting issues that we are
trying to help address.
To join these efforts go to: www.salishsea.ca/m3/luna/luna.html, www.orcaconservancy.org or www.reuniteluna.org.
Michael Harris
President, Orca Conservancy
(206) 465-6692
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Meanwhile, Back at Vancouver Aquarium…
Re: Changing Toilet Paper. (left) Annelise Sorg of
No Whales in Captivity; Dr. John Nightingale of
The Vancouver Aquarium.
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REUNITELUNA.COM
"I like to say (Txux'iit) means down with fish farms, but I don't know."
-Mike Maquinna, Chief, Mowachaht/Muchalaht, December 7, 2003
EXPERT OPINIONS
Michael Harris
President, Orca Conservancy
August 15, 2003
For over two years now, Orca Conservancy has had a great interest in the matter of the wayward orca Luna, also known as "L98" or "Cuuxiit,"
a key member of the endangered Southern Resident Community of orcas who is now alone in Nootka Sound. We have repeatedly urged the
Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to move immediately to explore the feasibility of repatriating this orca into his natal pod,
and we've worked with dedicated people like Marc Pakenham of Veins of Life and Dr. Paul Spong of OrcaLab to pull together a coalition of
experienced organizations and individuals to do all we can to support the efforts to do so. When we first got involved, the situation was a
concern; over the last several months, it has become a crisis. As we've seen, Luna is in dire trouble. Like A73 (or "Springer") in Puget Sound,
this orca's unnatural social deprivation has led him to increasingly seek out interactions with boats, and with each incident Luna becomes
critically sociable with humans. Conversely, humans have been aggressively (and illegally) pursuing contact with him, despite the tireless
efforts of the Marine Mammal Monitoring Program ("M3") and others – including now members of the Nuu-chah-nulth-aht People – to protect
him. The situation has become untenable, a circus of sorts, and it's not Luna's fault. Nor is it his preference to be a sideshow. As we've said
over and over again in the media, we know that if you give these orcas a choice between humans and other orcas, they'll choose orcas every
time. Without his family, he's just looking for love in all the wrong places.
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These daily human interactions not only are compromising Luna's chances of returning to his mother L67 and family, they also are
compromising the spirit that resides in this remarkable creature. In our advocacy, Orca Conservancy has been very outspoken about the
biological importance of returning Luna to the troubled Southern Residents, but we also understand that this orca means a lot more than just
an individual member of a population - he is in fact a soul, a sentient being dislocated from the village of Killer Whale People, quite possibly
through the actions of humans. He has a mother, siblings, an entire community that truly needs him now. And we strongly believe and have
from the very beginning of this crisis that the First Nations, the extended family of these killer whales, should play a central role in helping
him return to his home.
With the Nuu-chah-nulth-aht's participation and our collective experiences in the successful translocation and repatriation of Springer, there is
no doubt that we can move quickly, materially and with extraordinary expertise in responding to the Luna crisis. As we made it known to DFO
last August, we stand by prepared and able to assist in any of the planning aspects of this operation, sourcing the in-kind support critical to
this translocation and repatriation, and to secure the necessary funds for this operation. We've done it before and we'll do it again. Unlike the
orphaned Springer, Luna has an intact matriline, a living and nurturing mother and family that we know from 30 years of studies on this
population will quickly accept him back into the community. Luna's health is not as much an issue as Springer's, and the repatriation could be
done through means as simple, non-invasive and inexpensive as a boat follow back home. Once Springer was given the chance to hear her
relatives again in Johnstone Strait, we could hardly keep her from jumping out of the seapen and into the pod. She exploded with calls. She
wanted to go home. The rescue team released her, but the decision clearly was hers. We know that Luna will do the same.
During the Springer project, our organizations recognized that the success of our efforts were wholly dependent on the active participation of
the First Nations of the region. Orca Conservancy and OrcaLab took the lead in establishing a critical partnership with the Namgis People, first
in securing their blessing to use Dongchong Bay on Hanson Island as the repatriation site, and then culling the expert fishermen of the band
to catch the wild salmon that fed Springer in the brief time she spent in the bay awaiting her family. The beautiful welcome ceremony
conducted by the native people at Dongchong was for many of us a highlight of the entire project.
Again, from a biological perspective, the opportunity presented us here is extraordinary, to restore one key member to an endangered
population of 83 critically short of breeding-age males. As with our success last year in bringing one young orca back to a threatened
Northern Resident Community of 215, we have a very real chance here of achieving quantifiable recovery, to ensure that future generations
will be given the remarkable experience of living amongst the Killer Whale People. For all of our determined efforts to protect critical habitats,
fight bioaccumulative marine toxins, stop destructive industries like aquaculture, and to reduce the risk of oil spills in the Sound and Straits,
our collaborative efforts here to return this healthy young orca back to L-Pod will yield immediate and measurable results. And as with the
Springer effort, it will inspire people around the world to become more involved in protecting orcas and the wild places on which they depend.
We have a real chance here to once again return a lost soul to a village that in the last century has been imparted so much harm.
Thanks to all of you for your work on behalf of Luna!
Michael Harris
President, Orca Conservancy
Orca Conservancy
PO Box 1593
Friday Harbor, WA 98250
www.orcaconservancy.org
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This image of the orca whale dubbed Luna shows one of two injuries the whale apparently received through an interaction with a boat. 10:43 AM PDT on Thursday, August 28, 2003
Reported Injury Raises Concern About Luna
Associated Press
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Reports that stray killer whale Luna was injured in a collision with a boat propeller in Canada have bolstered
concerns about the plight of the young animal, who's been separated from his U.S.-based family since summer 2001.
Luna was apparently struck in the head last week, sustaining a gash believed to be about 6 inches long and as much as 2 inches deep.
Authorities were trying Thursday to confirm the extent of the injury.
The impact disabled the fishing boat's small trolling motor, said Ed Thorburn, an officer with the Canadian Department of Fisheries and
Oceans based in the town of Gold River on Nootka Sound, on the west side of British Columbia's Vancouver Island.
The injury is not life-threatening, Thorburn said. "Luna has had cuts like this before." But it has increased concern about the fate of the 4year-old male, whose family - U.S.-based L-pod - spends summers chasing salmon around the San Juan Islands of Washington state and in
the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which separates the state from Vancouver Island.
Killer whales, or orcas, are social animals, and lonely Luna's attempts to cozy up to boats have posed risks for both the whale and boaters.
The injury "is disturbing news," said Mark Pakenham, who oversees the Luna Stewardship Program financed by DFO, monitoring the whale
with volunteers in small boats. "It's a fear we've been living with all along, that he'll be severely injured." Activists are pressing the U.S. and
Canadian governments to try to reunite Luna - also called L-98 for his birth order in L-pod - with his family.
And this year's window of opportunity is here, Pakenham and other activists say. This weekend marks the end of peak summer boating
season, and Luna's family will be in area waters for another couple months.
"There is no future for Luna in Nootka Sound," Pakenham said.
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"The longer we wait, the more inevitable the conclusion to this drama - in a very bad way," he said. "The whale is
either going to be killed or recommended for captivity." The injury "should be a wakeup call that we're done
waiting," said Fred Felleman of Orca Conservancy in Seattle.
Activists cite the successful relocation last summer of an orphaned Canadian killer whale - Springer or A-73, named for her birth order in
Canada's A-pod - from busy Puget Sound, where she was losing weight and falling prey to worms and other opportunistic dieases.
In July 2002, she was transported north to rejoin her family east of Vancouver Island. That effort was declared an unqualified success this
summer when Springer returned to those waters with her family. Scientists know very little about where these inland-water killer-whale
groups spend the winter months.
But Luna spends most of his time near the Gold River dock - about 25 miles from the mouth of Nootka Sound. He has at times been within 9
or 10 miles of the sound's opening - within hearing distance for these vocal creatures. But the odds of his hearing his family pass by were
always slim.
And Thorburn says that for the past three years, L-pod has headed south for the winter. The only killer whales near the mouth of Nootka
Sound are so-called transients - coastal orcas that feed primarly on marine mammals.
"That's what Luna has to look out for," Thorburn said. A young, isolated orca like Luna "would be fair game" for these distant relatives.
Marilyn Joyce, DFO's marine mammal resource coordinator in Vancouver, has said Canada is reconsidering its earlier stance, which was to
monitor the situation and hope it resolves itself. On Thursday, she was awaiting more concrete information about the extent of Luna's injury.
U.S. officials say the first move must come from Canada.
The injury "complicates Luna's life and the lives of a number of Canadian officials," said spokesman Brian Gorman with the National Marine
Fisheries Service in Seattle.
But "we really don't have anything to do with this or anything to say. Really it's not our business at this stage." While there's been talk about
a U.S.-Canadian effort to oversee whale-watching operations, "I don't think there's any formal relationship regarding marine mammals
between us and Canada," he said.
It's not clear how Luna would be moved. Waters are rougher on the coastal side of the island, so the catamaran ferry used to move Springer a speedy, smooth trip through inland waters - may not work. Pakenham suggested Luna could be trucked to the strait and then moved by
boat to a sea pen near his family, perhaps in the San Juans.
There is concern that Luna may not rejoin his family as smoothly as Springer did. He's been gone more than two years and may have lost
language skills. And it's still not clear why he became separated. Also, unlike Springer, his mother is still alive, though she has another calf
now.
Killer whales, actually a kind of dolphin, are found in all the world's oceans.
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Friday, August 29, 2003
Lone Orca's Injury in B.C. Revives Calls to Return It to Pod
By Eric Sorensen
Seattle Times staff reporter
A lone orca living in Canada has been injured in an apparent collision with a boat on the west coast of Vancouver Island, prompting renewed
calls to have the killer whale reunited with its relatives in Puget Sound.
L-98, nicknamed Luna, collided with a sport fisherman's boat in Nootka Sound last Thursday or Friday, receiving a deep 6-inch gash in the
head. It's unclear whether the boat's propeller was moving or even if the orca hit it, but the impact was hard enough to break its mounting
bracket, said Ed Thorburn, enforcement officer for Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).
Thorburn has seen L-98 cut other times since it first appeared on the west coast of Vancouver Island in 2001, with the orca regularly playing
with logs and prawn traps. The orca has been seen since the accident and appears in good health.
L-98, a young male orca, swam away from its Puget Sound pod and has been living alone off Vancouver Island, B.C., since 2001.
Advocates of reuniting the orca with its fellow southern residents say the injury underscores the dangers L-98 faces as it gets accustomed to
boats and people near the town of Gold River, along Nootka Sound, with many people drawn by publicity about the killer whale.
"It's a real warning that the situation is not in hand and that, as time goes on, Luna is in increasing jeopardy," said Paul Spong, director of the
OrcaLab whale-monitoring station off northern Vancouver Island and a member of a DFO panel looking at L-98's situation.
"I personally hope the DFO will move forward with a plan that will give Luna an opportunity to reunite with his family."
Fred Felleman, board member of the Seattle-based Orca Conservancy, said DFO and the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) have abdicated their responsibilities to look after the orca.
The orca A-73, nicknamed Springer, showed it is possible to successfully reunite an orca with family members when it was moved from Puget
Sound to northern Vancouver Island last year, Felleman said. Moreover, L-98 has a living mother with whom it could be reunited, unlike A-73.
"Both governments have obviously been dragging their feet about this reunification of Luna and his mom," said Annelise Sorg, director of the
Coalition for No Whales in Captivity in Vancouver.
"It's a shame it has come to the point where Luna has been injured while people are still wondering what to do with him."
Brian Gorman, a NMFS spokesman, said the injury does not change the agency's position: that it would be inappropriate to step into a matter
that is under Canada's jurisdiction.
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"This is a Canadian call," he said.
"Until we get to the point where the Canadians are thinking seriously of transferring the animal south, we don't need to be involved and we
shouldn't be involved."
Marilyn Joyce, marine-mammal coordinator for DFO, said L-98's cut was small and "certainly is not impacting him at all."
Still, she said L-98's situation has changed since May, when the agency decided to hold off on a relocation.
At the time, the orca was swimming farther afield and the agency hoped it might reunite with the southern residents on its own. Also, the
agency feared a failed reunion could lead to L-98 being placed in an aquarium.
But this summer, the DFO saw more people in Nootka Sound paying attention to the orca. DFO will ask its panel of experts to look again at
relocation, said Joyce.
She said she hopes the panel's analysis is done shortly but did not say when that might be.
Friday, August 29, 2003
Reported Injury Steps Up Concerns for Stray Orca
Young male involved in collision with a boat propeller in Canada
By PEGGY ANDERSON
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Reports that stray killer whale Luna was injured in a collision with a boat propeller in Canada have bolstered concerns about the plight of the
young animal, who has been separated from his U.S.-based family since summer 2001.
Luna was apparently struck in the head last week, suffering a gash believed to be about 6 inches long and as much as 2 inches deep.
Authorities were trying yesterday to confirm the extent of the injury.
The impact disabled the fishing boat's small trolling motor, said Ed Thorburn, an officer with the Canadian Department of Fisheries and
Oceans based in the town of Gold River on Nootka Sound, on the west side of Vancouver Island.
The injury is not life-threatening, Thorburn said. "Luna has had cuts like this before."
But it has increased concern about the fate of the 4-year-old male, whose family, U.S.-based L-pod, spends summers chasing salmon around
the San Juan Islands and in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
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Killer whales, or orcas, are social animals, and lonely Luna's attempts to cozy up to boats have posed risks for both the whale and boaters.
The injury "is disturbing news," said Mark Pakenham, who oversees the Luna Stewardship Program financed by Fisheries and Oceans,
monitoring the whale with volunteers in small boats. "It's a fear we've been living with all along, that he'll be severely injured."
Activists are pressing the U.S. and Canadian governments to try to reunite Luna, also called L-98 for his birth order in L-pod, with his family.
And this year's window of opportunity is here, Pakenham and other activists say. This weekend marks the end of peak summer boating
season, and Luna's family will be in area waters for another couple of months.
"The longer we wait, the more inevitable the conclusion to this drama – in a very bad way," Pakenham said. "The whale is either going to be
killed or recommended for captivity."
The injury "should be a wake-up call that we're done waiting," said Fred Felleman of Orca Conservancy in Seattle.
Activists cite the successful relocation last summer of an orphaned Canadian killer whale – Springer or A-73, named for her birth order in
Canada's A-pod – from busy Puget Sound, where she was losing weight and falling prey to worms and other opportunistic diseases.
Government officials on both sides of the border had hoped Luna would rejoin his family naturally as the pod heads up the Pacific Coast after
summer salmon season. But Luna spends most of his time near the Gold River dock, about 25 miles from the mouth of Nootka Sound. He
has at times been within nine or 10 miles of the sound's opening – within hearing distance for these vocal creatures. But the odds of his
hearing his family pass by were always slim.
And Thorburn says that for the past three years, L-pod has headed south for the winter. The only killer whales near the mouth of Nootka
Sound are so-called transients – coastal orcas that feed primarily on marine mammals.
"That's what Luna has to look out for," Thorburn said. A young, isolated orca like Luna "would be fair game" for these distant relatives.
Marilyn Joyce, Fisheries and Oceans' marine mammal resource coordinator in Vancouver, has said that Canada is reconsidering its earlier
stance, which was to monitor the situation and hope it resolved itself.
"There is tremendous public pressure to look at some sort of reintroduction strategy," she said.
U.S. officials say the first move must come from Canada.
The injury "complicates Luna's life and the lives of a number of Canadian officials," said spokesman Brian Gorman with the U.S. National
Marine Fisheries Service in Seattle.
But "really it's not our business at this stage," he added.
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September 2003
Thursday, September 5, 2003
Luna Suffers Another Injury
KING 5 News (NBC Seattle)
GOLD RIVER, BC – Luna, the lone orca that swims too close to boats around Vancouver Island, has reportedly suffered another injury.
Mark Pakenham of the Luna Stewardship Project says Luna has an 8-inch cut over his right eye, matching one that was seen a week earlier
over the left eye. He says the whale was likely struck by a boat.
The wounds are not life-threatening if they heal without infection.
Pakenham says the wounds raise concern for the young whale that has been on its own for two years in Nootka Sound.
Canadian marine mammal officials had hoped Luna would return to his pod in the San Juan Islands on his own. Officials are reconsidering
whether to capture him and move him to the San Juans.
Last year whale experts successfully moved Springer, another lone orca, from Puget Sound to BC waters where she rejoined her pod.
Thursday, September 11, 2003
Next Leg of Orca's Journey in Hands of Scientists at Canadian Ocean Agency
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER STAFF
The fate of Luna, the 4-year-old wandering orca who for half his life has swum the waters solo around Vancouver Island, may soon be decided.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced yesterday that it has reconvened its scientific advisory panel to ask members quickly to come up with a plan on
whether and how to reintroduce the whale to his pod mates now wandering near the San Juan Islands. The agency said that if its advisory panel could devise
an acceptable plan, it is prepared to move Luna. Such a move would reverse the agency's decision in June to leave the whale alone.
"Luna's behaviour has deteriorated," agency officials wrote in a news release yesterday.
"We need to ensure that all possible risks and obstacles are accounted for so the whale and the public would not be put at risk should an intervention be
attempted," they said. Luna, perhaps in an attempt to assuage loneliness, has caused growing concern among boaters and fishermen as he has increasingly
been following near them.
According to agency spokeswoman Lara Sloan, members of the 17-member advisory panel should respond to the agency by the middle of next week.
It could take a couple of additional weeks for the agency to make its final decision, she said.
ORCA CONSERVANCY -
from:
OPERATION ORCA: Springer, Luna and the Struggle
to Save West Coast Killer Whales
by Daniel Francis and Gil Hewlett, Harbour Press
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Friday, September 12, 2003
Luna May Be Shipped to San Juans
Ian Austin
The Province (Vancouver, BC)
Luna the lovable orca may soon be reunited with his
pod of whales.
The curious killer whale has become so enamoured of
boats and boaters in Gold River that the Department of
Fisheries and Oceans is now thinking of shipping Luna
to the U.S. San Juan Islands to rejoin his family.
"That's the hope, but we have to re-evaluate," DFO
communications officer Lara Sloan said yesterday.
"It's starting to interfere with everyday life in Gold River."
The department's advisory scientific panel will
reconvene next week to devise a reunion plan, but
hasn't decided yet whether to proceed.
"Our previous decision was to leave things as they
were, and leave Luna as a wild orca," said Sloan.
Luna, who apparently is attracted by the sound of boat
motors, was recently injured by a boat propeller, the
latest in a string of incidents that are far from
ordinary for the large predators, made famous in the
movie Free Willy.
Sloan said time is an issue, since the L pod is
relatively easy to find now in its island feeding
grounds, but will soon depart for the open ocean.
"It all depends on where the pod is," she said. "If we
are going to do it, we'd like to do it as soon as possible."
Luna, known to the DFO as L98, is a lone juvenile orca
whale that has been living in Nootka Sound, a remote inlet
off the west coast of Vancouver Island, since July 2001.
Initially shy of boats and humans, the whale has
increasingly sought contact with boats and dock users
over the past year. He is part of the southern
resident pod, which summers in the Gulf Islands and
San Juan Islands to the delight of thousands of whale
watchers.
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1:33 PM PDT on Thursday, September 18, 2003
Panel Recommends Reuniting Luna With Family
Associated Press
SEATTLE - The scientific panel advising Canada on what to do with Luna the killer whale, a juvenile from a
U.S.-based pod who's been going it alone in remote Canadian waters, has recommended an attempt at
reuniting him with his family in U.S. waters.
Details of the proposal were not released. A contingency plan, in case the young whale does not rejoin his "pod" before they leave their summer salmon-fishing grounds
near Washington's San Juan Islands, is still being fine-tuned, said spokeswoman Lara Sloan with Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
"The plan has to be complete to be approved, and the contingency plan is an important part of that," Sloan said Thursday, noting that "the U.S. government has to be in
line with this as well."
She said a decision is expected early next week by DFO and its U.S. counterpart, the National Marine Fisheries Service, which has responsibility for marine mammals in
American waters.
NMFS spokesman Brian Gorman in Seattle said his agency would have no comment until officials had seen the completed proposal.
It was not disclosed how the panel proposed to move Luna, also called L-98 for his birth order in L-pod, from Nootka Sound on the west side of British Columbia's
Vancouver Island. The move could involve vessels and possibly a truck due to rough coastal waters at this time of year.
"This intervention is extremely complex," said a notice posted late Wednesday on the DFO Website. "All potential outcomes and risks must be thoroughly evaluated and
panel members will finalize the details of an approach in the next two days."
The 4-year-old whale has been hanging out for more than two years near Gold River, British Columbia, a town on the eastern shore of Nootka Sound, about 25 miles
inland from the Pacific.
In addition to various indignities, people have reportedly poured beer down his blowhole and tried to brush his teeth, run-ins with boats last month left two deep gashes
on his head. A collision with Luna ripped the rudder off a small sailboat Monday, disabling the craft, said Mark Pakenham, who oversees the Canadian fisheries
department-financed Luna Stewardship Program, which monitors the whale from small boats.
Such accidents worry Pakenham.
"While he's an attraction, that's fine. But he's ... cost people some money lately, so the attitude changes, you know," he said Wednesday.
"We've been waiting a long time for something substantive to happen," Pakenham said. "And if it's a move for reunification we're certainly going to be there helping as
best we can. ... It's a good whale and needs to be given a chance."
Gorman said he was impressed by the scientists who advised NMFS on last year's relocation of another stray orca, A-73, also called Springer, from busy Puget Sound to
Canadian waters. She was reunited with her family last summer and returned with them in July to the waters between Vancouver Island and the mainland.
Some of the same experts are chiming in on Luna, Gorman said. But he worried last year's "fabulous success" may raise unrealistic expectations.
Springer was just 2 when her mother died and she became separated from her family. When she showed up near the Vashon Island ferry dock west of Seattle in January
2002, she was losing her struggle with parasites and an inadequate food supply. She rebounded quickly with veterinary care once NMFS decided to intervene.
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"That animal was slowing dying," Gorman said. "The main problem the Canadians have is with a nuisance animal, and those two are dealt with very differently."
Luna is older. And while his mother is still alive, she has a new calf.
"Springer had been in the wrong location for months. This animal has been in the wrong location for years," Gorman said. "I would caution people not to read too much
into the Springer episode and ... think somehow they're identical, because they're not."
Activists recall similar doubts about Springer, who resumed life as a wild whale despite "a lot of strikes against her," said
Michael Harris of Orca Conservancy. Aunts and cousins helped Springer catch up and keep up, he noted.
L-pod usually stays in area waters through October, but the weather is getting rougher, so any move should be made soon, activists said.
The separation problem is new to area scientists. Some wonder if pollution, perhaps affecting early development, could be a factor.
Officials in both countries had hoped Luna would rejoin his family without help if the related whales passed the mouth of Nootka Sound. But for the past three years, Lpod has headed south in the fall. And, 25 miles inland at Gold River, Luna would not have heard them anyway.
Costs also are a concern, though donations and volunteers helped keep last year's transfer affordable.
On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell. D-Wash., wrote to Canada's ambassador to the United States, pressing for cooperation on the region's killer whales in general and
Luna in particular.
Her letter to Canadian Ambassador Michael F. Kergin cited the "alarming drop" in the so-called southern resident killer whale population, including Luna's family, that
summers near Washington state's San Juan Islands.
The southern residents, which number just 83, struggle with pollution, declining salmon populations and human encroachment. There are more than 200 northern
resident killer whales in Canada, including Springer and her family.
CBC Radio Interview About Luna
CBC News British Columbia
September 20, 2003
http://www.vancouver.cbc.ca/afternoonshow/
Happy Birthday to Luna! The lonely orca turns 4 years old today. He has been living alone in Nootka Sound since he became separated from his pod in the
summer of 2001. And now it looks like he might be getting the best gift of all, the chance to be re-united with his family who make their home in the San Juan
Islands. The DFO says they'll announce their final decision next week. Today, CBC reported the majority of members on a scientific panel advising DFO
recommended Luna be reunited. This afternoon, we talk again to Orca Conservancy’s Michael Harris…
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6:47 PM PDT on Tuesday, September 30, 2003
Luna On The Move
By GLEN FARLEY / KING 5 News
SEATTLE – There is now a tentative plan to move Luna, the wayward whale, back to the area around the San Juan Islands.
The plan is similar to Springer’s move back to Canadian waters last year, but Luna could be hitting the highway instead of the water.
Luna has worn out his welcome in Canada's Nootka Sound. He's been much too friendly with people and boats, and has therefore been getting hurt.
According to Canadian authorities, Luna has become a threat to public safety.
The panel of about 20 whale scientists has a plan to move him south to rejoin the rest of L pod.
“Everything has to go right for it to work, but the payoff is so large that if it does work, it's worth the trouble,” said David Bain, UW marine biologist,
who is a panel member.
The first step will be to capture and hold Luna for a week inside a netpen like the one used on Springer last year.
“The first thing we’ll do is holding him in Nootka Sound, and doing medical tests to make sure he doesn't have any diseases that pose a risk to wild
whales,” said Bain.
Jeff Foster handled the capture of Springer over a year ago. An expert in whale captures, he says with the larger Luna, it will be different.
“We're taking about trying to catch him in the pen, and manipulate him from there while with Springer, we put a soft tail line on her flukes and
managed her at that point,” he said.
After his time in the pen, Luna will be moved either by boat or overland by truck to the south end of Vancouver Island to be closer to his pod. There
he will be in a net pen for perhaps another week waiting for his pod to show up – much like the successful release of Springer.
“Definitely within acoustical range and let him listen to that pod, and hopefully we can release him at that time,” said Foster.
But what if there is no reunion? What if Luna goes back to harassing people in boats? Could he end up in an aquarium?
That is a concern.
“If this doesn't work, we cannot allow a group that's involved with this to then have the right to sell this
animal to a marine facility,” said Michael Harris, Orca Conservancy.
David Bain suggests the move could happen by the end of October.
The Canadian government says the hundreds of thousands of dollars it will take to move the whale will have to be raised privately.
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OC TIMELINE: ”THE EVIL DR. NIGHTINGALE”
Some of our Canadian friends refer to the Director of the Vancouver Aquarium as “The Evil Dr. Nightingale,” like he was a character from some comic book. During the Springer
Project, then later on through the Luna effort, we began to see some of those dastardly deeds that got him that moniker up there. On the other hand, most cartoon villains love to
drag the good guys into a fight, like the Joker leaving his calling card for Batman. But not Nightingale. He gave Orca Conservancy and our partners a wide berth, operated in
secrecy and unaccountably and continuously underestimated our capacity to keep an eye on him. We weren’t afraid to successfully challenge every move he made to offer up this
whale to the captive-display industry. And while we stood toe-to-toe with Nightingale, we stood shoulder-to-shoulder with some of his least favorite people, including the
internationally beloved Dr. Paul Spong of OrcaLab. The fact that we were from Seattle probably didn’t help, either. Anybody who’s lived here long enough remembers yarns about
the troubled tenure Nightingale had at Seattle Aquarium. Some say his arrogant and animal-unfriendly behavior got him run out of town on a rail. Whatever winds blew him
north, his heart certainly didn’t remain here. However, at one critical juncture in the Springer effort, we actually seemed to find some common ground.
We were told that Nightingale had approved a joint statement accepting the invitation of Orca Conservancy and Earth Island/Free Willy-Keiko Foundation to combine our
submitted plans (two of five submitted to The National Marine Fisheries Service for Springer) and to “pool our resources” toward the project. We got the call from Keiko
Team Director David Phillips, who had just got the green light from VanAq’s Dr. Lance Barrett-Lennard over the phone. We then made the announcement on CNN Headline
News, CNN International and on the regional network affiliates. It was an extraordinary moment of transboundary cooperation between the captive-display industry and
the anti-captivity movement – a “ground-breaking coalition,” as reported by KOMO 4 News (ABC Seattle) – and by all indications it impressed NMFS. The next morning,
Doug DeMaster, head of NMFS’s National Marine Laboratory, bumped into Orca Conservancy’s Fred Felleman.
“We’re going with your plan, Fred,” DeMaster chided him. “Are you happy now?”
(right) Dr. John Nightingale, having a drink on us – champagne to toast Springer, presumably paid for by U.S. money.
NMFS made it official that day – they were tapping our combined proposal, the only one submitted that was not calling for a removal of the animal to an aquarium. For a
moment in time, as with the Dungeness orca rescue, we all seemed to be putting aside our differences and working together. Kumbaya! But it was short-lived.
Nightingale suddenly got cold feet. He called Kelley Balcomb-Bartok, one of our Board Members, and demanded that we cease all public statements about this partnership
and immediately take all mention of it off our website, lest the Aquarium sue. Upon inquiry, we were told by Lance that although he indeed “sent it up to Carpetland (Aquarium execs)” and they
signed off on the idea, Nightingale somehow soured on the idea. Lance was embarrassed and apologetic. He went on to mention something about a phone call to Nightingale after the story broke from “some
group called People for Puget Sound,” and that Nightingale talked to “someone named Kathy (Executive Director Kathy Fletcher).” His boss was now floating the idea around VanAq staff that
People for Puget Sound might be a better partner for the Aquarium. We also were told that Fletcher had emphasized that her group “takes no position on the question of captivity.” BUT WE DID.
The Keiko Project was directed by Dave Phillips, who also runs Earth Island Institute, one of the most effective anti-captivity organizations in the world and frequently a well-needed thorn in
Nightingale’s side. And we made it clear from the beginning that the agreement between our three groups would include strict terms that none of the money could ever be used to support any
activities related to the removal of Springer to an aquarium. That clause may have been starting to stick in Nightingale’s craw.
Rumors were flying at this point and we were struggling to explain some very erratic behavior, so we didn’t want to jump to any quick conclusions about our friend, Kathy Fletcher, one of the most respected
environmentalists in our region. We asked our Board Member Ralph Munro to call Ms. Fletcher to get her personal assurances that she wasn’t muddying the waters like we were told she was doing. Ralph called
her that night. He reported back that they had a long talk, that she did call Nightingale and offer her organization’s support, but not at the expense of Orca Conservancy. “And I believe her,” wrote Ralph. At any
rate, Nightingale’s change-of-heart was more than a collapsed bridge – he also turned his back on an angel donor lined up by the Keiko people. Project funding was back to square one.
A year later, when the Luna crisis was underway, Nightingale continued to keep his distance – but at the same time, he needed our command of the regional media to help enlist public support and donations.
And John loved to get his mug on TV. We gave him plenty of opportunities. At that time, a newly formed “non-profit” organization emerged on the scene eager to work with Nightingale, no strings attached – a
small but wealthy group called “Global Research and Rescue.” It was mainly our old compatriots from Project SeaWolf, who stood with Orca Conservancy as we Petitioned to get our Puget Sound orcas listed under
the ESA – but who chose NOT to stand with us when our Petition was rejected and we were forced to take the feds to court, a battle we ultimately won. SeaWolf would also later quit the Orphan Orca Fund, a
coalition of non-profit groups we assembled to raise funds for the Springer effort – in part because we wrote a clause into the OOF Operating Agreement that no money we raised would be used toward removing
Springer to a concrete tank. We also reiterated that point in OOF’s press releases and in the local media.
Also on board with the old SeaWolves was the famous “Whale Whisperer” Jeff Foster, professional orca wrangler for SeaWorld and Head Trainer for the Keiko Project. Foster was brought on to coordinate the
Springer rescue. Whatever opinion anyone had about his methods or his clients, he was the most experienced for the assignment and a natural hire – but oddly now the top contractor AND a Board Member of
Nightingale’s lead non-profit. From that point and on through later discussions over Luna, it seemed Nightingale was never seen without Global Research and Rescue by his side. And to their credit, none of them
beat around the bush when it came to their feelings about sending wild whales to a tank. Straight questions usually got honest answers. They all believed
that Springer’s and Luna’s prospects were probably better “in the care of humans” than back with their wild populations.
Far more ominous however were the offline discussions we knew were going between Marineland Ontario and DFO Canada on the final disposition of these
wayward whales, particularly during the Luna affair (see Canadian Access to Information Act documents on page 95, 107 and 161). The public was squarely against any
scenario that leads to one of these wild orcas going into a tank. Whether it was Nootka Sound or Puget Sound, Vancouver or Seattle, First Nations and the
rest of us, no one was buying it. But the marine parks continued to watch these whales with great interest, and made no bones about wanted them in their
facilities (these were probably worth about $5 million USD each on the market) – but still, the marine parks provided critical support to both efforts to return
the orcas to their captive wild families. As we’ve learned from the Dungeness orca rescue of January 2001, through Keiko, Springer and Luna, you need the
orca wranglers to save these whales. People like Jeff Foster, Jen Shore, Steve Claussen, Dave Huff, Lance Barrett-Lennard, all of them are prerequisite
personnel. Their expertise is the very reason we can even contemplate operations like this. Still, the rumors flew about the guy the Canadians keep putting
in charge up there. The guy who equated killing Stellar sea lions to changing toilet paper (see page 81). Some of my friends were telling me he was…
well, evil. Don’t trust him. At one point during the Luna effort, I decided to go straight to the horse’s mouth.
(CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE)
(right) Protests outside of Vancouver Aquarium.
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Page 97
At a public meeting about Luna at The Seattle Aquarium in the fall of 2003, I bumped into Dr. Nightingale and his posse. I asked him, “So John, what’s this I hear about
the Vancouver Aquarium or Global Research and Rescue working out a deal with Marineland Ontario? Are you trying to work out some back-end on this thing,
if Luna has to be recaptured and shipped to Marineland?” Nightingale smirked with a seeming incredulity and said,
“Michael, why shouldn’t we have some way to get our money back if this thing doesn’t work out?”
“Because,” I said, “it’s a blatant conflict of interest. You’re on the post-release team. You’re one of the judges who determine
whether or not Luna’s successfully reconnecting after the release. If you say it’s not working, Luna gets shipped out and you
guys get a commission on the sale? Besides,” I added, “it’s not your money. The U.S. has been picking up this tab, not you.”
Nightingale continued staring at me, saying nothing. He obviously didn’t get it. But in the end, he didn’t get Springer or Luna, either.
And from that point on, in every chance I had in my media work, I tried to force everyone involved, from feds to NGOs, and to be completely transparent about any financial
arrangements they make toward the final disposition of this orca. As I said on KING 5 News (NBC Seattle), “If this doesn't work, we cannot allow a group that's involved with this to
then have the right to sell this animal to a marine facility.” I called Nightingale on his bad faith and backdoor deal-making. I waved the 1976 SeaWorld Stipulation of Dismissal like a
battle flag. And I kept my own house clean, too. I even fought some of my fellow Board Members to keep Orca Conservancy an all-volunteer group. And as hard as it was for a veteran wildlife documentarian like
me not to do a film about these extraordinary orca stories unfolding at my feet, I’ve kept my pledge to NOAA Fisheries and my NGO colleagues that I would never make a film about Springer or Luna.
– Michael Harris, Orca Conservancy
October 2003
October 1, 2003, 10:35 PM PDT
Lonely Luna
The Associated Press
SEATTLE – Canadian officials say that if no outside groups volunteer to reunite a stray American killer whale with his family, the orca could wind up in a tank.
Few details of the plan to reunite the whale and his family have been officially released. But a letter from the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans to the U-S
National Marine Fisheries Service says that if no parties step forward to remove the whale from Nootka Sound on the west side of Vancouver Island, Canada "may have no
choice but to seek a captive placement."
The Canadian department has concluded that an attempted reunion is the best way to protect the public and the 4-year-old whale, known as Luna. But it says the
government won't do the work or pick up that cost. That will be left up to outside groups that volunteer.
After capture, Luna would be held a week or so in a net pen to ensure he has no diseases that could threaten Washington state's struggling southern resident population
of 82 killer whales.
After that, activists say the proposal calls for shipping Luna via truck and-or vessel to south Vancouver Island for placement in another net pen until he makes contact
with his family. A spokesman for the U-S fisheries service, Brian Gorman, says agency officials are considering the plan outlined by the Canadians.
October 1, 2003
CKNW Interview With Marilyn Joyce and Michael Harris
Yesterday on The Jennifer Mather Show, Ms. Mather interviewed Marilyn Joyce, Marine Mammals Coordinator, Pacific Region, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and
Michael Harris, the President of Orca Conservancy. The interview was aired on CKNW in the afternoon and lasted about 20 minutes…
The program became somewhat-heated when Mr. Harris spoke to the frustration on the U.S. side regarding DFO’s slow pace in managing the crisis in Nootka
Sound and the lonely orca…
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Page 98
October 2, 2003
Time for Luna to Come Home, Who Pays?
John Yeager
Q13 FOX News
SEATTLE – The Canadian government says it's time for Luna to come home. The young male orca whale has been living in a remote British Columbia inlet, separated
from its family for two years.
The last time something like this was tried? Springer, last year. The Cost? More than a quarter million, including $200,000 from the federal government.
Cost is already a concern for the "Luna" plan, even before it's made public.
Michael Harris/Orca Conservancy: "How many satellite tags are they going to want to put on this animal? If any? How
long are they going to require this animal to stay in a pen? On the receiving end and on the capture side? That's a big
cost item."
Fred Felleman/Orca Conservancy: "And if we have to raise the money otherwise the whale goes to captivity I find that
to be a little unfortunate."
So, who is raising money right now? The Vancouver Aquarium, Victoria's Luna Stewardship Fund, and The Whale Museum on San Juan Island, which is submitting a
proposal for federal funding like it did last year for Springer. Some say the feds have the money right now, even if the Canadian government doesn't.
Fred Felleman/Orca Conservancy: "Senator Cantwell has appropriated for this purpose and it's time for them to break some of that loose to this end. It's a bureaucratic
decision that needs to be made."
Not so fast, say the feds. They need all the details of the plan in their hands...all the t's crossed and the i's dotted before any of that can happen.
Brian Gorman/National Marine Fisheries: "That money was meant for research into why the population was falling not rescuing an isolated killer whale that's now in
Canada."
Right now the feds' top priority? Finding qualified people to pull off the Luna move, and finding a way to get whale advocacy groups, aquariums and governments on both
sides of the border to work together.
Brian Gorman/National Marine Fisheries: "And so the money is the least of the hurtles."
Fundraisers like The Whale Museum tell us they've hard a hard time raising money so far because they haven't had a working plan.
(below) Luna lookin’ for love in all the wrong places.
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1:58 PM PDT on Friday, October 3, 2003
Canada Wants Whale to be Moved to Washington
Associated Press
SEATTLE - Canada is ready to reunite Luna the killer whale with its U.S.-based pod family, the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans announced Friday, but the agency hasn't released
details of how the move must be carried out.
The DFO will accept applications "from groups that can demonstrate the financial capacity and expertise to carry out a reintroduction program," the department said in a news release announcing
the decision by Fisheries and Oceans Minister Robert G. Thibault. The 4-year-old whale, which wandered by himself into Nootka Sound on the west side of British Columbia's Vancouver Island in
spring 2001, must be moved because he is getting increasingly cozy with boats, raising concerns about safety of the whale and humans.
"Leaving him in Nootka Sound is no longer an option," Thibault said. "Our goal is to do what is best for Luna and his pod, while protecting the public."
The orca is to be moved to within range of his natal L-pod, which chases salmon around Washington state's San Juan Islands and the Strait of Juan de Fuca in summer and fall.
Activist groups in the United States, eager to pitch in, expressed frustration with Canada's vague announcement.
"Until we know what the required components are, it's hard to put a price tag on it and therefore hard to conduct fundraising," said Fred Felleman with Orca Conservancy.
"The concern I have so far is we don't know how much would be nice to have versus how much we must have. Satellite technology, for example. ... There are things it would be interesting to have
but that are not necessarily essential to an attempted reintroduction."
There was no immediate response from DFO to repeated requests for a copy of the plan, though officials said it was to be released Friday. Asked about relocation costs, DFO spokeswoman Lara
Sloan said they likely would be comparable to the $500,000 or so in cash and in-kind contributions required for last year's successful move of A-73 or Springer, the orphaned Canadian killer whale
returned to her family off Vancouver Island after she was found struggling to survive near Seattle last summer.
"Hopefully less," Sloan said, though she noted the third-party rescuer will be required to monitor and protect Luna after release, which "will contribute to the cost."
She declined to say whether that meant satellite monitoring, but said the parties would be required to advise the public on the risks and effects of interacting with the whale.
U.S. officials are adopting a hands-off stance at this point because the whale is in Canadian waters.
"We think it's a carefully written, well-thought-out plan," said spokesman Brian Gorman with the National Marine Fisheries Service here.
"We certainly support the goal of reuniting L-98" — Luna's scientific name, based on his birth order in L-pod — "with its pod. We're prepared to offer advice if Canada asks for it."
Will there be an offer of financial support?
"No money. I don't think," Gorman said. "This is Canada's project."
Canada's news release said the third party that takes on the project will be responsible for "translocation, monitoring and stewardship, and implementation of the contingency plan if reintroduction
fails."
That plan calls for "capture and captive placement, or other permanent means of dealing with L-98" in the interest of public safety — a prospect that horrifies whale activists. The DFO release said
the agency will "provide support to this operation in terms of scientific expertise and enforcement where needed."
The plan was developed by a panel of Canadian and U.S. experts and approved by NMFS this week. After last year's successful reunification of Springer with her family,
"DFO is optimistic that Luna will also reunite with his group," the release said.
But it cautioned that the situations are different and Luna may not readjust as well as the 2-year-old Springer. He's older and has been away longer. And his mother has a new calf.
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Wednesday, October 8, 2003
After Springer, Luna Could be Another Success Story
By GLENN FARLEY / KING 5 News (NBC Seattle)
SEATTLE – New pictures of Springer the orca show her reunited with her pod, living the life of a wild whale. Now scientists are wondering if the success of Springer could
be duplicated for Luna, the orphaned whale in Nootka Sound, Canada.
Remember Springer, the small orphaned whale that was found sick and alone off West Seattle in January of last year? Even after she was taken north to Canada's
Johnstone Strait and reunited with her pod, there were serious doubts whether she would give up her acquired taste for boats and people and go back to being a wild
whale.
The rare pictures, shot by scientists at Canada's Orca lab, are said to be the most extensive so far since her reunion and
appear to show Springer has lost her interest in things human.
“She is tucked away so deeply into groups of wild whales that even the researchers have trouble finding her,” said
Michael Harris, Orca Conservancy.
For the environmental group Orca Conservancy this indicates that moving Luna back to his pod is likely to have the same
kind of success.
“If we can use this as a textbook of our chances of repatriating Luna, then I think we're in good shape. We're in very,
very good shape,” said Harris.
But with just days to go before a Canadian Government deadline for environmental organizations to apply to capture and move Luna, there are still serious questions.
One is over objections by the chief of a key Indian band against the whale's removal from Nootka Sound and issues over why the Canadian Government didn't do more to
consult with the tribe earlier.
“There is cultural and spiritual significance to our people,” said Chief Michael Maquinna.
“I would also like to see that before we get too far down the road that Chief Maquinna's interests can also be part of
that. And it's critical that we do that,” said Fred Felleman, Orca Conservancy.
It's expected to take around a quarter million dollars to move Luna, and where that money will come from is still a very murky issue.
A special meeting has been called at the Seattle Aquarium to try and sort out how the whale will be moved. It gets underway Wednesday evening at 7 p.m.
Orca Conservancy’s Michael Harris and Northwest Cable News’ Cam Johnson on “NorthWest Extra.”
Michael was a regular on this daily half-hour synopsis of the day’s top stories seen in five states.
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October 8, 2003
New Plan To Move 'Luna' To The San Juans
Local Supporters Hope To Raise Cash For Move
KIRO 7 Eyewitness News (CBS Seattle)
SEATTLE – The Seattle Aquarium is holding a public forum Wednesday night on the plan to move a lone orca from British Columbia to the San Juan Islands.
Officials say Luna can't remain in Nootka Sound because he has been bumping into boats.
They hope he can rejoin his family pod in Washington waters.
Meanwhile, Orca expert Michael Harris is nothing less than delighted by the latest video of
Springer, the once orphaned whale who was relocated to the Puget Sound.
Of particular importance, according to whale experts, is the fact that Springer is living with related whales and is showing little or no
interest in a whale watching boat or in several kayakers.
Luna is another young Orcas who's also been living on his own in Canada, where he's very attracted to boats, rubbing and bumping
them, sometimes scaring people onboard and even injuring himself, just as Springer once did.
Local whale experts believe Luna could be moved, just as Springer was, and because he's not an orphan, the process could be even smoother. It's a plan in the works,
but it will take a lot of cash; hundreds of thousands of dollars. Orca experts hope to get a grant, but know they'll have to raise a lot of the money themselves.
"Even if it costs 200 thousand dollars cash, it's a bargain. Obviously the public loves these whales and I've heard people estimate that
more people go to see whales across the border than go to see the mariners and you think about how much money public investment
we put into them," Harris said.
OC TIMELINE: THE JUNIOR SENATOR FROM ORCA COUNTRY
Orca Conservancy was a key partner with U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell’s office in enlisting her support throughout both the Springer and Luna efforts.
As with Springer, the Senator responded heroically to the situation in Nootka Sound, securing “at least $100,000 and more if needed” for the Luna
effort (at great political risk), and announcing the commitment at a press conference at Seattle Aquarium in early September 2003. The timing of
the announcement was designed to pressure DFO Canada to move ahead with the long-discussed rescue and translocation of Luna DURING THE
FALL OF 2003 – a time when weather was still agreeable, all three Southern Resident pods were still in Puget Sound on a daily basis and, most
importantly, boat traffic was dramatically waning. For our leadership on this, Orca Conservancy was the ONLY non-profit organization invited by
Sen. Cantwell’s office to participate in the press conference. Unfortunately, DFO announced the next day that they would match the U.S.
commitment, but nothing would be done with Luna until spring 2004 – in fact, they waited until the Orca Conservancy “For the Love of Orcas”
Conference in April to even present their plan, and then until the summer to begin executing it. That unnecessary delay dealt a serious blow to
the momentum of the effort and was likely perceived as an insult to Sen. Cantwell. Some think it doomed the project.
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October 9, 2003
Sen. Cantwell's Statement on Luna, Stranded Orca
Dear Friends:
Thank you all for attending this important public forum to discuss ongoing efforts to rescue Luna, the orca whale stranded in Nootka Sound.
The scientists, government officials, and non-profit organizations from both sides of the border gathered here tonight represent many of the world’s leading authorities on
orcas and you understand best what steps are needed to reverse the alarming decline in our beloved Southern Resident orcas. Many of us in the Pacific Northwest feel a
personal connection toward this magnificent species. These connections require us to make a special effort to ensure that orcas continue to thrive in our region’s waters.
My office has stayed in close contact with NOAA Fisheries, Canadian officials, and local groups to monitor both the health of the resident population and Luna’s unique
situation. I was pleased that officials from both the U.S. and Canada endorsed the comprehensive relocation plan under discussion tonight. I look forward to working with
NOAA Fisheries and others to implement the plan.
However, I am concerned that Luna’s plight is a symptom of a larger problem affecting the greater orca population. Many of you who were instrumental in saving Springer
know we also need to focus our efforts on understanding the decline in our Southern Resident Orcas. That’s why I was pleased to secure $750,000 last year to fund
research by NOAA Fisheries to determine factors that may be causing the population’s decline, define goals for population recovery, and identify specific measures to help
restore the population. This year we were able to build on these efforts with a $1.5 million appropriation in the Senate. I will continue to fight to secure these funds in the
final version of the bill.
Continuing cooperation between the U.S. and Canada is another critical component in overall orca recovery. I believe we need a bilateral protocol to address the
management issues, research needs, and recovery planning for the Southern Resident pods. While my office has begun preliminary discussions in this area, I believe we
must do more.
Nearly thirty years ago Senator Warren Magnuson wrote the Marine Mammal Protection Act at a time when orcas were being captured to serve as performers at out-ofstate aquariums. Declaring them “Puget Sound’s most unique living natural resource,” Maggie set a legacy of protecting orcas and improving their general marine
environment. By working cooperatively, we can maintain this tradition and stem the loss of these majestic regional icons.
Thank you again to everyone attending this important meeting here today. I am grateful for your dedication to this important cause.
Sincerely,
Maria Cantwell
United States Senator
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October 10, 2003
FROM SENATOR MARIA CANTWELL:
Based on your concerns regarding the orca named Luna, I would like to update you on my ongoing efforts to reunite Luna with his family.
As you know, orca L98, also known as “Luna,” was separated from his pod over two years ago and surfaced in Nootka Sound on the west coast of Vancouver
Island in British Columbia, Canada. In July 2003, Luna moved to the Gold River in British Columbia, where he has remained ever since. Unfortunately,
increasing interaction between Luna and nearby boats has resulted in injuries to the whale and threatened nearby boaters and seaplanes.
The Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) recently reversed its decision not to intervene and announced it would facilitate Luna’s relocation to
Washington state waters. Adopting the recommendations of a scientific panel of American and Canadian experts, the DFO asked that organizations interested in
helping relocate the orca apply for a license by October 13, 2003. I am pleased that the DFO has finally decided to step in and facilitate the relocation of Luna
and that our own NOAA Fisheries has endorsed their plan. It is important that we protect Luna and return him to his pod as soon as possible.
As you may know, a representative from my office attended the October 8 public forum in Seattle to discuss efforts to rescue Luna. I am pleased to share with
you the letter that was read on my behalf.
I appreciate that the time you and so many other constituents have taken to contact me on this issue. Please do not hesitate to contact me again in the future
on this or any other concern.
Sincerely,
Maria Cantwell
United States Senator
October 11, 2003
Luna to Landlubbers: Leave Me the Heck Alone
BILL RADKE, SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER COLUMNIST
Dear Do-Gooders,
Hi, Luna the orca here. Ever since I broke away from my pod, I've been hanging out with the humans off Vancouver Island. That's my business, right? Well, apparently not, because I
hear you want to lure me into to a pen and return me to the wild. I know you didn't bother to ask me, but I have news for you: The wild sucks.
Here is a list of all the different things an orca does in a typical day in the wild:
1: Hunt for food.
That's it. That's the entire rundown. Every miMr.e of every day it's the same thing. You know all that groaning and whistling we do? Here's what we're saying:
"Have you guys found any food yet?"
"Nothing. You?"
"Not yet."
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"How about now? Have you found any food?"
"No, still no food."
"Me neither. I don't think there's any food. Hey, wait!"
"What? Did you find food?"
"No, I thought I'd found food, but I was wrong."
"Oh, OK. Well, let me know if you find food."
I finally got so sick of this that I peeled off and swam here to Nootka Sound. It's really nice, lots of kayakers and day-trippers and tourists. They get a big kick out of me. They're
always trying to brush my teeth and pour beer into my mouth. Stupid but harmless, you know?
Don't get me wrong, I love my fellow orcas. But god, they're so gloomy. Plus, they're always griping about being cold. And to top it off, they're arrogant because they don't have any
natural predators. It's like hanging out with Norwegians. I prefer the company of humans. But one thing I don't get about you is the names you give us. You do know that "Luna" is a
woman's name, right? Luna Pad is a brand of tampon. I'm not a female, I'm a male. I knew a female orca who split from her pod last year and for some reason you called her
Springer.
Springer was a funny kid. We dated briefly, until she started having an affair with the Vashon car ferry. It was a blow to my ego but, hey, whatever made her happy was OK by me.
But not you humans. You held international symposia about how lonely Springer must be to have this weird ferry fetish. Then you hauled her onto a barge and dumped her off British
Columbia, and you toasted your success when she didn't return to Vashon. Would you have come back? She was humiliated.
Well, you're not gonna do it to me, baby. Who are you to say how I ought to live? You keep saying orcas aren't meant to socialize with people. So what? Humans aren't meant to
breathe underwater, but that didn't stop Jacques Cousteau from annoying us down here for 60 years. You humans are really something. You like us animals to be all wild and
untainted by human contact. Ooh, that's so romantic. Except while we're out being wild, you're chasing us around in a motor boat, gawking. Do you know how annoying that is?
And by the way, guess what we're eating out there. Salmon. That's the same crime you wanted to kill Herschel the sea lion for down at the Ballard Locks, but you want to spend
$300,000 to sic me on the chinook. Don't you people have budget deficits?
I'll tell you what. You want me to be wild? Then leave me alone and let me do what I want. And if my thing is entertaining the yokels, then that's my thing. See, you assume we
whales are just dumb animals. Well, we are, but we're not all dumb in the same way – just like you humans. Some of you voted for Arnold Schwarzenegger for governor of California,
some of you voted for Larry Flynt. Some of you voted to recall Gray Davis, and then voted for Gray Davis. Dumb, yes. But should those voters be shipped to Canada? OK, yes, they
should be shipped to Canada.
What I'm trying to say is ... well, I think it was the people who voted for former child TV actor Gary Coleman who said it best:
Now, the world don't move to the beat of just one drum,
What might be right for you may not be right for some.
It takes Diff'rent Strokes to move the world.
Yes it does.
It takes Diff'rent Strokes to move the world.
Thanking you in advance for letting me be diff'rent,
– Luna
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OC TIMELINE: THE DEADLINE
Throughout the very public debate between organizations on the U.S. side and DFO Canada on whether or not to intervene on Luna’s behalf, DFO constantly raised the bar and
challenged us to clear it. First, they said Luna’s perfectly safe left alone in Nootka Sound. We proved them wrong – he was in constant danger to himself and potentially others.
We cleared that bar. The raised it again – they said that we don’t know if this experiment in translocating and reintroducing solitary social orcas back to their natal pods works,
because Springer still hadn’t returned yet to Johnstone Strait after a winter out to sea. Chances are, they warned, she wouldn’t. They wouldn’t even consider doing anything about
Luna until Springer was back in the Strait. But when Springer returned safe, healthy and seemingly happy, we took DFO to it word. We (and Springer) cleared that bar.
Then DFO decided to raise the bar to an impossible height – they agreed to consider rescuing Luna, but advocacy groups were given FIVE WORKING DAYS to submit FULLY FUNDED
plans to rescue and translocate the orca. Worse yet, DFO biologists were now making statements in the media such as, “If no one steps forward to help a lonely orca rejoin his pod,
the extreme options are captivity or euthanasia.” Luna would have to be put down or imprisoned, they said. Some believed the motivation behind these horrifying public comments
was to push for quick action on the U.S. side to do something to save Luna. Many of us believed their motives were far less benevolent – we felt that DFO, in step with Dr. John
Nightingale of Vancouver Aquarium, assumed that no one would meet the deadline and were setting the public up to consider captivity as a far more humane option than euthanasia.
By all indications, Nightingale was scheming to deliver to the captive-display industry its first Southern Resident Community orca in almost three decades, to bolster its rapidly
depleting captive breeding gene pool. We believed Nightingale was doing the bidding of his colleagues at Marineland Ontario and SeaWorld Inc.,
and somehow in doing so create the illusion to the public that he saved Luna from the executioner. Once again, he underestimated us all.
Organizations on the U.S. side came through – first submitting plans to DFO to translocate the orca (Global Research & Rescue) and then, most importantly, to take the lead on the
post-release component of the operation (The Whale Museum, with the support of The Center for Whale Research, Orca Conservancy and other orgs). Orca Conservancy always saw
the post-release phase as perhaps the most critical part of the plan, as it would involve providing stewardship to a human-habituated orca in the busy waters of the San Juan Islands.
It would require the full cooperation of the Whale Watch Operators Association Northwest, which Orca Conservancy helped enlist to the Luna effort (as evidenced by Mike Bennett’s
participation in our July 2003 press conference). And for Luna to stay a free whale, it would require a patient approach, and an organization that didn’t have a financial interest in the
disposition of the whale. We knew that once Luna was safely in U.S. waters, our existing laws would make it more complicated for people like Nightingale to re-capture the orca and
sell him to an aquarium. We felt that The Whale Museum and its groundbreaking Soundwatch Boater Education program, not to mention its 25-year veteran orca researcher
Dr. Rich Osborne, would be a far better judge of whether or not Luna was successfully repatriating… and far less hasty in pulling the trigger if he wasn’t.
Still, the plans were not fully funded. That’s where U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell stepped in. On October 26th, she announced a financial commitment of “$100,000 or more if needed”
toward the rescue and repatriation of Luna back to his family. “All that is needed,” we were promised. We met the impossible deadline DFO put in front of us. As Michael Harris
said on KOMO 4 News (ABC Seattle), “I think it's miraculous how fast this has come together.” Luna seemed on a fast track home. At least we thought he was…
October 14, 2003
Time's Running Out for Luna the Lonely Whale
Captivity is an Option if He Can't Rejoin His Pod
Whale Watch Operators Association Northwest
Terri Theodore, Canadian Press
If no one steps forward to help a lonely orca rejoin his pod, the extreme options are captivity or euthanasia, scientists say.
The clock runs out today for organizations with the expertise and deep pockets to move Luna, the four-year-old orca that has been living alone in the waters off
Gold River on Vancouver Island for the past two years.
But one group that's been watching Luna for more than a year says that's not enough time.
"I'm feeling less optimistic with each passing hour," said Marc Pakenham of the Luna Stewardship Project.
"We know that the captivity option is one that has raised a lot of interest from the captive industry. I think the public would go wild over a captive future for
this whale."
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It costs an aquarium about $1 million to buy a whale, but a captive whale is worth about $50 million in gate receipts, Veins of Life Watershed Society said.
The Vancouver Aquarium no longer has orcas after the city's park board passed a bylaw banning them.
Luna's problem is that while he has been doing well in his lonely environment away from his pod, he has lately become too friendly with people.
He's now become a nuisance animal and scientists are concerned he will injure or kill someone in his efforts to
cozy up to humans. If that happens, Luna would have to be put down.
"If an incident ever did take place where human life was at risk, then there was discussion of lethal force as an
option," said John Ford, a scientist with the department of fisheries and oceans.
"But it's such a remote contingency that we're not really spending any time on it," he added.
People have reportedly poured beer down Luna's blow hole and tried to brush his teeth. Run-ins with boats last month left two deep gashes on his head.
The fisheries department issued its request for proposals to move Luna Oct. 3, giving anyone wanting to try the tricky and costly operation just over a week to
respond.
By last Friday, no one had, but Veins of Life Watershed Society said the time frame was unrealistic.
The department is looking for an organization that would move the one-tonne whale some 250 kilometres down the coast from Nootka Sound to Pedder Bay,
near Victoria. There, Luna would wait until his pod swims by and hopefully, make a connection with his long-lost family, which includes his mother.
Luna's pod is due in the neighbourhood sometime around December.
The plan is similar to the successful effort last year to move Springer from the busy waters near Seattle to northern Vancouver Island. She reunited with her
pod after the $600,000 effort.
Ford said the complex operation requires a complicated and detailed set of obligations from any organization wanting to attempt the move.
"It's really whether a group can come forward with the right personnel and resources to implement the plan," he said.
"There's all sorts of different contingencies. It's really quite a complex operation, the whole idea of corralling or capturing this whale, holding him for medical
screening, transporting him to southern Vancouver Island, holding him for a bit longer to adjust for the transport and then hopefully releasing him when his pod
is going by."
The hope is that Luna will find his own pod mates more fascinating than boats. But Ford said it's hard to predict what's going to happen.
"I'm having a hard time putting odds on this. I'm optimistic, but at the same time realistic, in that there is such a different set of circumstances surrounding
Luna as opposed to Springer."
Scientists and Luna watchers agree that, unlike Springer, Luna is happy and healthy in his current environment.
Brian Gorman, of the National Marine Fisheries Service in the United States, said Luna's loneliness may even be perfectly normal.
"His problem is not health, it's not even location, it's people," Gorman said.
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October 14, 2003
Groups Fail to Show for Orca in Distress
Frank Luba, Canadian Press; Province
If no one steps forward to move a lone orca so he can rejoin his pod, the extreme options left for Luna are captivity or euthanasia, scientists say.
The clock runs out today for organizations with the expertise and deep pockets to move the four-year-old orca, but one group that's been watching Luna for
more than a year says that's not enough time.
"I'm feeling less optimistic with each passing hour," said Marc Pakenham of the Luna Stewardship Project. "We know that the captivity option is one that has
raised a lot of interest from the captive industry. I think the public would go wild over a captive future for this whale."
It costs an aquarium about $1 million to buy a whale, but a captive whale is worth about $50 million in gate receipts, said Veins of Life Watershed Society.
The Vancouver Aquarium no longer has orcas after the city's parks board passed a bylaw banning them.
The aquarium will discuss Luna's status today with the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
"I know we have staff looking at how much we can help Luna," said spokeswoman Angela Neilson.
Luna has been living in the waters off Gold River for the past two years. He was doing well away from his pod, but has lately become too friendly with people.
He's now become a nuisance and scientists are concerned he will injure or kill someone in his efforts to cozy up. If that happens, like garbage bears who
eventually attack, he would have to be put down.
On Oct. 3, the federal fisheries department issued a request for proposals to move Luna, giving anyone wanting to try the tricky and costly operation just over
a week to respond.
As of late last week, no one had.
"The detail . . . and the implications in that reunification plan are fairly extraordinary," said Veins of Life Watershed Society.
"It's unrealistic to allow five working days to respond to such a comprehensive request for proposals."
The department is looking for an organization that would move the one-tonne whale some 250 kilometres down the coast from Nootka Sound to Pedder Bay,
near Victoria. There, Luna would wait until his pod swims by and hopefully make a connection to his long-lost family, which includes his mother.
Luna's pod is due in the neighbourhood sometime around December.
"There's all sorts of different contingencies," said John Ford, a scientist with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. "It's really quite a complex operation –
the whole idea of coralling or capturing this whale, holding him for medical screening, transporting him to southern Vancouver Island, holding him for a bit
longer to adjust for the transport and then hopefully releasing him when his pod is going by."
The cost of relocating Luna is estimated at about $270,000.
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Tuesday, October 14, 2003
Three Groups Respond to Luna Rescue
By GLENN FARLEY / KING 5 News (NBC Seattle)
SEATTLE – Tuesday was the deadline for environmental groups to make their proposals to rescue Luna the orca.
The Canadian government has asked for help in relocating the whale closer to the U.S. so he could rejoin his pod.
It cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to move Springer, an orphaned whale, from Puget Sound to Canadian waters last year.
Some of that money was federal money specially earmarked for rescuing stranded whales. The rest were donations. For example, Nichols Brothers Shipyard
donated the use of a fast catamaran as transport.
Springer rejoined her pod and her repatriation is judged a complete success.
Now comes Luna – considered important to the rapidly declining "southern resident population" that swims in both U.S. and Canadian waters.
“This is a trans-boundary population that needs to be recovered. It's going extinct. And
we know the federal agencies have recognized this on both sides of the border,” said
Michael Harris, Orca Conservancy.
Luna is likely to be just as expensive. But first, organizations had to step up to the plate and volunteer to play a role, and that
has happened.
Three groups have responded – two from Washington.
Global Research and Rescue said it can provide capture and transport expertise. One of its key members is Jeff Foster who led Springer's capture.
The Whale Museum of Friday Harbor will provide follow-up tracking and scientific research.
And then there's the Vancouver Aquarium, which was a key player in providing expertise and oversight in the Springer rescue.
“We're responding and offering help for Luna within our limits. Simply put, we have limited resources in terms of financial capabilities. The Vancouver
Aquarium is a self-supporting nonprofit organization and we can't afford to fund the reunification effort on our own,” said Angela Nielsen.
The Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans will look over the responses, the proposals and issue its own opinion in the next few days. It could be just a
matter of weeks before the pieces are in place to move Luna back home.
The Whale Museum and Orca Conservancy is hoping that U.S. government money called Presscott Grants can be used to cover part of the expense. The
Vancouver Aquarium says it has only raised $2,400 in donations so far and is asking for contributions.
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October 14, 2003
'It's Miraculous How Fast This Has Come Together'
By Leslie Knopp, KOMO 4 News (ABC Seattle)
SEATTLE - Luna the lone whale has been an infamous freeloader in Nootka Sound for the past year. But his days there may be numbered. One deadline is now
down in the struggle to bring Luna back to the U.S., but there are more struggles to come.
Tuesday was the deadline for groups to hand in plans to Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans to move Luna.
"I think it's miraculous how fast this has come together," said Michael Harris or the Orca Conservancy. Harris
says at least three groups have submitted plans to the DFO.
They include Jeff Foster's team that spearheaded the rescue of Springer last year in Puget Sound. And, the Vancouver Aquarium has submitted a plan to work
with Foster.
But, as with Springer, Harris predicts a few hurdles.
Time is one of them. Just last Friday, KOMO 4 News spotted Luna's home pod cruising from Shilshole to Mukilteo. But will they remain in the Sound long
enough to meet up with Luna?
Another challenge: Indians on Vancouver Island say they don't want the whale moved. They consider Luna sacred. They don't want Luna captured for an
aquarium or killed if he continues to be a pest.
But, if DFO approves a plan soon, the biggest obstacle could be money. Michael Harris says moving Luna will cost $250,000.
Orca groups need to raise a chunk of that to be eligible for the same federal grants they received to move Springer. They don't have the money yet.
"We've got a lot of cats herded. We know who the players are going to be and we know what money we're going after. It's just a matter of getting that check
then we can go forward," said Harris.
The DFO says it will name the groups that submitted plans on Wednesday.
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October 23, 2003
Plan to Relocate Luna Delayed
Lack of Cash Could Sink Reunion of B.C. Killer Whale With its Pod
Canadian Press
VANCOUVER (CP) - A lack of cash could sink this year's plan to reunite a killer whale living off the B.C. coast with its pod in American waters.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans and both groups that propose to move Luna have concluded spring could be a better time to make the move.
"We're looking at a new approach where Luna can be left in Nootka Sound over the winter with monitoring to give the groups time to raise funds," said
department spokeswoman Lara Sloan.
The department likes the proposals of two groups - the Vancouver Aquarium and a Seattle-based organization - to undertake the move. But while both have
the expertise for the job, neither has the money.
"I'd rather have more time to make sure all the ducks are in a row before we undertake this thing," said Bob McLaughlin, president of Global Research and
Rescue.
"This is not going to be a simple process."
Luna, a four-year-old, one-tonne killer whale, has spent most of his life on his own off the coast of Vancouver Island at Gold River.
But the orca has become increasingly sociable. He has attempted to rub up against some boats and his need for human attention has been worsening as some
people have reportedly tried pouring beer down his blow hole and brushing his teeth.
A scientific panel concluded the whale must be moved because like a bear that has gotten used to human garbage, Luna has become a nuisance animal. There
are concerns he might overturn a boat.
Scientists have said if the whale cannot be relocated, extreme options for his future include captivity or euthanasia.
The plan was to move Luna down the island coast to a spot near Victoria by December. Luna's pod often swims in U.S. waters near there.
McLaughlin said it could cost up to $1 million to do the move now, whereas it would probably be only a quarter or half that to wait until the spring.
Much of the money will likely have to come from public donations.
Sloan said waiting until spring won't be a problem for Luna.
Boating traffic in Nootka Sound is much lower in the winter.
"There will be much fewer interactions (with Luna) over the winter so its more manageable, that's for sure," said Sloan.
"Public safety is always a concern… but we're confident that leaving him there over the winter won't pose a problem."
McLaughlin said his organization and the Vancouver Aquarium also need some time to have their concerns about liability answered.
They want some assurances from the Canadian government, the U.S. government or both that they won't be sued if Luna damages property or hurts someone,
he said.
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"If Luna decides to go into his old habits... and rubs against float planes and damages them and damages boats and maybe knocks people in the water - all not
because he's malicious but because that's what he does for fun - then someone could come at us and say, 'Geez, you should have known that this would have
happened and therefore you're to blame.'"
Clint Wright, vice-president of operations and animal management at the Vancouver Aquarium, said looking at the liability issues is just good business practice.
Last year, the aquarium conducted the successful mission to reunite another lonely orca, Springer, with her pod.
But there are several differences between Springer and Luna. Springer was sick and hadn't developed an affection for human contact. Luna is healthy and
appears happy where he is now.
Whale Museum Maintains That Releasing Luna This Fall Is the Best Approach
October 24, 2003
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has been receptive to
two proposals to implement the plan to relocate L-98. The two groups that
submitted these proposals are The Vancouver Aquarium, and the Seattle-based
Global Research and Rescue. The Whale Museum submitted a proposal for Phase
III with The Vancouver Aquarium. In this proposal the Vancouver Aquarium
would be serving as the "principal" on Phase I (initial capture, transport
and relocation) and Phase II (holding, tagging and release), and The Whale
Museum serving as the "principal" on Phase III (post release monitoring and
stewardship). The Whale Museum also sent in the Phase III portion of the
proposal separately to DFO so that The Whale Museum could be considered as a
sub-contractor for Phase III, whomever received the final contract.
It has been recently suggested in the press "that both groups that propose
to move 4-year- old Luna have concluded spring could be a better time to
make the move." For clarification, The Whale Museum has always maintained
that releasing Luna this fall was the best approach for success, and has not
changed it's position. The Whale Museum does not think releasing Luna next
Spring or Summer has as much chance for success. Left in Nootka Sound over
the Winter again, for a third year, would further Luna's habituation to
people and isolation from his own kind. In addition, the increase in boating
traffic that he would be exposed to in Haro Strait during the Spring or
Summer could severely distract his reunification and would make the
logistics of the plan much more difficult and costly to implement.
Dr. Rich Osborne, The Whale Museum
L98 Scientific Advisory Panel Member
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News Release
Dr. Paul Spong & Helena Symonds: Luna Should be Moved Now
October 24, 2003
The sooner Luna is moved the better his chances are of successfully
rejoining his social group and therefore the better the chances are that he
will be able to contribute to the future of the Southern Resident community.
The pattern for the past four years is that L pod has been present in the
waters of southern Vancouver Island and Puget Sound through January &
even well into February, i.e. there is a very good chance that Luna will have
opportunities to connect with L pod & other Southern Resident orcas well into the new year. We wouldn't wait a
day longer than necessary because it may take him some time to reconnect.
The fall and early winter are actually good times to move him because this is the season of worst weather and fewest boats –
boats & people being Luna's biggest problems. Orcas don't regard weather as we do - they thrive in "bad" weather conditions.
There is another factor to consider also. Luna is becoming a great nuisance to some people in Nootka Sound and we take the
threatening phones calls being made about him very seriously. If Luna is not moved soon, he may well be killed by some angry
person who has reached the end of his tether. If he is killed Luna will of course never contribute to the recovery of the Southern
Resident population and a great opportunity will have been lost.
To say the above more concisely, do not wait for next spring...
Move Luna NOW.
Paul Spong & Helena Symonds, OrcaLab
L98 Scientific Advisory Panel Members
October 26, 2003
U.S. Comes Through on Aid for Luna
Richard Watts, Victoria Times Colonist
Americans ranging from the U.S. Navy to politicians and non-profit conservationists are stepping up to reunite Luna the orca with his pod.
A press conference is scheduled for today at the Port of Seattle where it is expected an announcement will be made that money and assistance is available to
bring the four-year-old orca back to U.S. waters.
Michael Harris, President of Orca Conservancy, said Saturday that a broad coalition of people and
groups, including the Navy, a Washington State Senator, State Fish and Wildlife officials and nongovernment agencies have agreed to help in moving the whale.
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Harris said they may be supporting the effort with money. They may be supporting it with people,
time and resources. The key is they are all on side.
He said a dollar estimate is difficult but he didn't believe the cost would exceed $150,000 U.S.
Normally, four-year-old Luna's pod can be found around Puget Sound and the southern end of the Strait of Georgia.
Luna showed up in Nootka Sound in July of 2001. It's believed he was orphaned shortly after birth and later nursed by two
females in his pod.
One theory is that he was swimming along with his uncle who died, leaving Luna stranded and alone. Over the next two years he followed food sources to
Nootka Sound. Another theory is that he couldn't keep up with the big whales and lost his way.
Harris said that while Luna is apparently surviving well, the animal is becoming socially unhealthy.
Instead of other whales, Luna is making up to boats. So it's imperative to get him back to his own kind as quickly as possible, said Harris.
Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans speculated last week the whale might have to be left where he is because of lack of money.
But DFO has also shown some interest in a removal/reunite proposal submitted by the Vancouver Aquarium and a U.S. group.
Harris said the best thing DFO can do now is give permission for the effort to move forward.
Sunday, October 26, 2003
Lawmakers Make a New Pitch for Money to Help Relocate Luna
KING 5 News (NBC Seattle)
The life of Puget Sound's loneliest orca could soon be getting a bit brighter.
Today a federal agency pledged at least a hundred thousand dollars to help
return Luna to American waters, and Washington U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell is
calling on Canada to do the same. KING 5's Heather Filkins live now with
more on what the money will mean for Luna's future.
Heather: Don, anybody who's ever caught a glance of an orca swimming here in Elliott
Bay knows how fascinating and amazing these creatures can be. That's why the
federal government's anted up new money to bring Luna back to his pod and
back to America.
He is by all accounts a joy to watch. A big, boisterous killer whale
frolicking in Canada's Nootka Sound, but Luna is also lonely, cozying up to
boats and people in search of companionship. But, an announcement today
along Seattle's waterfront could put an end to Luna's solitary life and
reunite him with his pod.
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Bob Lohn, NOAA: "The number is uncertain, but my sense is that the funding
is available now to make this operation a success."
NOAA and Senator Maria Cantwell trumpeted a plan to commit at least a
hundred thousand dollars in federal money towards the reunification of Luna
and L-Pod. It’s money they hope will be matched by Canadian agencies and
other donors.
Sen. Maria Cantwell: "So hopefully they will look at that as a very
willing partner by the United States to help solve a problem that both our
countries care about."
Once the money's in place then the work begins to physically move the
four-year-old orca. Whether that means they'll try to reunite him now
or wait 'till spring remains to be determined. Either way NOAA says they're
ready to go.
Bob Lohn, NOAA: "We will immediately start planning and discussions with
Canada about how the rescue will proceed."
Since Luna's now living in Canadian waters, this would definitely be a
cooperative effort between the two countries. The issue of Luna is now in
the hands of Canada's top fisheries official. Live in Seattle, Heather
Filkins, KING 5 News.
Don Porter: "Heather, we're getting accustomed to seeing major efforts
mounted to get whales back to their pods, how would this operation compare
to the recent one where Springer and her pod were separated?"
Heather: "Well, aside from the fact that this will take two countries
working together cooperatively, Luna's a lot healthier than Springer was at
her release, so they won't really have to bring Luna up to speed
healthwise, meaning this one could cost a lot less.
Okay, Heather Filkins, live off Elliott Bay, thanks.
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Sunday, October 26, 2003
U.S. Comes Through on Aid for Luna
Richard Watts
Victoria Times Colonist
Americans ranging from the U.S. navy to politicians and non-profit conservationists are stepping up to reunite Luna the orca with his pod.
A press conference is scheduled for today at the Port of Seattle where it is expected an announcement will be made that money and assistance is available to bring the
four-year-old orca back to U.S. waters.
Michael Harris, President of Orca Conservancy, said Saturday that a broad coalition of people and groups,
including the Navy, a Washington State Senator, State Fish and Wildlife officials and non-government agencies
have agreed to help in moving the whale.
Harris said they may be supporting the effort with money. They may be supporting it with people, time and resources. The key is they are all on side.
He said a dollar estimate is difficult but he didn't believe the cost would exceed $150,000 U.S.
Normally, four-year-old Luna's pod can be found around Puget Sound and the southern end of the Strait of Georgia.
Luna showed up in Nootka Sound in July of 2001. It's believed he was orphaned shortly after birth and later nursed by two females in his pod.
One theory is that he was swimming along with his uncle who died, leaving Luna stranded and alone. Over the next two years he followed food sources to Nootka Sound.
Another theory is that he couldn't keep up with the big whales and lost his way.
Harris said that while Luna is apparently surviving well, the animal is becoming socially unhealthy.
Instead of other whales, Luna is making up to boats. So it's imperative to get him back to his own kind as quickly as
possible, said Harris.
Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans speculated last week the whale might have to be left where he is because of lack of money.
But DFO has also shown some interest in a removal/reunite proposal submitted by the Vancouver Aquarium and a U.S. group.
Harris said the best thing DFO can do now is give permission for the effort to move forward.
With files from The Associated Press
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Monday, October 27, 2003
U.S. Pledges $100,000 to Help Return Orca Luna
Money will come from the National Marine Fisheries Service
Associated Press
The U.S. government has pledged at least $100,000 US to help return killer whale Luna to American waters from Nootka Sound,
where he has been bothering boats for over two years.
The money from the National Marine Fisheries Service should allow the move – stalled in Canada by a lack of funds – to go forward, said Senator Maria Cantwell (DWash.) at a Seattle news conference Sunday. She was joined by the fisheries service's regional director, Bob Lohn, and state fish and wildlife director Jeff Koenings.
The funds would come from a larger sum requested by Cantwell for the agency's research and conservation of the so-called southern resident orca population, now down
to 83 animals – 84 including Luna. Congressional approval is expected in the next few weeks, she said.
The United States hopes to work with Canada to bring Luna back home, Lohn said. Due to intense public interest, he said, the matter is now in the hands of Canada's
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Robert Thibault.
Cantwell pressed her longstanding call for cross-border cooperation on the orcas, which she called "a Northwest treasure."
Canada is already working with the U.S. agency and third parties on funding, said spokeswoman Lara Sloan with the Vancouver office of department of fisheries and
oceans. She noted that the cost of the move had been estimated at about $350,000 US.
The U.S. commitment is an incentive for the department of fisheries and oceans to finalize plans to move the orca, said Marc Pakenham, manager the Luna Stewardship
Project which has been watching over the whale in Nootka Sound.
"Once the plan is fully authorized, I think we'll find the other pieces of funding we need," Pakenham said, adding plans to relocate the whale this year would have to move
ahead quickly.
"The window's closing rapidly where there's a viable opportunity this year," he said from Victoria. "The ball is firmly in DFO's court."
The money pledged Sunday would not cover all expenses of moving Luna to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which divides the two countries on the West Coast. Lohn said
funds from Canada and private donors – including whale-advocacy groups – would still be needed, along with in-kind contributions.
"It's too early to say how much is needed," Lohn said.
He estimated the cost of last year's successful relocation of Springer at about $300,000 US. Support from whale advocates was critical to that effort, Lohn said. Two-yearold Springer, also called A-73, was reunited with her family in Canada after she wandered into busy Puget Sound.
It's not clear whether four-year-old Luna, also called L-98 for his birth order in L-pod, would re-adapt so quickly, but officials on both sides of the border say he could
remain a wild whale as long as he stays away from boats.
Luna has been in Nootka Sound, a narrow inlet on the west side of Vancouver Island, for over two years. The problem is not so much that he's on his own. Lohn said
there are previous incidents, dating back 100 years, of juvenile orcas living on their own for up to a year.
But Luna's attempts to cozy up to boats pose threats to both sides.
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Recently, "just for fun, Luna was bouncing a sea plane," Lohn said. Such playful behaviour could have had disastrous results for the plane's occupants, he noted – and the
whale has suffered deep gashes from encounters with boats.
Safety concerns prompted Canada's decision to try to move Luna – with the work and expense farmed out to private
groups. But those with viable proposals couldn't come up with the money, Canadian officials announced last week.
Now that the United States has come forward with funds, Lohn suggested there are two options: Acting quickly to try to place Luna near his American relatives this
winter, or waiting until spring, using the months in between to try to train Luna to stay away from boats.
"They're very bright animals," he said – noting the possibility that Luna could even be trained to follow a boat home to Washington state waters.
L-pod has been seen in area waters as late as February the past few years, but has left as early as October, which raised concerns about a winter move.
The orcas usually return to the strait by April, Lohn said. No one knows where they spend the winters, though they have been seen off the Canada and California coasts.
Cantwell also announced Sunday that the Navy has agreed to take responsibility for electronic tagging of Luna and for tracking him
after his release. That undertaking could greatly increase understanding of the species, she said.
Koenings said the state will contribute expertise and enforcement support to the effort, as it did with Springer. The state also is considering listing the orcas as an
endangered species, he said.
The federal funds pledged for Luna's move were sought by Cantwell for research and conservation of the orcas due to their 2002 listing by the fisheries service as a
"depleted species" under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
The House version of the allocation would provide $750,000 US, the same as last year. The Senate version would double the amount, at Cantwell's request, to $1.5
million US. Money would be earmarked for Luna's rescue in either case.
The southern resident population is believed to have peaked at about 120 in the 1960s, when little was known about them.
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News Release
'A MAGNUSONIAN EFFORT'
Orca Conservancy
October 26, 2003
SEATTLE – Over the past two years, Puget Sound's depleted orca pods have
benefited from much-needed biological and political productivity. Today,
they got another much-needed boost in the announcement that Senator Maria
Cantwell, NOAA Fisheries, Washington State's Department of Fish and Wildlife
and the U.S. Navy have joined Orca Conservancy and other non-government
organizations in the effort to return the stray orca L98, or “Luna,” to his
natal pods in Puget Sound. This historic partnership virtually ensures that
the wayward Southern Resident orca will now be given a chance to come home.
"This financial commitment is the green light we need to move
forward," Cantwell said.
"Not only has the Pacific Ocean's productivity begun to favor the recovery
of our orca, but Senator Cantwell has for the second year in a row provided
funding for NOAA Fisheries to support Puget Sound orca research and
conservation efforts. Through her foresight, this money is being made
available a full year before NOAA's draft Conservation Plan is expected to
be printed," said Michael Harris, President of Orca Conservancy.
"Nature has given us a second chance and Senator Cantwell's appropriation
will allow us to extend that to L98 and the recovery of the Southern
Resident Community," continued Harris. Washington's whales have been to
subject to a rich history of Senatorial stewardship. The late Senator Warren
Magnuson was instrumental in the formation of NOAA, the Marine Mammal
Protection Act, as well as the prohibition of captures of orca for public
display in Washington waters.
"Senator Cantwell's Magnusonian efforts on behalf of our orca attest to the
fact that his legacy lives on," extolled Fred Felleman, Board Member of Orca
Conservancy.
Senator Maggie, Orca-crat.
L98 represents the potential for the addition of much needed genetic
diversity in the Southern Resident Orca Community , whose population has
decline 20% over the past five years. There is nothing more direct NOAA can
do to help rebuild this population than to give him a second chance to
rejoin his family.
ORCA CONSERVANCY -
The fact that the Navy wants to be seen as part of the effort to reverse the
decline of Puget Sound orca is most encouraging. "With its extraordinary
maritime expertise and capabilities, including eight of the world's eighteen
Trident submarines, the Navy is uniquely positioned to help give L98 a
chance to reunite with his family," said Harris.
"Orca Conservancy has had a number of very positive meetings with Regional
Commander Len Hering and his staff and we came out of those discussions
convinced that they truly want to be part of the solution, rather than be
seen as part of the problem. No one knows the oceans like our Navy, and they
truly are an important part of this community. They have a long history of
working closely with research institutions and conservationists on the East
Coast, particularly in the protection of right whales, and it's been the
goal of our organization to bring that paradigm here to the Pacific Region.
This is a great start, and we hope it leads to future partnerships in
conservation. Our orcas certainly need all the help they can get."
"While the success of Springer gives us cause for optimism, even if L98 does
not reunite with his family, the effort is well worth it," explained
Felleman. "It will help us learn more not just about these magnificent
mammals but about our own ability to cooperate between groups."
While the effort for repatriate L98 has some challenges, most scientists
agree that if we move quickly he'll have the best chance possible to rejoin
his family. But even if L98 is repatriated, efforts to protect Cherry Point
herring beds, expedite the restoration of the Elwha River salmon runs,
enhance our ability to prevent and respond to oil spills, eliminate cruise
ship discharges, and mitigate the impact of noise pollution, including that
of the Navy, must continue.
Due to intense public interest, the matter is now in the hands of Canada's
top fisheries official, Robert Thibault. Orca Conservancy calls on Minister
Thibault and DFO to reconvene its Science Advisory Panel as soon as possible
to expedite the reintroduction plan given the new resources presented by
NOAA, WDFW, the U.S. Navy and Senator Cantwell.
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October 27, 2003
For Luna, Cash Spells Reunion
Cindy E. Harnett, Times Colonist
Lonely Luna could soon be reunited with his orca family after U.S. officials pledged at least $100,000 toward his relocation at a press
conference in Seattle Sunday.
"I think it's going to happen within three weeks," said Michael Harris, of the Seattle-based
Orca Conservancy. "I'm so excited."
The objective is to move the one-tonne killer whale, which has been living in Nootka Sound on the west side of Vancouver Island for more
than two years, back to its pod in American waters.
The money from the National Marine Fisheries Service should allow the move – stalled in Canada by a lack of funds – to go forward,
Washington Senator Maria Cantwell told a news conference Sunday. She was joined by the Fisheries Service's regional director, Bob Lohn,
and state Fish and Wildlife director Jeff Koenings
The money comes from a larger fund for research and conservation of the southern resident orca population, whose numbers are down to
about 83 – 84 including Luna.
They're listed as endangered in Canada and depleted in the U.S. "This is not just a fuzzy whale story, it's a direct measure to help recover a
population in big trouble," said Harris. "We're a hair's breath away from making this happen," said Veins of Life Watershed Society, executive
director of the Veins of Life Watershed Society. "We're a decision away."
That final decision must come from Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
"At this point, there needs to be an urgent response from DFO to issue the authorization," said Veins of Life Watershed Society. "We certainly
can't wait a week for DFO to make a decision. It needs to be made in a matter of days."
Four-year-old Luna is also called L-98 for his birth order in L-pod. The pod has been seen in Seattle-area waters as late as February the past
few years, but has left as early as October, which raised concerns about a winter move. No one knows where the whales spend the winters,
though they have been seen off the Canadian and California coasts.
Marilyn Joyce, DFO marine mammal co-ordinator, was unable to return calls Sunday night.
Canada is already working with the U.S. agency and third parties on funding, said spokeswoman Lara Sloan with DFO's Vancouver office. She
noted that the cost of the move had been estimated at about $350,000.
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Once the plan is fully authorized, however, Veins of Life Watershed Society, also manager of the Luna Stewardship Project said: "I think we'll
find the other pieces of funding we need."
And once the Canadian government has given the go-ahead, the U.S. Navy has committed its resources
to transport Luna, possibly to Pedder Bay near Race Rocks.
"It's historic when you think of it," said Harris. "It's momentous. They should be applauded."
"No one will stop the U.S. Navy from taking Luna across the border, not even Homeland Security," quipped Veins of
Life Watershed Society.
The problem is not so much that Luna is on his own, said Lohn. There are previous incidents, dating back 100 years, of juvenile orcas living
on their own for up to a year.
But Luna's attempts to cozy up to boats pose threats to both sides. Recently, "just for fun, Luna was bouncing a sea plane," he said.
Such playful behaviour could have had disastrous results for the plane's occupants – and the whale has suffered deep gashes from
encounters with boats.
Safety concerns prompted Canada's decision to try to move Luna – with the work and expense farmed out to private groups. But those with
viable proposals couldn't come up with the money, Canadian officials announced last week.
Before being returned to his 18-year-old mom and two-year-old brother or several other relatives, scientists may fit Luna with a tracking
device. Suggestions include bolting a satellite tag through the cartilage tissue of his dorsal fin or using a VHF transmitter for short- and longterm tracking.
"This is a critical project to the survival of the orca population," said Harris. For more than 30 years, scientists have scratched their collective
heads over where the whales go in the winter – that answer's worth $100,000 alone, said Harris.
Luna turned up in Nootka Sound in July 2001 – either he followed his uncle who died, leaving Luna stranded and alone, or he simple got lost.
Either way, he has learned to take care of himself.
"This little guy is a survivor," said Harris.
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October 28, 2003
Luna Now Logistical Problem
Sandra McCulloch, Victoria Times Colonist
Where and how Luna the lonely orca is moved from Nootka Sound depends on how much money is available to do the job, said a Fisheries
and Oceans spokeswoman on Monday.
"Right now we're working with the (U.S.) National Marine Fisheries Service in regards to funding," said Lara Sloan of Fisheries and Oceans.
"We have to see what our funding options are."
On Sunday, representatives of the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Washington State Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. navy
announced an agreement to provide at least $100,000 to move the two-year-old orca from Nootka Sound back to its home pod in Juan de
Fuca Strait.
The news was welcomed by interest groups on both sides of the border but opinions remain polarized
on what is the best course of action – move Luna now or wait until spring.
Luna has been stranded in the inlet on Vancouver Island's west coast for two years, where his gregarious nature has posed a hazard for
mariners. The federal government wants Luna moved away from the village of Gold River before he or someone else is injured.
The move would take place either by truck or by boat. Luna could be held in a holding pen at Pedder Bay or dropped among its pod members.
The one-tonne orca continues to visit the dock at Gold River regularly but hasn't caused problems of late, said Grant Howatt at Air Nootka.
"He's around and about. He hasn't been bothering us so we don't bother him. He kind of stopped pushing on the fronts of boats," Howatt
said. Every move Luna makes raises concerns from the public, said Sloan.
"Luna wiggles his nose and we get a million calls. He still is a risk to public safety and can still be a risk to himself and that's why we're
making this move."
Luna is from L-Pod but has been heard recently calling J-pod as well. He knows J, K and L pods.
"That's the most disturbing news, even after all this time, after more than two years, he's calling for his family," said Veins of Life Watershed
Society of the Veins of Life Society on Sunday.
Both the Vancouver Aquarium and Seattle-based Global Research and Rescue submitted proposals to Fisheries and Oceans to relocate Luna.
Fisheries and Oceans is relying on advice offered by a panel of scientific experts as it makes its selection of the appropriate proposal. A
member of that scientific panel said Monday the federal government has prohibited him from commenting publicly on how best to move Luna.
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But Lance Barrett-Lennard, a research scientist at the Vancouver Aquarium, said news last week that
the federal government wanted to wait until spring for the move was a surprise.
"That caught us unprepared a little bit – (the panel) was not notified. It was not our recommendation."
Michael Harris of the Seattle-based Orca Conservancy believes Luna must be moved soon to have the
best chance of reuniting with his pod.
"Timing is critical right now ... we expect to hear from (Fisheries and Oceans) really, really soon. All
indications are that this is moving forward.
"There's no reason to wait. Absolutely no reason to wait at all. Let's give him the best chance."
But Bob McLaughlin of the U.S. Project Seawolf disagrees with a rushed process. Planning to move Luna in two or three weeks is
unreasonable, he said Monday.
"My gut feeling is the best chance for this whale's reintroduction to its pod is to do some behaviour modification over the winter and do a
move in the spring."
October 30, 2003
Luna Won't be Moved Until Spring
Ottawa gives cash to relocate lonely orca, but pod reunion delayed
Canadian Press
VANCOUVER (CP) - An isolated killer whale won't be reunited with his pod until the spring, despite an announcement Thursday that Ottawa will match U.S.
funds for the move.
The federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans will add $135,000 Cdn to the $100,000 US already pledged by U.S. officials for relocating Luna, who lives in
Nootka Sound off Vancouver Island's west coast.
The orca is notoriously social, bumping noses with boats and getting too close to tourists for scientists' comfort.
It was expected the whale would be moved this year, but a DFO biologist said Thursday he was glad the relocation was delayed.
The window of opportunity to move Luna is closing, scientist John Ford told reporters at a press conference.
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"To undertake a ... move, this late in the fall may not give him enough opportunity to bond
socially with his pod," said Ford.
This public statement was inaccurate, as Dr. Ford must have known. See “Luna Now Logistical Problem” above – “But Lance Barrett-Lennard, a research scientist
at the Vancouver Aquarium, said news last week that the federal government wanted to wait until spring for the move was a surprise.
"That caught us unprepared a little bit – (the panel) was not notified. It was not our recommendation."
The move must be done very carefully and slowly in order to give the whale the best possible chance to reunite with its pod near U.S. waters, he said.
More funding for the move is still required.
"Private funding from the public will still be necessary," said DFO official Marilyn Joyce. She did not say how much more cash was needed. Right now Luna, all
called L-98, is healthy and thriving. Low boat traffic in Nootka Sound means both Luna and the public will be safe for the winter, said Ford.
"When we first found him up there two years ago, we were quite concerned he wouldn't be able to make it through the winter," said Ford.
But the whale demonstrated the necessary survival skills and scientists aren't worried now.
"There are very few boats up there," he said. "He's looking fine. He's spending very little time interacting with boats."
Scientists had considered simply moving the whale to a remote location away from boat traffic. But the orca is fixated on boats and experts predicted he would
find his way back to people.
"The group felt if you took him to even the most remote inlet or bay on the coast, it wouldn't be long before he'd hear a boat and seek it out and follow that
boat to more boats," said Ford.
How Luna ended up alone in Nootka Sound near the community of Gold River remains a mystery. The four-year-old, who arrived in 2001, has attempted to
rub up against some boats and his need for human attention has been worsening as some people have reportedly tried pouring beer down his blow hole and
brushing his teeth.
Scientists have said captivity is an extreme option if reunion efforts fail.
November 1, 2003
November 2003
Ottawa Pitches In to Move Luna – In Spring
Victoria Times Colonist / Canada.com
Bill Cleverley
Is lonely Luna now lucky Luna?
The federal government has found $135,000 to relocate Luna the killer whale from Nootka Sound, but says the attempt won't be made until spring.
The delay has angered some whale-interest groups who worry for the solo whale's emotional well-being and want the four-year-old moved now.
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But a spring move will provide enough time for preparations and give the best chance of reuniting the young male with his pod, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Robert
Thibault said Thursday.
"It's a little bit of good news, but the bad news – from my perspective – is that we're going to wait another six months and that seems
to be fraught with risk," said Marc Pakenham, executive director of the Veins of Life Watershed Society.
DFO earlier maintained it had no funds available for the project. But Thibault announced his department will put up the $135,000 – matching $100,000 U.S. agencies
have offered to try to reunite the orca with its pod in Juan de Fuca Strait.
"I'd think we'd all like to see it happen as soon as we can, but ... it's a very complex undertaking," said John Ford, senior marine mammal scientist at Fisheries and
Oceans Canada Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo.
In theory, the whale could be moved at this time of year but it's probably not a good
idea, Ford said.
"Our goal is to give him ample opportunity to interact with his pod. The pod leaves the region entirely at some point in the winter. It could be as early as a month from
now, or in some years the pod stays longer.
"But we felt we had to work conservatively so that the whale wouldn't be moved and then released, only to have the pod leave the area. Then he would wander around in
an unfamiliar area where he may not be able to make a living in the winter."
Luna, who also is called L-98 for his birth order in L-pod, has been making Nootka Sound home for two years. He has become a bit of a celebrity in the inlet on Vancouver
Island's west coast and is known for playing in the harbour and nuzzling up to boats.
Ford said Luna has been doing well in Gold River for two years and there's no reason to suspect another few months will make any difference.
"He's already been out of the pod for a couple of winters. I don't think a few more months is going to make any difference one way or another.
"In the balance, it's probably better to take our time, to make sure he continues to do well for the winter and hopefully move him as soon as the pod comes back into the
area."
But Pakenham said Luna's future is jeopardized by the delay.
"This whale will now have spent most of his life as a solitary whale. I think those things really do compromise his future."
Much of the $135,000 could be spent by spring on monitoring, he said.
"I'm pleased that we've found some funding but it may be academic by the time March comes around and we've got a whale whose mental health is compromised beyond
repair," Pakenham said.
Luna's pod has been seen in American waters as late as February the past few years, but also has left as early as October, which has raised concerns about a winter
move.
No one knows where the whales spend the winters, though they have been seen off the Canadian and California coasts.
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News Release
Luna Seen Less Frequently
ReuniteLuna.com
November 24, 2003
Luna has been seen several times over the past week, but the sightings are less frequent. He seems to be spending more time alone, away from boats and
people. This, coupled with the higher waves, makes it more difficult to spot Luna.
For the past few weeks, Luna has been expanding his territory by venturing further away from Gold River. He has been seen as far away as Head Bay (where
he eats pilchards) and Zeballos (where there are fish farms on the way and people at the docks). These are both places that he has rarely ventured to in the
past. Luna was first seen in Zeballos in September.
Zeballos and Head Bay are much closer to the open water then Gold River. Zeballos is about 30-40 km from the open water (as a whale swims). If the L Pod
were to swim up the coast and remain in open water, they would still be outside of Luna’s acoustical range.
For the past few weeks, Luna has made regular rounds to the dock at Gold River, boats and log boom operators. Luna will return to Gold River when he sees
some of his favorite boats heading that way.
We can now confirm that Luna is aware of the dangers of Transients. We have received a report that Luna sensed some Transients were near. He quickly hid
under a log boom, was completely still and absolutely quiet until they left the area.
We have received a few reports that Luna was seen with another cetacean about three weeks ago. According to the reports, Luna was with a cetacean that had
a fin that was smaller than his. Due to poor weather conditions, the cetacean could not be identified. Nevertheless, it is interesting that Luna was seen with
another cetacean. We ask anyone who saw this to please contact us to provide further details.
To discuss Luna sightings in the forums, click here.
Note: ReuniteLuna.com does not post the exact location of Luna because we do not encourage people to interact with him.
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December 2003
December 12, 2003
FREE WILLY- KEIKO FOUNDATION / THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE US
KEIKO, THE MOST FAMOUS WHALE IN THE WORLD, DIES IN NORWAY
WASHINGTON, DC – The Free Willy Keiko Foundation and The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)
reported today that Keiko, the orca whale, died today in the Taknes fjord, Norway, in the company of staff
members who have been caring for him there.
Keiko's veterinarian believes that acute pneumonia is the most likely cause of death, though he also cited that
Keiko was the second oldest male orca whale ever to have been in captivity.
The two organizations managing Keiko's reintroduction effort expressed sadness at Keiko's death while also heralding his amazing journey.
David Phillips, president and founder of the Free Willy - Keiko Foundation stated, "Rescuing Keiko from a cramped pool in Mexico and bringing him back to his
home waters is the most spectacular effort ever launched for an animal." He continued: "Keiko was a champion; the most incredible whale."
Paul Irwin, president of The HSUS added: "Our intention from the very beginning, over a decade ago, was to provide Keiko with the chance for freedom, and
that is exactly what he got. He came a long, long way and showed that returning captive whales to the wild is not simply a dream."
Dr. Lanny Cornell, Keiko's lead veterinarian and a world renowned expert on orca care, stated: "The most likely cause of death is from acute pneumonia,
though it must be noted that at age 27, Keiko was one of only two male orca whales ever to have survived past 25 years in captivity." He continued: "We have
monitored Keiko's health very closely, and until only a day ago his appetite, activity and blood tests were all excellent."
Yesterday, Keiko exhibited signs of lethargy and lack of appetite. Consultation was continuous between his caretakers and Dr. Cornell. His behavior was still
abnormal this morning and his respiratory rate was irregular, but, as is often the case with whales and dolphins in human care, these were advanced signs of
his condition. With little warning, Keiko beached himself and died in the early evening local time.
A decade ago, Keiko was featured in the Hollywood movie, Free Willy, prompting a worldwide effort to rescue him from poor health, in an attempt to allow him
to be the first orca whale ever returned to the wild.
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December 12, 2003
KEIKO DIES By Joe Furia, KOMO 4 News (ABC Seattle) KATHY GOERTZEN, ON SET: It was a grand experiment, the release of a captive killer whale, taken home to Iceland after so many years in an aquarium... DAVE PHILLIPS, Free Willy-­‐Keiko Foundation: Keiko was just the most amazing whale that ever lived. KATHY GOERTZEN: Tonight Keiko, Hollywood's Free Willy, is gone. Good evening. We got the heart-­‐breaking news tonight from Norway. Keiko, the orca whale known to millions as the star of the Free Willy movies, is dead. He died this afternoon in Norwegian coastal waters following the sudden onset of pneumonia. It was quite an experiment when Keiko was taken from that aquarium in Mexcico City and then moved on to the Oregon Coast Aquarium where he was rehabilitated and eventually set free. Here's KOMO's Joe Furia... JOE FURIA: Hard believe that it's been ten years since so many of us first met Keiko. The star of Free Willy exposed millions to the issue of captive whales back in 1993. The drive to set Keiko free started after he was found sick in a Mexico City aquarium. The project to reintegrate Keiko with a pod of wild killer whale stirred an ocean of interest worldwide. Sound-­‐Up, "There he goes..." JOE FURIA: Seattle's Michael Harris, a Spokesperson for the Free Willy-­‐Keiko Foundation, says this orca opened people’s eyes. MICHAEL HARRIS, Orca Conservancy/Northwest Spokesperson, Free Willy-­‐Keiko Foundation: "I find Keiko to be a great inspiration, and I know that tens of millions of people around the world do as well. And I'm going to miss him." JOE FURIA: Keiko was rehabilitated at the Oregon Coast Aquarium and then airlifted to Iceland in 1998. His handlers prepared him for the wild, teaching him something that to many seemed natural, yet in captivity he never had to do – catch his own live fish. Keiko was released from Iceland in July 2002 and swam straight to Norway, an 870-­‐mile trip that seemed to some to be a search for human companionship. He first turned up near a Norwegian village, and there he allowed fans to pet and play with him, becoming such an attraction that animal protection authorities imposed a ban on approaching him. At 27, he'd already outlived most whales in captivity. But those closest to Keiko had no idea he was so sick. No idea the end of an incredible story was so close at hand. DAVE PHILLIPS: “Well, Keiko actually had been really healthy. He had been swimming actively, good appetite. It was only yesterday that we started to see any signs of problems. And Keiko was just the most amazing whale that's ever lived.” JOE FURIA: Well, he didn't live as long as many had hoped. But for five years, Keiko managed to become what many had long wanted him to be – a wild whale. (CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE) ORCA CONSERVANCY -
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KATHY GOERTZEN: It's quite a story. Joe, thank you very much. The Orca Conservancy says Keiko's death should not affect plans to relocate Luna. That's the young orca whale from Canada who's planning to come back home to Washington waters. (Orca Conservancy footage of Luna interacting with tourists in Nootka Sound, BC.) KATHY GOERTZEN: Luna is living off Vancouver Island. He became separated from his family pod more than two years ago. And he's not doing well by himself. He's become a threat to boats and to himself. Canada and the United States plan to reunite Luna with his L-­‐Pod family in the spring. December 13, 2003
KEIKO REMEMBERED KVAL (ABC Eugene, Oregon) ANCHOR: We all remember when a movie star made his home on the Oregon Coast. Tens of thousands in the Pacific Northwest would come to catch a glimpse of the icon known as Keiko. Now his caretakers at the Free Willy Keiko Foundation are speaking out about the orca's sudden and unexpected death. The Free Willy star who was once a main attraction along the Oregon Coast laid lifeless in the chilly waters of Norway. Caretakers say it happened fast. The 27-­‐year-­‐old orca seemed ill on Thursday and then stopped eating. He was then found dead Friday night after he was having trouble breathing. THORBJORG KRISTJANSDOTTIR, BIOLOGIST, FREE WILLY-­‐KEIKO FOUNDATION: “In the end we couldn't hear him breathe anymore, so that's when we took our flashlight and went out to have a closer look.” REPORTER: Pneumonia is being listed as the most likely cause of Keiko's death, who made Norway his home late last summer after surfacing in a western fjord. It's been an unusual life for the 35-­‐foot-­‐long mammal. He starred in three Free Willy movies. He was captured in Iceland in 1979, then sold to a Mexico City Aquarium. Seven years later, he arrived at the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport to start rehabilitation. Sound-­‐Up, TRAINER, OREGON COAST AQUARIUM: "Big guy, you want to come over here? REPORTER: Then two years later, hundreds of onlookers watched as handlers prepared the thriving orca for his journey home to his native waters of Iceland. The Northwest Spokesperson for the Free Willy-­‐Keiko Foundation, Michael Harris, says Keiko enjoyed freedom in the open sea for five years, even though he never completely reunited in the wild. Harris says they knew it would tough for Keiko after spending so many years in captivity. ORCA CONSERVANCY -
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MICHAEL HARRIS, Orca Conservancy/Northwest Spokesperson, Free Willy-­‐Keiko Foundation: “Yeah, it cost a lot of money to do that, as any start-­‐up would cost a lot of money to do. This has never been done before. But at the same time, how do you place a dollar value on a promise kept to millions of kids?” REPORTER: And it was that promise and passion for the beloved orca who won hearts in Oregon and across the world that kept caretakers by his side. No doubt, his memory will live on. THORBJORG KRISTJANSDOTTIR: “The most extraordinary memory is when we saw him with wild killer whales.” MICHAEL HARRIS: “Keiko is a part of all of our hearts, you know. He was an amazing animal. And he wasn't just a cool killer whale, he was just a cool soul in a lot of ways.” ANCHOR, ON SET: Touching story. Wow. Keiko. Caretakers say that Keiko will either be brought up on land or towed out to sea. They might hold a memorial service for him. We'll keep you posted. Keiko with wild whales in Iceland.
12:28 PM PST on Sunday, December 14, 2003
Activist: Keiko's Death Shouldn't Deter Luna Relocation Plans
Associated Press
SEATTLE – The death of the famous killer whale Keiko in Norwegian coastal waters should not affect plans to relocate a young killer whale from Canadian waters to his
Washington home, a whale advocate said late Friday.
Fred Felleman of the Orca Conservancy called Keiko a "global ambassador" and mourned his death.
Millions of dollars and a decade of work failed to coax Keiko, the long-captive star of the "Free Willy" movies, back to the open sea. The whale, who was 27, died after the
sudden onset of pneumonia in the Taknes fjord.
Felleman said the death of a whale who had been "subject to more stress than the average killer whale ever will be" should not dampen enthusiasm for next spring's
planned relocation of a young killer whale – nicknamed Luna – from waters off Vancouver Island to his home waters in Washington state.
"We are not daunted by this in our quest to see Luna get back home," he said. Canada and the United States plan to collaborate in an effort to move the young male
from remote Nootka Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island to his home waters.
Whale experts hope he will reunite with the "L" pod, his family.
Luna has been Canadian waters since he became separated from his family more than two years ago. He has grown increasingly aggressive in his interaction with boats,
posing risks to both himself and boaters.
After consulting with experts, Canada decided this fall to attempt the move in the spring.
Last year, the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service and Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans worked with public and private groups to successfully relocate an
orphaned Canadian killer whale – a 2-year-old known as Springer – from busy Puget Sound to waters near Vancouver Island, where she rejoined her family.
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December 19, 2003
ESA COURT VICTORY!
Endangered Listing for Elusive Orcas? Scientists Seek Clues to Decline
The Seattle Times
The lack of basic knowledge about the Northwest's signature marine mammal highlights the challenges ahead as
scientists search for clues to their decline.
This much is clear: The government may turn to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to try to save them, but applying it to a migrating mammal at the top of
the food chain could touch everything from construction along major rivers to cruise-ship operations.
U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik ruled Wednesday that the National Marine Fisheries Service ignored available science in 2002 when it decided against listing
the region's killer whales as threatened or endangered.
While he stopped short of ordering the agency to do so, most observers expect NMFS will do precisely that sometime next year.
"Anybody involved in environmentalism knows: You can't save a species without saving its ecosystem," said
Michael Harris, with the Orca Conservancy. "And the ESA looks straight to the ecosystem."
To date, scientists can't pinpoint why the southern resident orcas, which summer near the San Juans, have dropped from nearly 100 in the mid-1990s to 84
today, but they recognize several factors may be influential. Many have toxins such as DDT and PCBs in their blubber, some may not get enough food and
others may have run-ins with boats or parasite infestations.
And the single greatest threat to the population, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service, is a
catastrophic oil spill.
THE URBAN ORCAS… Seattle is the only major city in the United States with a resident killer whale population.
(photo: Mark Sears)
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Monday, December 15, 2003
Canada Enlists People to Monitor Lonely Luna
Associated Press
SEATTLE - Luna, the U.S.-born killer whale who's spent two years alone in Canada's Nootka Sound, is being monitored over the
winter by fisheries agents with help from local Indians, police and residents, Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans said
Monday.
The U.S. and Canadian governments are cooperating in an effort to reunite the 4-year-old orca next spring with his family, Lpod, which spends much of the year chasing salmon near Washington state's San Juan Islands.
In recent weeks, the fisheries department said in a news release, Luna has been wandering throughout the sound to forage
for food – moving away from the dock at Gold River where he'd become somewhat of a tourist attraction last summer.
Luna "was reported interacting with some of the local sea lions," the release said.
The agency has been working with its U.S. counterpart, the National Marine Fisheries Service, to determine the best means and timetable for moving Luna. The agencies
also have been consulting with a panel of experts formed to guide that effort and the successful 2002 move of another young killer whale.
Officials had hoped Luna would reconnect with his family on his own, but that has not happened. He's spent much of the past two years deep in Nootka Sound on the west
side of Vancouver Island. The decision to move him was made this year as his approaches to boats and seaplanes posed increasing risks. He also learned to disable
boats, which irritated sports anglers.
The winter monitoring program is being led by local fisheries officers in cooperation with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Mowachat/Muchalaht First Nation and
supportive residents.
The U.S. and Canadian fisheries agencies worked together in summer 2002 to move another young orca - a 2-year-old female called Springer - back to Canadian waters
from busy Puget Sound, where she'd wandered after her mother died.
That effort was deemed a success when Springer returned to Canada's inland waters with her family last summer.
Luna's situation is a little different. He's older and his mother, still alive, has a new calf.
The region's killer whale pods - known as the northern and southern resident populations - are fish-eaters that spend months in the waters between Vancouver Island and
the inland U.S. and Canadian coasts. It is not known where they spend winters, though they've been seen off California and Alaska.
The population of the U.S. group has dwindled from an estimated high of 125 animals to 84 today, including Luna, as it struggles with pollution, human encroachment and
dwindling salmon runs. NMFS declared the group a "depleted" population in 2002, which allows for more study.
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December 15, 2003
North Island Weekender
Ray Palmer
There is a killer whale at Gold River (L98 also known as Luna) isolated from other whales and has become fond of people and attracts their attention by rubbing against
their boats and allowing children to pat him on the head.
In fact, he has become so friendly that he has also become a nuisance, a pest now the novelty has worn off. In fact, there have been elaborate plans to capture him, hoist
him into a container on a boat and ultimately return him to his pack, sometimes called pod.
All this would involve a lot of people, boats and a great deal of money. And ignores the point that the whale may not want to rejoin his pod.
A man has been accused of hitting the whale with a board and he has been charged with disturbing a marine mammal. Maybe that’s the right idea, show the whale that
he’s not welcome and he will leave on his own free will.
December 24, 2003
Luna Lingers for Another Year in Nootka Sound
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
LISA STIFFLER
Luna, the orphaned orca, will be ringing in another new year in British Columbia's Nootka Sound. The 4-year-old orca appeared on the scene in summer 2001 and has
lingered on the west coast of Vancouver Island, entertaining and sometimes irritating folks with his penchant for people and their boats.
His relatives, meanwhile, have been migrating around the San Juans, Puget Sound and out to the coast. Luna reportedly likes having his tongue scratched and nudging
boats. He even towed one vessel that ran out of gas – away from shore, unfortunately.
But the interactions have come at a cost. This summer, Luna received multiple cuts, some likely caused by boats. At least two people have been fined by a Canadian
judge for petting the killer whale, and another awaits a court date for allegedly hitting the whale with a piece of wood. While he still appears to be in good health, people
have become increasingly concerned for his well-being. They're continuing to push for Luna's return to his pod.
"He's wary and still essentially wild, but he does spend a lot of time in relative proximity to human beings," said Marc Pakenham, who for the past two years has overseen
the Luna Stewardship Project, financed by Canada's Fisheries and Oceans Department. "That's certainly the No. 1 issue as we attempt the reintroduction process."
The stewardship project has monitored the orca and tried to keep people from getting too close. With the rain and cold, the number of visitors has declined, and Luna has
been spending more time on his own, said Lara Sloan, spokeswoman for Fisheries and Oceans.
Fisheries agents, local Indians, police officers and residents are keeping watch over the killer whale during the winter. This fall, the Canadian government finally decided
to try to reunite Luna, also known by his scientific name L-98, with his pod. A few weeks later, officials with the U.S. and Canadian governments each committed to
spending about $100,000 to move the orca. But by then the weather had gotten too stormy, and Luna's family was not around.
"It's a huge endeavor," Sloan said. "You can't rush that."
Now the plan is to try to capture and reconnect Luna with his family this spring, perhaps in April when his pod is likely to be in the area for a couple of months.
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U.S. and Canadian officials will work together on the reunification. More money is needed. The bill for reuniting another local orphan orca with her family in summer 2002
was about $500,000, mostly in the form of in-kind donations. The orca, Springer, is still with related killer whales and seems to be doing well.
Although costly, some say this is a small price to pay to return an orca to its family. The local orca population has declined in recent years and researchers are concerned
about the shortage of killer whales of reproductive age. The U.S. government declined to protect the local orcas under the Endangered Species Act last year, but last
week a federal judge struck down that decision.
There is a hope that reuniting the orcas with their pods will lead to more babies and help maintain the population's genetic diversity. Supporters of Luna's reunification
believe there is a good chance that the effort will succeed, in part because his mother is still with the pod.
"You would expect him to spend his life with his mother," Pakenham said. "That's what we're hoping."
Perhaps if a stranded killer whale wasn’t welcome, he’d return to his pod – maybe not.
February 2004
A Shot Across the Bow… Although we weren’t alerted by the Navy ahead of time, our media colleagues gave us the heads-up that this press conference was happening. Fred Felleman and Michael Harris were able to
attend and participate. Afterward, Fred and Michael went into a private meeting with Admiral Len Herring, with whom they’d been meeting secretly since the Shoup event. Out of that frank discussion, all parties
agreed to refocus our efforts on future sonar mitigation in Puget Sound, and how we might work together on the Luna effort. Despite this disappointing presser (no doubt done at the direction of Sec. Don Rumsfeld and
the Bush Administration), we still managed to keep the partnership for L98 intact. And Admiral Herring accepted our invitation to have the Navy as a Presenter at our upcoming Orca Conference.
February 10, 2004
Porpoise Deaths Remain Mystery
Associated Press
SEATTLE – Experts who examined 11 harbor porpoises that died last spring — around the time a Navy ship conducted sonar tests in the area —
found no evidence that the sound waves were a factor.
But so-called acoustic trauma cannot be ruled out since porpoise remains examined by experts were decomposed, the experts wrote in a report for
the National Marine Fisheries Service, a monitoring agency.
"No matter which side you're on, you can interpret the report as supporting your claims," Fisheries Service spokesman Brian Gorman said.
Decomposition of the remains made it "very difficult if not impossible ... to determine a cause of death linked to soft tissue," such as the animal's hearing organs, he said.
The experts found that two of the porpoises died of blunt-force trauma, possibly caused by hitting ships or colliding with other animals. Illness — such as pneumonia and peritonitis — was
implicated in the deaths of three porpoises.
No cause of death could be determined for the six other animals.
The investigation followed reports on May 5 of killer whales, porpoises and minke whales suddenly trying to flee waters around Haro Strait, just north of Puget Sound.
The Navy later confirmed that the guided-missile destroyer USS Shoup had been training with mid-range sonar in the area briefly that day.
"We believe this report proves ... what we've said from the beginning," said Rear Adm. Len Hering, commander of the Navy's Northwest operations. "The Shoup did not kill or cause the
deaths of those animals."
He said the findings are consistent with the Navy's own report, also released Monday,
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Fred Felleman, a spokesman for Orca Conservancy, a private protection group, said agitation displayed by marine mammals on
May 5 provided "indisputable behavioral evidence... of stress. Whether or not this resulted in their death or substantial impact on
their hearing or decreased their immunological capacity is difficult to determine."
He called for a halt to use of mid-range sonar in inland waters.
But Herring said the system on the Shoup, the only vessel stationed in the region with mid-range sonar, must still be used occasionally in the interest of national security.
Because of concerns about porpoises, however, the vessel now will get clearance from Pacific Fleet Command and Hering before the system is used.
The effects of sonar on marine life have been debated for years. Federal researchers linked sonar systems to whale deaths in the Bahamas in 2000.
February 26, 2004
Girl Draws on Enthusiasm to Assist Orca
Golsdtream Gazzette News
Keith Norbury
A five-year-old's drawings of orcas have raised over $400 to help reunite a lost orca from his pod.
When Katie Lewis of Langford learned the story of Luna, an orca who has received international attention for his habit of hanging around humans near Gold River, she took action.
"I saw a picture in the newspaper and I asked my mom how I can help get Luna reunited with his pod," Katie explained last week. "And then my mom said, 'How would you help the whale?' And
then I said I'll draw pictures and sell them."
"She is quite the amazing child," said Marc Pakenham, executive director of the Veins of Life Watershed Society and operator of its Luna stewardship project.
Katie presented a coffee jar jammed with coins and bills and wrapped in one of her signature drawings to Pakenham on Feb. 12 during one of her school's Voice of Nature concerts, with musician
Holly Arntzen, at the Isabelle Reader Theatre.
"We actually built it into the script," said Tom Hatcher, principal of Millstream Elementary School, where Katie is in Kindergarten.
Luna is about four years old and became separated from L pod, the southern resident pod of orcas, about two years ago. Pakenham speculates that Luna had wandered off with an uncle, who has
likely died, and ended up in Nootka Sound.
"They're social creatures, so his socialization with people is just an alternative to the natural socialization you'd expect him to do the wild," Pakenham said.
Unfortunately, his friendliness with people has caused him to be labelled a nuisance by some and made him the brunt of occasional attacks. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported in October that
Luna, known officially as L-98, had become increasingly aggressive toward boats and was a risk to humans and himself.
When Katie learned of Luna's plight last fall, she decided to do something about it.
She set up a little table in the school hallway during recess and started drawing pictures of orcas to raise money for Luna.
"She wasn't selling them so much as you got one if you made a donation," Hatcher said.
After news of Katie's fundraiser was posted on a couple of Web sites devoted to Luna, money even arrived from other parts of the continent at the Lewis's home and Katie's school, said her mom,
Adele.
"It was sort of neat that somebody who had been touched by her would make that effort to send the money to her," Adele said.
"Certainly any time a student gets passionate about a subject and goes on a mission to learn more about it and follows their dream, if you will, you can't help but be impressed," Hatcher said.
"It's quite amazing to see a five-year-old girl has been able to sustain her passion in getting Luna back to her family for as long as she has."
Hatcher said Katie has a lot of support along the way, from her family, classmates and Kindergarten teacher Bev Gruhun.
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"But it wasn't started out of the classroom," Hatcher said. "Katie brought this in as her project. It wasn't like a class project on whales or anything like that."
Pakenham is equally impressed by Katie's efforts.
"I think it's just quite unbelievable," he said. "I don't know if I've ever heard of another five-year-old who has put in that consistent effort. She has done it for six months."
It's taken longer than that for federal authorities in two countries to figure out what to do with Luna. Pakenham says all that needs doing is to transport Luna to his pod and he will be welcomed
back and life will return to normal.
"The only thing that is not working is the people who are charged with the responsibility of doing something," Pakenham said. "The decision was made to reunite him with the pod. That was
supposed to happen last fall and was apparently postponed until April of this year."
Canada's Department of Fisheries and Ocean and the United States National Marine Fishery Services both have jurisdiction over the L pod, which traverses the Canada-U.S. boundary. Like the rest
of the pod, Luna is an "international whale," Pakenham said.
It's not like there's a shortage of money. In October, each federal government pledged about $135,000 each toward Luna's reunification, the Seattle P-I reported.
"I think if a five-year-old can raise $400 towards Luna, maybe the bureaucrats can do the rest," Pakenham said.
He plans to take Katie and her mom, Adelle, on a marine mammal monitoring expedition for a day this summer and see Luna's relatives
DFO TO BEGIN RECOVERY PLANNING FOR PACIFIC KILLER WHALES
DFO Press Release
February 27, 2004
Vancouver, BC – Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is pleased to announce the launch of killer whale recovery planning for the northern and southern resident
populations as required by the Species At Risk Act (SARA). The northern resident population was designated as threatened, and the southern resident population
designated as endangered in November 2001 by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). Both populations are listed in Schedule 1 of
SARA.
A core group of technical experts has been selected by DFO to form the Resident Killer Whale Recovery Team. Their mandate is to assess the threats to the northern and
southern resident killer whale populations and to provide advice to the Minister on effective measures for recovering these populations. Team members bring expertise
from various relevant fields such as killer whale biology, population assessment, genetics and health, in addition to environmental pollution, acoustics, prey resources,
ecotourism and management. The team includes U.S. expertise, recognizing the trans-boundary nature of the southern residents and our common goal of protecting and
recovering resident killer whales.
“We are excited to bring together this extraordinary team of experts that will ensure any new protective measures are practical, effective and sustainable,” said Marilyn
Joyce, Marine Mammal Coordinator for Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Chair of the Northern and Southern Resident killer whale Recovery Team.
Early in the process, DFO will provide a formal opportunity through a technical workshop for killer whale researchers, stewardship groups, communities and industry
representatives to provide their expertise and perspectives on recovery objectives to the Recovery Team. The workshop is planned for the spring of 2004 and attendance
will be by invitation. Anyone interested in participating in this process should consult the DFO Species at Risk killer whale website for information on submitting an
application to participate.
Consultations are expected to commence in the fall of 2004, providing an opportunity for members of the public, First Nations communities and other government and
non-government organizations to express their ideas and views on killer whale recovery objectives and the approaches under consideration.
For more information on the recovery planning process for resident killer whales, including recovery team memberships and consultation information visit the DFO Species
at Risk killer whale website: www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
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March 2004
Orca Numbers Continue to Decline
Campbell River Mirror
Paul Rudan
About forty years ago a 50-calibre machine gun was set up at Seymour Narrows to shoot killer whales in order to protect wild salmon, recalls Dr. Lance BarrettLennard of the Vancouver Aquarium.
While the gun was never used, the story illustrates how much public perception has changed towards orcas.
"It's radically changed. Killer whales have become icons, so much so that we don't want people to touch them and we want to save every one of them," he says
from Vancouver.
Last week Dr. Barrett-Lennard was named co-chair of the new Residential Killer Whale Recover Team. The group of Canadian and American researchers is
working together to identify the threats to resident killer whales and to provide advice to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) on how to boost declining
populations.
"It's about time," says Bill Mackay who operates a whale watching business in Port McNeill. "In the past DFO has had little regard for killer whales."
Mackay and his wife Donna have watched and monitored the killer whales in Johnstone Strait since the late 1970s. In 1982, they were active in initiating the
Robson Bight Ecological Reserve, a marine protected area where killer whales go to feed on salmon and to rub themselves on round stones found on the sea
floor. But from the mid-1990s to 2000, the population of northern resident whales declined by seven per cent. Today there are about 200 northern resident
whales. The southern population of resident orcas is in worse shape. Over the same period, their numbers fell 20 per cent and, at last count in 2001, there
were 79 killer southern resident whales.
The southern population - residing in Georgia Strait, Juan de Fuca Strait and Puget Sound - has been listed as endangered since November 2001 while the
northern residents - Johnstone Strait - have been classified as threatened under the Species At Risk Act.
"It's nice to see we're paying attention to killer whales," says Graeme Ellis, a research technician at DFO's Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo. "We've looked
at leatherback turtles, right whales, sea otters, abalone - there are several species at risk - and now killer whales will get a lot of attention."
One of the key questions for Ellis is where do the resident whales go in the months when salmon aren't as plentiful in the straits?
"We don't know where these guys are in the winter and that's what we need to know," he says. "If a whale goes missing, it usually goes missing in the winter but that kind of research isn't easy because of the shorter days and the weather."
Another key for the recovery team will be how much funding will be made available to conduct research? That's unknown at this point but Dr. Barrett-Lennard
says one of the strengths of the team is two countries are co-operating with a like-minded goal: to increase the number of resident killer whales.
"This team is an example of quiet co-operation between Canada and the U.S.," he says. "On both sides of the border the process is fairly similar and that
doesn't happen often. We can share knowledge and work together."
Public perception of killer whales has radically changed in the last 40 years. Orcas are not a threat to salmon runs and they are not man-killers.
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Today, as Dr. Barrett-Lennard says, the public see killer whales as icons; they are the subject of movies (Free Willy) and corporate symbols (the Vancouver
Canucks). And wild killer whales in peril are receiving unprecedented assistance from people.
Two summers ago, a joint Canada-U.S. effort resulted in the successful return of an orphaned killer whale (A73 or Springer) to her home pod. And discussions
are ongoing about what to do with a young male killer whale (L98 or Luna) which has been stranded on the West Coast near Gold River for more than two
years now. The Resident Killer Whale Recovery Team is a good start for gathering new research and for formalizing plans of action.
"This is long overdue," says Mackay. "We're pretty excited. I think it's good."
News Release
Luna Spends Time With Sea Lions
ReuniteLuna.com
March 27, 2004
ReuniteLuna has had several reports of Luna around the Gold River area earlier this week. He appears healthy and playful. Luna has been swimming with some
sea lions, making dives and apparently playing with them. There are one or two sea lions that he seems to prefer as his “friends”. Luna likes to check out the
boats at the dock. When he is in the area, he spends time investigating them. Luna hasn’t been in the Gold River area for a few days.
To discuss Luna sightings in the forums, click here.
Note: ReuniteLuna.com does not post the exact location of Luna because we discourage people from interacting with him.
March 30, 2004
Finding Luna
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER STAFF
SEATTLE – University of Washington researchers are looking for 20 budding elementary school "scientists" to participate in a study on how computers can help
children with scientific problem solving and report writing.
The study will also look at how the human brain changes in response to learning. Participants must be in the fourth through sixth grades. They also must be
right-handed, good at reading and writing, and enjoy science. Minority children are encouraged to apply.
The study involves completing tests and having a non-invasive brain scan before and after the instructional portion of the project, which requires going to the
university 16 times for three-hour sessions between June 28 and July 23. During the sessions, children will learn about marine environment problems while
using a custom-made interactive computer program called "Finding Luna."
The program is based on the story of reuniting a lost juvenile Orca with its pod, and the threats facing Puget Sound's dwindling killer whale population.
Children can earn up to $100 for completing the testing and brain scans, and each participant will get a still image of his or her brain and a customized science
T-shirt. For information, contact project coordinator Patricia Stock at 206-685-2365, or at [email protected].
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March 30, 2004
Orca Conference at Rosario Resort
Journal of the San Juans/BC News Group
Finding a killer whale separated from its family and living alone was once unheard of.
In more than 30 years of intense study of the Puget Sound resident orcas and northern cousins, not a single case had been documented. But in the past three years there
have been two. Why?
That question and many others concerning the health and the plight of the Puget Sound killer whales — J, K and L
pods — take center stage during a three-day conference at Rosario Resort. Sponsored by Orca Conservancy, a local
environmental group and orca advocate, the conference begins April 5.
Known as the Southern Residents, the three pods are considered endangered in Canada, a “depleted stock” in the U.S., and soon are expected to be listed as endangered
by Washington state. The population dropped from 99 in 1995 to 79 in 2001, a decline of roughly 20 percent. Today, the population is estimated at 84; that number
includes Luna, who strayed from his pod three years ago.
The conference, co-hosted by Friends of the San Juans and The Whale Museum in Friday Harbor, kicks-off with noted
Canadian marine scientist Dr. Rob Williams presenting results of his research on the impact of sound on orcas. Federal
officials have relied on Williams’ research to help craft a recovery plan for the Southern residents, a requirement as part
of its listing two years ago as a depleted stock.
At 5 p.m., U.S. and Canadian officials are slated to discuss elements of the plan to reunite L-98, known as Luna, with its family when L-pod returns to local waters
sometime this spring. The 4-year-old orca was first discovered living alone in Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island three years ago. He has since become both nuisance and
celebrity, depending on increasing polarized points view.
Following successful reunification of A-73, known as Springer, two years ago and under pressure from orca advocates, officials on both sides of the border agreed to
finance and launch a similar effort on behalf of Luna.
The following day, the conference also celebrates the accomplishments of former Secretary of State Ralph Munro, and his wife Karen, on behalf of the orcas and the
couple’s commitment in protecting killer whales during the past three decades.
Munro, a long-time board member of Orca Conservancy, is credited with helping end the capture and removal of killer
whales from Puget Sound that began in 1965 and lasted 10 years. During that period, 57 killer whales were captured and
sold as attractions for display at SeaWorld and other marine parks.
The conference also features a presentation by U.S. Navy Capt. Bob Schlesinger. The chief of staff and second-in-command to regional commander Adm. Len Hering,
Schlesinger presents the Navy’s most recent research about underwater noise and its affects on marine life, and will outline the many conservation projects the
department has sponsored or is undertaking in the region.
For more information about the conference, the sessions and the speakers, visit www.orcaconservancy.org
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April 3, 2004
Canadians to Announce Killer Whale Relocation Plans
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER/AP
VICTORIA, British Columbia – Plans to reunite Luna, a U.S.-born killer whale who's spent more than two years alone in waters off Vancouver Island, with his American pod
will be announced Monday.
The federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans plans a news conference in Vancouver to announce plans for Luna's relocation from Nootka Sound.
A department spokeswoman said no information would be released before then.
Plans to reintroduce the whale to his family, L-pod, will also be announced Monday, said
Michael Harris, president of the Seattle-based Orca Conservancy.
The U.S. and Canadian governments are cooperating in an effort to reunite the 4-year-old orca with his relatives, who spend much of the year chasing salmon near
Washington state's San Juan Islands.
Harris said there is general agreement that the least invasive and cheapest method should be tried first.
L pod has already been seen off the coast of Washington.
The region's killer whale pods are fish-eaters that spend months in the waters between Vancouver Island and the inland U.S. and
Canadian coasts. It is not known where they spend winters, though they've been seen off California and Alaska. The reunification
attempt could take place in the next few weeks, Harris said.
Although it would be ideal to reunite Luna with his original pod, any of the pods would be likely to accept him, he said.
"We know these whales take care of each other, sometimes in very adverse situations," he said.
Luna is notoriously social, bumping noses with boats and getting too close to tourists for his safety or theirs.
"Right now he's playing with the sea lions, he's so bored, and
Stellar sea lions play pretty rough," Harris said.
Riverkeeper Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Orca Conservancy’s Michael Harris, Soundkeeper Sue Joerger in Seattle.
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April 2004
April 5, 2004
Plan to Move Lonely Killer Whale Unveiled
The Province
The fisheries department will take the wraps off its Luna relocation plan Monday in Vancouver.
The announcement follows months of preparations, after officials deemed it necessary to move the lonely killer whale from Nootka Sound off Vancouver Island.
It is expected Luna will be coaxed into a container for shipment to a bay on Juan de Fuca Strait for reunification with his pod.
Luna became separated from its family, known as the L pod, and has since become habituated to humans while swimming in Nootka Sound.
Scientists are concerned about danger to the killer whale from boats, and also about its social patterns in the absence of its whale relatives.
The orca's family, called the L pod, has already been seen off the coast of Washington.
Funding for the move is coming from multiple sources, including the U.S. government and a
Seattle-based foundation, the Orca Conservancy Group.
A Canadian government financial commitment to the project is expected to be announced at Monday's news conference.
April 5, 2004
Luna Reunion Plans Going Ahead
CBC
VICTORIA - The Department of Fisheries and Oceans will announce on Monday how and when it intends to reunite Luna the lonely killer whale with his pod near Victoria.
Luna has spent the past two years in Nootka Sound off Gold River on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Whale experts say he must be moved because his efforts to connect with people in boats and floatplanes could be dangerous.
Last summer, the DFO said it did not have any money to move the four-year-old orca. But the department is now expected to announce $250,000 dollars in joint funding
with its U.S. counterpart and private donors.
One of the people who has helped monitor Luna in Gold River says he's happy with the plan. Marc Pakenham says he's confident Luna will abandon his desire to make
contact with people, once he's back with his family.
"We saw success with Springer and Springer was not in as good shape as Luna. He's vocalizing and using the dialect of his family, so he has what he needs.
"Let's just hope the isolations hasn't reduced his ability to get back with his family," says Pakenham.
The move is expected this June.
Springer is a solo killer whale that was successfully reunited with her pod off the north coast of Vancouver Island almost two years ago.
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April 5, 2004
Plan Announced for Reuniting Whale With Pod
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER/AP
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Canadian and U.S. agencies announced plans Monday for getting a lone orca out of Nootka Sound, where it has been cozying up to boats
and float planes since separating from its pod in 2001.
If the pod swims close to Nootka Sound, on the west side of Vancouver Island, this spring, biologists will try to lead the orca, nicknamed Luna, to it. If that fails, they'll
capture Luna and move him to the San Juan Islands this summer or fall, when killer whales are in Washington waters.
The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service and Fisheries and Oceans Canada have each pledged $100,000 toward the effort.
The region's killer whale pods are fish-eaters that spend months in the waters between Vancouver Island and the inland U.S. and Canadian coasts. It is not known where
they spend winters, though they've been seen off California and Alaska.
Although it would be ideal to reunite Luna with his original pod, any of the pods would likely accept him, biologists say.
The U.S. and Canadian fisheries agencies worked together in summer 2002 to move another young orca - a 2-year-old female called Springer - back to Canadian waters
from busy Puget Sound, where she'd wandered after her mother died.
That effort was deemed a success when Springer returned to Canada's inland waters with her family last summer.
Over the weekend, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission added killer whales to the state list of endangered species. Commissioners hope the step will lead to a
federal listing for Puget Sound orcas under the Endangered Species Act.
April 5, 2004
Plan Underway to Reunite Lonely B.C. Killer Whale With Its Pod
Canoe
TERRI THEODORE
VANCOUVER (CP) - Luna, the lonesome killer whale that's been making some unsubtle - and uncomfortable - overtures to befriend boaters, will get a chance sometime by
the end of the summer to reunite with his own kind.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Vancouver Aquarium announced a plan Monday that will see authorities monitor the travels of Luna's home pod. "We do
not want to see this delayed," said Marilyn Joyce, the marine mammal co-ordinator for the Fisheries Department.
"We really are targeting to have this program, this plan, in place ready to proceed operationally by May 15."
If Luna's ancestral pod, named L-pod, travels near Luna's adopted home in Nootka Sound, off the west coast of Vancouver Island, officials will try to lead the one-tonne
mammal out to meet them.
But that's highly unlikely as the pod rarely travels that direction, said Joyce.
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Instead, the pod more often frequents the waters in the Juan de Fuca Strait, further south along the coast in waters not far from Victoria.
So experts with the Fisheries Department and the Vancouver Aquarium will have to capture Luna - not as hard as it sounds because it's his friendliness that's causing
problems.
He will be led into a net pen, then tested for any disease he could pass on to his family pod.
If his health is good, he'll be coaxed into a sling.
A crane will hoist the sling into a container of water on a truck, then the truck and Luna will head down the Island Highway.
Luna would be released in the neighbourhood of where her pod is expected.
"That's not 100 per cent yet," said John Nightingale, president of the Vancouver Aquarium.
"We're still working on some other options. But at the moment, that's the general thinking."
The move is expected to cost about $550,000. The Canadian government has put up $130,000 and the U.S. has put up $100,000. The aquarium is leading a fundraising
effort to find the rest.
Two years ago, a similar team helped relocate a female orphan orca, Springer, to Canadian waters from waters near Seattle.
But Springer was sick and in a high-boat-traffic corridor and was at considerable risk.
Authorities have been aware of Luna since just after the four-year-old arrived in Nootka Sound in 2001. But unlike Springer, he's appeared contented and healthy.
However, in the last year, Luna has become overly friendly, spurred on by visitors to the pier at Gold River who have tried to pet Luna.
There were reports of someone trying to pour beer down his blow hole and of someone else attempting to brush his teeth.
"At first, (Luna) would just swim up alongside the boat and kind of be content to look over the side and be touched by people, unfortunately," said Joyce.
"By the end of the summer, he was being more assertive in his behaviour, he was pushing boats around and in a couple of instances, he actually disabled the rudder or
the steering mechanism of vessels, so we had to have our Canadian Coast Guard enforcement out rescuing people."
Dr. Lance Barrett-Lennard, a veterinarian with the Vancouver Aquarium, is confident Luna will make the move just fine. But whether he'll be reunited as successfully as
Springer is unclear.
"Really, the question is how quickly the pod will accept him," he said.
Luna, a male, has been isolated longer than Springer, a female. As well, Springer was an orphan who was taken in by members of her extended family. Luna's mother is
still alive and with a new calf.
"I think we're prepared for it to take a while. Springer took a week or so to really join up with other killer whales. Luna could take longer," said Barrett-Lennard.
Officials are aware Luna's people-friendly nature could continue and Luna's home pod resides in water where there is more boat traffic.
However, Nightingale said the aquarium will be on a campaign to educate boaters.
"Boats will be one of the risk factors in this whole thing, overly friendly boaters driving up too close, whatever," said Nightingale.
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"That's assuming Luna doesn't just head straight for the first boat...We're going to spend the spring working with a lot of organizations teaching boating etiquette,
specifically around Luna."
News of the plan was greeted enthusiastically by the Washington-based People for Puget Sound.
The Puget Sound's southern resident orca whales were declared endangered this past weekend under the state's Endangered Species Act, the group said in a news
release.
Luna's pod currently only has one breeding male and the possibility of adding Luna is critical to the resident population, the group said.
"We are pleased both Canadian and U.S. agencies are recognizing the importance of our orca whales, both Luna and the entire resident population," the group's Kathy
Fletcher said in a news release.
However, the department's Joyce said aboriginal group near Nootka Sound are strongly opposed to moving Luna.
Luna has taken on a spiritual significance to the aboriginal people of the area.
"Their interest is in keeping this whale wild. That's what our interest is, so I'm hoping that we can find a way to meet everybody's needs."
April 6, 2004
Lonely Luna May Rejoin Orca Family
Removal from Nootka Sound in B.C. planned later in spring
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
Robert McClure
Luna, the lonely young orca lost in the back bays of Vancouver Island for nearly three years, will be the subject of joint Canadian-U.S. efforts to reunite him with his
whale family later this spring.
Experts will first attempt to lure Luna out to the Pacific Ocean off northwest Vancouver Island when his relatives pass by. But for various reasons, that's unlikely to work,
officials announced yesterday.
"If the opportunity presents itself, we will give that a try," said Lara Sloan, spokeswoman for the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans. "It's quite unlikely that
will happen."
"That's kind of iffy," added Brian Gorman, a spokesman for the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service.
Instead, the agencies are planning methods to try to capture the 4-year-old orca, including a series of contingencies, and to work out alternatives for how to reintroduce
him to his family, or pod. The whales can often be found around the San Juan Islands in the summer and fall.
Orca advocacy groups have been pushing hard for reunification. They point out that the population of orcas that frequents Puget Sound has been reduced to about 80, the
numbers depressed by pollution, lack of salmon and perhaps other factors. That's a reduction of nearly one-fifth since 1995, and the group needs every potential breeding
animal, conservationists say.
DFO and NMFS have been on record as being in favor of reunification since last fall, when both agencies announced they would kick in about $100,000 each.
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"I am glad that NOAA has come forward with a joint U.S.-Canadian plan to reunite the young orca, Luna, with his pod. Luna's behavior in isolated Nootka Sound has been
erratic, endangering himself and nearby boaters," said a prepared statement by U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., who helped secure the U.S. funding.
The young orca, apparently seeking attention and companionship, has increasingly approached boaters, rubbing on them and their boats and generally making a nuisance
of himself by the docks near Gold River, B.C.
Also known by his scientific name of L-98, Luna has been known to push around 30-foot logs for onlookers' entertainment, carry twigs on his head, jump out of the water
next to boats and push boats around with his nose. In one incident, he momentarily lifted a kayaker out of the water far enough that she was temporarily trapped.
The agencies plan to attempt a reunification no earlier than May 15, Sloan said, and the process could go on for weeks or even longer, depending on how things go.
The idea of leading Luna out of Nootka Sound to the ocean has several things working against it. For one thing, the movements of the orcas during the winter, when they
usually leave inland waters, is not well known.
Even if they were spotted off the coast of Vancouver Island, the agencies would have to move very quickly to get Luna to leave what he's come to consider home,
although he has been known to follow a DFO boat.
More likely, capture and transport will be necessary, officials said. And the money needed for that isn't all rounded up yet. The Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre
is trying to raise an additional $33,000 to $64,000, although that amount could be lowered if offers of boats, trucks and other help are offered, Sloan said.
Yesterday's announcement followed action by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission over the weekend to classify the orcas as endangered. The state action is not
expected to have a large effect on protection of the orcas.
But a separate action in which activists are seeking to protect the whales under the federal Endangered Species Act could have spark some major efforts to conserve the
animals.
NMFS rejected that idea, but conservationists in December won a federal court ruling ordering the agency to reconsider that decision.
April 6, 2004
Whale of a Time Ending for Vancouver Island Orca
Vancouver Globe and Mail
Jane Armstrong
VANCOUVER – Luna, the young West Coast killer whale that left his pod for a busy Vancouver Island harbour, will take a long, pricey truck ride this spring back to his
estranged relatives.
The goal is to get the 750-kilogram orca out of Nootka Sound, where the playful whale has become a nuisance to boats and planes in the nearby harbour, about 230
kilometres north of Victoria. The plan was announced yesterday by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Vancouver Aquarium.
The reunification will be costly; at least $550,000 to scoop Luna from the water, put the male orca in a specialized sleeve, then transport the animal by truck to the
southern tip of Vancouver Island. There, the whale will be held in a bay near the Juan de Fuca Strait, the body of water that divides Vancouver Island from Washington
state, and where Luna's pod arrives each June.
When the group of whales arrives, Luna will be released to join up with them. The planned capture date is May 15.
Nearly half of the reunification costs will come from taxpayers on both sides of the border; Canadian and U.S. federal fisheries departments will chip in about $260,000
combined. It's hoped that private donations will cover the balance.
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It will mark the second time that scientists attempt to bring a stranded West Coast killer whale back to its family. In 2001, a sickly, orphaned female whale was plucked
from the waters off Seattle and taken to kin off the northern tip of Vancouver Island. That whale, dubbed Springer, was spotted last fall still swimming with the pod.
The Springer rescue eventually cost nearly $800,000, much of which was covered by donations.
But Luna's journey home could be more bumpy – and not just because of the five-hour truck drive. While Springer was literally stranded in U.S. waters after her mother
died, Luna appears to have left on his own, highly unusual for a killer whale. In the 2½ years since arriving in the harbour, the orca has never tried to swim back to the
open ocean.
If anything, the four-year-old orca prefers the busy goings-on of harbour life. The whale has no fear of people and is regularly spotted rubbing against boats and
floatplanes. But Luna's sociability, which at first enthralled townspeople and even drew tourists to the tiny former mill town of Gold River, eventually wore thin.
Fisheries officials worried that Luna would one day flip a boat or plane. Last fall, the whale jammed a boat's rudder, stranding its passengers.
The decision to reunite Luna with his family was a tricky one for federal fisheries officials. Until last fall, the government said it wasn't in the business of saving stranded
marine mammals.
But once the United States stepped up, Canada agreed, too. The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service justified the move by folding the plan into its marine conservation
and research program. Under the plan, U.S. scientists will put a tracing tag on one of Luna's dorsal fins to track the whale.
Luna belongs to the whale group known as southern resident killer whales. Their summer range takes them up and down the U.S. and Canadian coasts, but scientists
don't know for sure where they winter. They've been spotted in waters off California and as far north as Alaska. If Luna's reunification is successful, the tag will provide
scientists with the first clue to the species' wintering grounds.
Despite best intentions, there's no guarantee the plan will succeed.
"Success isn't only rejoining the pod," Department of Fisheries and Oceans spokeswoman Marilyn Joyce said. "If Luna does not join his pod . . . but he's able to remain a
wild whale swimming around in his natural environment, then we're happy with that too."
Once free in the Juan de Fuca Strait, scientists say Luna could take up to a week or longer to join his kin. Luna's mother is still alive, but has given birth to another calf.
Some whale experts have said there's a chance Luna's mother won't even recognize her offspring.
One of the problems for scientists is that no one knows why Luna left his pod in the first place. Killer whale pods are tightly knit communities, with virtually no
immigration or emigration. And while it's rare for a whale to leave, it's just as rare for a pod to accept an outsider whale. There's a concern Luna will show no desire to
hook up with his pod even if the whale is deposited in the very same waters.
Despite the happy ending to the Springer saga in 2001, the orca's first few days with her pod were dicey – even dangerous. The female whale was attacked by the other
whales and her body was strafed with teeth marks.
Despite the uncertainty, Luna has clearly overstayed his welcome in Gold River, as his manner eventually turned him into a side-show. People lined the dock to watch him
swim and dive, taking pictures and tossing cookies into his gaping maw. Last year, a woman was fined $100 for petting the whale.
But research scientist Lance Barrett-Lennard is optimistic about Luna's chances. "We think he's robust enough to come through with flying colours."
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Orca Conservancy’s Ralph Munro and friends aboard the Orcas Express.
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It's Time to Help Luna Go Home
San Juan Islander
April 7, 2004
If all goes as planned, Luna will be back with his pod by fall. Canada and the U.S. have contributed $100,000 each to the estimated $500,000 effort to reintroduce the
wayward killer whale to L pod. The young orca has developed unwanted behaviors in the past three years while living alone in Nootka Sound. The social animal is putting
people at risk by seeking out boaters and float planes.
"We hoped Luna would naturally leave Nootka Sound," said Marilyn Joyce, DFO Marine Mammal Coordinator Pacific Region. "As government officials, we really see
intervening as not the best choice. But who knows what he has on his mind. We are making the decisions for him now."
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) and its Canadian
counterpart Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announced their plan at the Orcas Conservancy conference April 5, 2004 at
Rosario Resort.
The plan has two concurrent paths. If Luna’s pod ends up near Nootka Sound this spring, the two agencies will attempt to lead the whale to the pod. Since sightings at
this time of year are rare. the public is being asked to report any killer whale sightings, their location, the number of animals and direction of travel along the outer coast
of Vancouver Island to NOAA Fisheries at [email protected].
Because LPod may not be located near Nootka Sound this spring, the agencies are also planning a capture/relocation approach for the summer/fall when the southern
resident killer whales are found near the San Juan Islands.
Kari Koski of The Whale Museum stressed the importance of the public staying away from Luna. Video was shown of the whale seeking out boaters. "Boaters have to turn
their engines on, speed up and get away," she said. This is the exact opposite of the normal whale watching guidelines. "We have to work with people to tell them how to
run away," she said.
The Vancouver Marine Aquarium is one of the partners in the reintroduction effort. The aquarium helped return Springer to her pod last year. "The aquarium will be in
charge of the actual capture and holding in a net pen in Nootka Sound," said Joyce. Medical tests will be conducted to make sure Luna does not have any disease which
would endanger L pod. The whale appears to be in excellent health.
The most likely spot for the release will be on the south end of Vancouver Island, so Luna will be able to hear or project out his calls as L pod passes by. "Once he has had
acoustical contact he will be released." Joyce said.
Joe Scordino and Brent Norberg of NOAA Fisheries noted the project would not be possible without the cooperation of both the U.S. and Canada Navy and Coast Guard.
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell's (D. Wash) successful effort to obtain funding to help with whale research was an important part of the project, they said.
While Canada is heading the release effort, the U.S. will be in charge of the post release activities. The U.S. Navy agreed to help with satellite tracking of the whale after it
rejoins the pod.
Besides calling in whale sightings and staying clear of Luna, the public can also help by donating to the project through the Vancouver Aquarium and The Whale Museum.
Donations are tax deductible. Whale Museum Director Rich Osborne noted one loophole in tax deductibility - donations of more than $500 by Americans to the aquarium
in Canada are not completely tax deductible. Corporations or groups do not have that limitation. Donations to The Whale Museum's Luna fund are not affected by the
$500 limit.
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April 7, 2004
Navy Says It Will Give Orca Researchers a Little Help
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
Robert McClure
ORCAS ISLAND – The Navy is promising to help return a wayward young orca to his family and to use sophisticated tracking equipment to examine a long-standing,
potentially crucial mystery about Puget Sound's killer whales – finding out where they spend their winters.
And the service is redoubling efforts to avoid using sonar where it might hurt orcas, a top Navy Region Northwest official told conservationists here yesterday. Still, he
said, national security demands that sailors be able to practice using sonar in the Puget Sound area.
"We're committed to environmental compliance, and we're committed to working with these folks," Navy Capt. Robert Schlesinger,
chief of staff to the Navy Region Northwest admiral, said as he prepared to address a conference of orca conservationists.
The announcement came 11 months after the USS Shoup used what onlookers called a particularly loud sonar off the coast of San Juan Island, causing orcas to behave
strangely and other marine mammals to flee as if in a panic.
Marine mammal researchers increasingly question whether noise – and particularly military sonar – interferes with the animals' sonarlike system of navigating or other
survival capabilities.
Conservationists greeted yesterday's announcement with measured optimism.
"We saw a real opportunity here to take what was a regrettable incident and try to get something good out
of it," said Michael Harris, president of The Orca Conservancy. "We had looked for a baby step of
cooperation, and that was to help us on the Luna project."
Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., had previously announced that the Navy would help orcas, but the commitment had been
ill-defined until now. And Harris said he hopes to persuade the Navy to provide additional logistical support, perhaps
vessels or marine mammal experts, as the Canadian-U.S. plans are firmed up to rescue Luna, the 4-year-old orca in a
remote waterway off Vancouver Island.
Canadian and U.S. officials this week announced plans to reunite the animal with his whale family, or pod. It's unclear how Luna, then a baby, became separated from the
pod. The reunification plan calls for trying to lead him out of Nootka Sound to the ocean if his pod passes by.
But that's unlikely to happen, U.S. and Canadian authorities say, in part because no one keeps close watch on where orcas go when they leave Puget Sound in the winter.
That's where the Navy's plan to help with orca research comes in. If, as expected, Luna has to be captured and transported to meet his family somewhere near the San
Juan Islands later this spring, the Navy would attach a tracking device to him. The device was developed for the Navy by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
The lack of knowledge about where the orcas go in the winter is considered a major gap by researchers who are trying to explain the local orca populations' decline of
roughly one-fifth since the mid-1990s.
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They believe accumulations of PCBs, industrial chemicals known to harm reproduction, are affecting the orcas. They want to know where the killer whales go in the winter,
in part to check out if they are visiting someplace high in PCBs. Schlesinger, running through several pro-environment activities the Navy has undertaken, from recycling
two-thirds of its waste to restoring salmon habitat, told conservationists that special steps are being taken to avoid using the sonar around orcas.
They include updating a tool used by Navy spotters to include pictures of orcas, and the upcoming production of an interactive CD to train sailors to recognize the
creatures. And Navy officials are working out a way they can cooperate in keeping an eye out for the orcas as a matter of course, funneling the information to
conservationists and researchers
"We want Navy ships to report if they see orcas," Schlesinger said. "I don't know that we can ever get them to say, 'Oh, that's L-91,' but we can get them trained to say
those are orcas, and that's the way they're headed."
The service has increased research funding on marine mammals from just under $7 million two years ago to $10.5 million in the current budget.
Five of the 18 Navy ships with home ports in the region have the capability to use the active midfrequency sonar that appeared to spook orcas and other marine
mammals when the Shoup, a guided-missile destroyer, passed through Haro Strait May 5.
One of the five vessels, a submarine, would not commonly use the sonar, Schlesinger said, and the other four use it only about 1 percent of the time they are under way.
Naval vessels represent only 2 percent of ship traffic and 1 percent of vessel-generated noise in the Sound, Schlesinger said. Cargo and passenger vessels are responsible
for 34 percent and 31 percent, respectively, according to 2002 Center for Naval Analysis study, he said.
However, the Navy's sonar is relatively loud: 230 decibels, compared with, say, 170 decibels from a ferry or 162 from a small inflatable boat. Still, orcas "echolocate," or
send out pulses similar to sonar, to find their way, at 200 to 225 decibels, Schlesinger said. And an array of seismic air guns used for mapping the ocean bottom and to
find undersea oil deposits can reach 255 decibels, he said.
"We're not promising we're never going to use sonar," Schlesinger said. "We're just promising we'll try to make sure whether there are marine mammals around,
especially orcas, when we do it."
"We want to be ready when we go to war," Schlesinger said, adding that mines found in Iraq after the American-led invasion there were set to be deployed to destroy
U.S. ships.
Even most orca advocates acknowledge that the Navy must train using the sonar.
Nations including Iran, North Korea and China are running superquiet diesel-electric subs that can stay underwater avoiding detection by other methods for increasingly
longer periods of time.
"We're in a wartime," Harris said.
"They've got a job to do – to protect ships and to protect us, and they're blind without sonar."
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Luna Belongs With L-Pod
Victoria Times Colonist
April 8, 2004
Luna is going to get a new home – whether he likes it or not. The killer whale, officially known as L98, is wearing out his welcome in Nootka Sound, so the plan is to
reunite him with his pod in a few weeks.
The plan calls for Luna to be lured from the water at Gold River and trucked to the south end of Vancouver Island, then released when his pod is in the area. It's a risky
move. Luna split from L-pod in 2001 – no human knows why – and there is no guarantee that he will be welcomed back with open flippers.
The attempt must be made, however – not for Luna, but for all killer whales.
Killer whales are already listed as an endangered species under Canada's Species At Risk Act, and Washington state put them on the state's endangered species list last
week. The resident whale population has dropped about 20 per cent since 1995.
The L-pod is the most endangered of the resident orca pods found in this area. It is down to just one breeding male, and the pod simply can't afford to have one of its
young males cavorting with the boats of Nootka Sound when he should be getting to know female orcas instead.
Under a plan devised by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Vancouver Aquarium, Luna will say goodbye to the Gold River area in the middle of May. The
Canadian and U.S. governments have already put up more than half the $550,000 expected cost, but $250,000 is still to be raised.
Even if Luna rejects the L-pod – or if the L-pod rejects him – it will be money well spent.
With the survival and well-being of the entire pod at risk, the least we can do is try to help.
U.S., CANADA ANNOUNCE PLAN TO REINTRODUCE KILLER WHALE TO POD
NOAA Magazine
April 8, 2004 — NOAA Fisheries and its Canadian counterpart, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Monday announced a cooperative plan to return the juvenile killer whale, known as Luna,
or L98, to its southern resident population. The four-year old whale separated from his family group has been living alone in Nootka Sound on the west coast of British Columbia since
the summer of 2001.
(below) NOAA Fisheries Joe Scordino and Brent Norberg and DFO’s Marilyn Joyce announce L98 Action Plan at the Orca Conservancy Conference on April 5, 2004. After learning that NOAA Fisheries and DFO
were announcing at Orca Conservancy’s event, Dr. John Nightingale hastily scheduled a press conference at Vancouver Aquarium to announce the Plan on April 4th.
NOAA Fisheries discussed the plan at a public meeting on April 5, as part
of a three-day public forum, “For the Love of Orcas,” sponsored by the
Orca Conservancy at the Rosario Resort & Spa on Orcas Island.
If Luna’s pod ends up near Nootka Sound this spring as biologists suspect, the two agencies will attempt to lead the whale to his
family pod. Historically, sightings during this time of year are rare and both agencies are asking the public and other government
agencies, including the Coast Guard and Navy, to report any killer whale sightings, their location, the number of animals and
direction of travel along the outer coast of Vancouver Island to NOAA Fisheries at [email protected].
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Because Luna’s pod may not be located near Nootka Sound, the agencies said that money and other resources are needed to move ahead with a plan for
capturing and moving Luna south to rejoin his family group when it returns to southern British Columbia waters in the early summer. Public donations and inkind contributions are being solicited for the relocation.
The agencies are working with the Whale Museum in Washington state and the Vancouver Aquarium in British Columbia to implement the plan. The museum
and aquarium are prepared to receive contributions from groups or individuals.
NOAA Fisheries and Fisheries and Oceans Canada began working on the joint plan when both governments pledged $100,000 each for the reintroduction effort.
“Beyond returning the young animal to his family, reintroduction is necessary,” the agencies’ officials said. “The whale has developed unwanted behavior,
damaging property and putting people at risk by aggressively seeking out boaters and float planes.” Officials with both agencies said reintroduction provides
the best opportunity for Luna to end his dangerous behavior, while allowing him to remain in the wild.
NOAA Fisheries is dedicated to protecting and preserving the nation’s living marine resources and their habitat through scientific research, management and
enforcement. NOAA Fisheries provides effective stewardship of these resources for the benefit of the nation, supporting coastal communities that depend upon
them, and helping to provide safe and healthy seafood to consumers and recreational opportunities for the American public.
NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing
environmental stewardship of the nation�s coastal and marine resources. NOAA is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
April 11, 2004
Device Installed to Protect Lonely Orca Luna
Vancouver Sun
Luna, the lonely orca whale known for bumping into boats off Nootka Sound is getting
some protection before he can be reunited with his pod.
An acoustic deterrent device has been installed in at the Air Nootka Dock.
The speakers are suspended underwater and will emit a sound to keep the 4-year-old
whale away from boats and floatplanes.
Details are still being finalized, but Luna will be captured off Nootka Sound and likely
trucked down Vancouver Island to a bay near Victoria.
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April 18, 2004
Navy to Aid in L-98 Reunification
The San Juan Journal
Kelley Balcomb-Bartok
The U.S. Navy will aid in the return of L-98, or Luna, to its Southern Resident killer-whale pod this summer.
This announcement came as the U.S. and Canadian governments released their reunification plan at The Orca
Conservancy Conference April 5-6 at Rosario Resort.
Luna will be led this spring from Nootka Sound to where its pod may be swimming. If that is unsuccessful, Luna will be captured and transported to southern Vancouver
Island. The Navy has offered to provide sophisticated tracking devices and provide killer whale spotting reports to researchers.
The Navy’s offer of support comes 11 months after a Navy destroyer, the USS Shoup, used a powerful sonar off the west side of San Juan Island while killer whales were
present. The whales reacted to the sonar by fleeing the vicinity of the ship, according to Ken Balcomb and volunteers at the Center for Whale Research on San Juan
Island.
Balcomb and volunteers witnessed the whales’ reaction.
“The whales are my constituency and the whales come first,” Balcomb said. This was not the first time Balcomb had observed whales in the vicinity of naval exercises.
On March 15, 2000, Balcomb saw 17 whales, mostly beaked whales, strand in the Bahamas over a 24-hour period. The whales were found to have severe, and in some
cases lethal, damage from mid-frequency sonar used during an international naval exercise in the vicinity.
The Navy, according to Capt. Robert Schlesinger — chief of staff to Adm. Len Hering and second in command of the Northwest fleet — is willing to help balance national
security and marine mammal protection. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t care about whales,” he said.
The fleet stationed in this region include three frigates, one guided missile cruiser, two aircraft carriers, three fast logistic support vessels and nine submarines. Three
frigates, one guided missile cruiser and one submarine are equipped with the more powerful “active” mid-range sonar that has been found to harm whales.
Active sonar is used to locate obstacles, barriers and minefields in the water. It is also instrumental in locating submarines undetectable by any other means. According to
Schlesinger, the Shoup may have been doing a minefield drill in the Strait of Juan de Fuca when it passed the killer whales.
Schlesinger said that of all vessel traffic in the region, 34 percent are cargo carriers, 31 percent are passenger vessels, 17 percent are tugs, 9 percent are tankers, 2
percent are fishing vessels, 2 percent are Navy vessels, and 4 percent are other vessels. He said this vessel traffic may have a significantly larger impact on marine
mammals than the Navy.
Schlesinger offered the following noise levels for comparison: wind and rain on the water’s surface, 90 decibels; Bell 212 helicopter at 100 feet, 159 decibels; Zodiac
whale-watch vessel, 162 decibels; state ferry, 170 decibels; large tanker, 177 decibels; orca echolocation, 200-225 decibels; military sonar, 230 decibels; seismic air gun,
255 decibels; lightning striking the water’s surface, 260 decibels.
Sound travels five times faster in water. Underwater sound waves have a cap above and below and, like sound bouncing in a stairwell, when sound bounces off so many
points a person eventually can’t hear it.
The same principle is true of mid-frequency active sonar. A vessel generates sound in a narrow or enclosed area, where sound is trapped, creating not a spherical but
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cylindrical pattern. This cylindrical sound wave creates a nexus of intensity which can travel 30-50 miles with tremendous efficiency.
According to Dr. Peter Dahl, principal engineer at University of Washington’s Applied Physics Laboratory, “There are indications that this may have occurred in the
Bahamas situation.”
Schlesinger said, “Since the May 5, 2003 event, all ships in the Navy’s Pacific fleet now must get direct authorization from the Pacific Fleet Command prior to turning on
the active sonar.”
He added, “We need to find a balance ... Navy operations and environmental compliance are not mutually exclusive. And the Navy is committed to assist in the orca
recovery plan.
OC TIMELINE: ORCA CONSERVANCY ENLISTS U.S. NAVY TO THE LUNA EFFORT
On May 5, 2003, the USS Shoup conducted a sonar exercise in Washington’s Strait of Juan de Fuca. The Southern Resident Community of orcas were just a few miles away, as were
countless porpoises, minke whales and other wildlife. Also within earshot was pioneering orca researcher and former Navy Acoustics Specialist Ken Balcomb, and Dr. Dave Bain, who
was doing a Vessel Impacts Study funded in part by Orca Conservancy. Several porpoises later washed up dead. And Orca Conservancy hit the Navy hard in the local media.
The next week, in hopes of clearing the air, Orca Conservancy Board Member and five-term Secretary of State Ralph Munro organized a secret meeting between the Regional
Commander of the Navy, Admiral Len Herring, Michael Harris and Fred Felleman of Orca Conservancy, and Balcomb. Michael and Fred presented the idea of inviting a representative
of The Whale Museum and Orca Network to the meeting. The six of them met at a private residence on Bainbridge Island, the first of what would become five meetings between orca
advocates and the Navy – including one with the Deputy Undersecretary – that resulted in a pledge by the Admiral Herring not to conduct future sonar exercises when orcas are
present. To this day, by all indications, the Navy has kept to that pledge.
In one of those first meetings, the Admiral suggested that we come up with some initial project we can work on together, to show good faith on both sides. Michael recommended
that the Navy assist on the Luna effort. The Admiral liked the idea and together with Fred, Michael put forth a list of Naval assets that could be commanded during a capture and
translocation of the whale – including a torpedo extraction vessel with an on-board crane, which would eliminate the need to employ a crane barge as was used during the Springer
operation. The Navy was agreeable in principal to offering these assets, but could not commit of course until a hard date was set for the operation. The Navy additionally offered its
marine mammal experts from San Diego, and to assist in the post-release tracking of the whale. By all indications, as Michael is quoted below, "We saw a real opportunity here to
take what was a regrettable incident and try to get something good out of it. We had looked for a baby step of cooperation, and that was to help us on the Luna project."
The Navy stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Sen. Maria Cantwell in early October 2003, publicly pledging Navy support on the Luna rescue. In April of 2004, Adm. Herring’s Second-InCommand participated as a Presenter in Orca Conservancy’s three-day conference in the San Juan Islands, at one point even opening the floor to questions – some of which were
pretty hard-hitting. But the dialogue we created was an extremely unique and positive experience for everyone. The Navy continued to provide assistance as the Luna project
moved forward. And it was showing good faith on addressing the sonar question, working now with the University of Washington’s Applied Physics Lab, a match Orca Conservancy
made to encourage the two groups to develop a high-tech way to keep tabs on where whales are in the Sound – to ensure that another Shoup incident doesn’t happen here again.
But the goodwill soon fell apart. Going against the confidentiality agreement between the Navy and the individuals present at the secret meetings, and without notifying Sec. Munro
or his own organization, Fred wrote a guest column in a Seattle newspaper announcing to the world that the Regional Commander had availed himself to orca advocates.
The cat was now out of the bag and the Admiral was furious. It caused him great consternation among his Command, probably all the way up to the Secretary of Defense.
Still, the Luna effort forged ahead. But we broke trust with a valuable partner.
See “Enlisting Navy’s Voice for the Silent Sea,” page 171.
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April 30, 2004
Group Questions Canada's Luna Strategy
The Sun Link
Christopher Dunagan
Orca Conservancy, one of the Northwest's leading whale-advocacy groups, has accused the
Canadian government of failing to prepare for the safest method of reuniting Luna with his family.
Luna, a lone killer whale in Canada's Nootka Sound, has learned to follow an enforcement boat that frequently checks on him. Both U.S. and Canadian officials have said
that leading Luna within hearing range of his pod, or family group, is the "preferred option."
Luna belongs to L-Pod, one of three close-knit groups that frequent Puget Sound.
Fred Felleman of Orca Conservancy said Thursday that Vancouver Aquarium is making no plans for a "boat follow," but is focusing on a "hard capture." The aquarium is
Canada's chief contractor to rescue the whale. "We have a real sense of urgency here," Felleman said. "It's a bit disingenuous to say that a boat-follow is phase one of the
plan, and then not put sufficient effort or resources into trying to make it happen."
Marilyn Joyce of the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans told The Sun that leading Luna out remains her top priority.
"We have fish officers in Gold River prepared and on call to lead Luna out if L-Pod is sighted in the area of Nootka Sound," she said.
Agencies and volunteer groups are on the alert for L-Pod sightings, she added.
Felleman argues that more could be done to locate L-Pod, which was sighted off the Washington coast about a month ago, but nobody initiated tracking.
May 2004
May 1, 2004
Potomac Watch: Cantwell, as Leader of the Pod, is Circling NOAA
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
CHARLES POPE
WASHINGTON – Luna, the wayward orca lost off Vancouver Island for nearly three years, washed up on Capitol Hill this week.
Not in the flesh, of course, but in spirit as the annual battle to secure money for orca conservation resumed.
This time the stage was the Senate Commerce Committee, where Sen. Maria Cantwell, a Democrat who's known as the custodian of Luna's
interests and orcas in general, demanded that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration include money in next year's budget to
stabilize dwindling orca populations.
"If you're saying it's a depleted status, then where's your money?" Cantwell asked Commerce Undersecretary Conrad Lautenbacher during a hearing Thursday.
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"How can you do the research to try and save them and reverse the decline of the population if you're not going to spend any money on it?" she asked.
Lautenbacher responded with a muddled answer. The money, he said, could already be in the budget but in a different account. Or, it may be one of the items deleted
altogether. He wasn't sure but he told Cantwell he would investigate and report back.
There was no denying, however, the budget squeeze on NOAA. The White House has proposed cutting the agency's budget next year by 8 percent, which translates to a
$308 million reduction. Cantwell and other orca advocates worry that the $1.5 million included in this year's budget for orca research and conservation will sink like a rock
as NOAA tries to conform to its tighter budget.
Lautenbacher didn't provide much hope, noting that sacrifices must be made. "There are not that many new initiatives," he said. "This is a wartime budget."
The focus, he said, is maintaining the agency's core missions, including understanding climate change, providing "weather and water information" and updating its aging
fleet of research ships.
Lautenbacher acknowledged that some items had to be cut and that orca conservation might be in that group. This state of affairs is familiar for Cantwell, who has
emerged as the pod leader in the Senate for all things orca.
The past two years she has been able to shoehorn money into the budget for orca research and conservation, $1.5 million last year and $750,000 the year before that.
By budget standards, what Cantwell wants is a mere drop in the ocean. To most folks, though, the dollars are real. Efforts to reunite Luna with his whale family have cost
$350,000. Fishery biologists said the move was necessary because the very social Luna was becoming too friendly. Luna is attracted to boats and some people have tried
to pet him, pour beer down his blowhole and even brush his teeth.
Cantwell reminded Lautenbacher that money for orcas is a congressional priority that should be continued. Cantwell didn't mention a specific figure, but she argued that
spending money now would save money in the long run. If orca stocks, which currently are classified as "depleted," continue their dive the whales could end up on the
endangered species list. Such a listing would require, by law, actions to reverse the decline, including restrictions on how land is used.
And as anyone watching the history of salmon or spotted owls knows, the cost and the controversy quickly escalate.
No one disputes that potential. Only last month the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission added killer whales to the state list of endangered species. Unless the orca
population achieves a dramatic increase, the state listing is likely to be accompanied by a federal listing for Puget Sound orcas under the Endangered Species Act.
May 2, 2004
Mowachaht/Muchalaht Meet With DFO
Ha-Shilth-Sa Newspaper, published by the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council.
Brian Tate
Tsaxana - Marilyn Joyce of DFO and Clint Wright of the Vancouver Aquarium met with Tyee Hawiilth Mike Maquinna and his council on April 8th in Tsaxana to discuss
issues surrounding the plans to remove Tsuux-iit (Luna) in May or June.
"Over the past couple years we have had discussions on Tsuux-iit (Luna) and the plans to move him back to his family and we have been pleased on the work that has
been done between our two groups," said Marilyn Joyce. "In your letter you have expressed that you are opposed to the plans and I very much respect that. As people we
sometimes overstep our boundary in regards to wildlife," said Marilyn.
Jerry Jack then explains how the late Chief Ambrose expressed what he would like to come back as when he goes home. "When I go home, I want to come back as a
Kaka win, Ambrose said to me," said Jerry. "That's what happened, this whale showed up shortly after his passing," said Jerry.
"This whale is not going anywhere as long as we are here, he is healthy and we would like nature to take its course," said Jerry with a heavy sigh.
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Marilyn replied to Jerry's remarks with "Our first inclination was the same as yours to let him stay, once it was determined that he was healthy I agreed. But my concern
is his safety and the safety of the people, you and I know better to leave him alone but there are others that would harm him. Who knows if he will be accepted or not by
his pod. And who knows if he came here as your late chief to be with you, but he has done well by bringing us closer at the table," said Marilyn.
Questions of "What if" started to rise towards DFO and Vancouver Aquarium. "What if he doesn't take to his pod, then what?" asked Mike Maquinna. "What if he plays with
the boats down there, then what?"
Marilyn Joyce responded with, "I have to come up with a plan if he does not take to his pod in the next couple weeks, and the final decision will be coming from the
Ministry."
"With your plans of removing the whale you are infringing on their religious beliefs and they (Mowachaht/Muchalaht) have met the requirements in documentation. Can
you lay out all the options you may have?" said Roger Dunlop of the NTC Fisheries.
"Our first option is to help him reunite with his pod if they go by here. Our second option is to let him swim into a pen on his own, or third we use a tail rope to get him
into the pen or finally enclose him with a net," said Joyce. "Being a sensitive topic of using an aquaculture pen we have had discussions with Conuma Hatchery to use one
of their pens," said Marilyn.
After Marilyn spoke, Clint Wright explained that the Vancouver Aquarium does not want, nor do they have an interest in having a killer whale in their aquarium. The
aquarium is only there to lend expertise in the moving of the whale. "It would take approximately one hundred pounds of food per day to hold him in a pen, and I am
hoping someone local or from the tribe would help feed him and catch food for him," said Clint.
Discussions around leading the whale down the coast arose, and it was explained that this type of removal is fraught with danger because it would take approximately 74
hours to lead the whale. In order to lead the whale you would have to train it to follow then you would have to untrain him and how do you do that?
"So you are going to do this regardless of what we say, aren't you?" said Jerry Jack.
Hesitantly Marilyn Joyce responded with a "Yes".
Frustration started to rise from the Mowachaht/Muchalaht side and it showed when the statement of "We have been through this process so many times with you DFO,
Ministries, Fish Farms and while we are meeting, documents are being signed somewhere else. How can we trust you DFO? When are we going to be equal? When are we
going to share information properly? When can we trust you?"
"You are right about one thing," aid Marilyn, "documents on Public Safety are being done," she said.
"Although you are interested in our culture and would like to know more, your policy dictates to you on what to do," aid Mike Maquinna.
Again the beliefs about the Killer Whale and wolves being one came up and explained and that former Chiefs came back as either, and that essentially DFO and Vancouver
Aquarium are kidnapping a Chief. The Mowachaht/Muchalaht have unfinished business with the whale, and only when they let their tears go at a "Memorial Potlatch" will
that happen.
Regardless of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht distaste for the removal of Tsuux-iit (Luna), DFO and the Vancouver Aquarium are going ahead with their plans to reunite L-pod
and the whale.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), in collaboration with NOAA Fisheries (US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) announced a plan to relocate the juvenile
killer whale Tsuux-iit, also known as Luna, to its pod in the Juan de Fuca Strait two weeks ago.
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May 6, 2004
Orca Reunion Bid May Use Pedder Bay
Victoria Times Colonist
Judith Lavoie
Luna the lonely orca will be temporarily confined in a net pen in Pedder Bay if an attempt to reunite him with his pod at the entrance to Nootka Sound fails.
Marilyn Joyce, Department of Fisheries and Oceans marine mammal co-ordinator, said a decision has been made to use Pedder Bay, off Metchosin, to hold Luna if it is
necessary to transport him out of Nootka Sound.
The most likely scenario is that Luna first will be confined in a net pen by the old mill site in Gold River, now owned by Green Island Energy Ltd.
He will be tested there for any diseases he could transfer to his pod.
He will probably then be packed into a sling in a tank on a huge truck and with RCMP escorts and a contingent of vets and scientists, a nighttime dash will be made for
Metchosin.
"Vancouver Aquarium has been doing wet runs this week," Joyce said.
"When you have a whale in your hands you have to make sure there are no problems,"
Luna will be taken to the water off Department of National Defence land at Rocky Point ammunition depot and the pen will then be moved away from the military
operations area.
Each day, about 35 kilograms of live fish will be piped into the net pen so Luna does not get used to receiving food from humans.
"The fish will magically appear in the net pen," Joyce said.
The next step will depend on the whales: "We wait for L Pod to swim by and hope they make contact."
Ideally, Luna then swims off into the sunset with his family and will be monitored by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Whale Museum in
Friday Harbour through satellite and radio tags. There will also be special patrols to keep people and boats away from him.
Timing will depend on L Pod, which usually appears in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and off the San Juan Islands between May 15 and June 15.
The aim is to have the relocation plan ready to go between mid-May and the beginning of June, but everything rests on the Vancouver Aquarium raising enough money.
Aquarium president John Nightingale said the latest figures show that $220,000 must be raised in cash and $70,000 in donated goods and services for the operation to go
ahead.
That comes on top of funding of $130,000 from the Canadian government and $100,000 US from the American government.
"We think we have about $45,000 in our hands and good leads on another $60,000," Nightingale said.
But fundraising is going slowly.
"If we don't have it by May 15 or 20 it will put a real crimp in things. It would stop it," Nightingale said.
Luna, or L98, a four-year-old orca, appeared in Nootka Sound, an inlet off Vancouver Island's west coast, 21/2 years ago.
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He has managed to feed and look after himself and is physically thriving. But the increasingly hefty orca has taken to socializing with people, cosying up to boats and
nuzzling seaplanes. There is general agreement between DFO and NOAA that Luna is an accident waiting to happen.
Before the net-pen-and-dash-down-the-island plan is put into action, an attempt will be made to lead Luna out of Nootka Sound with a boat just as his pod is passing by.
However, even the most optimistic supporters of the walk-the-dog approach know it is a remote hope. The whales cover tremendous distances and L Pod is not usually
seen in the waters off Nootka Sound.
Ed Thorburn, DFO field supervisor in Nootka Sound, knows Luna well and it would be the DFO boat Luna would follow if his relatives appear in the area.
"Leading him out into the open water would be best for everyone, and especially for Luna, but the chances are pretty remote," Thorburn said.
Thorburn and Vancouver Aquarium scientists spent Wednesday measuring Luna in preparation for the move. He is 4.2 metres long, his dorsal fin is 56 centimetres and he
weighs about 1,360 kilograms.
"He's a big boy. He's in really good shape. He's also incredibly intelligent," Thorburn said with affection.
REUNITELUNA.COM Q&A
With Vancouver Aquarium President Dr. John Nightingale.
Questions sent by Gail Laurie and Ryan Lejbak on May 10, 2004;
answers in italics provided by Dr. Nightingale on May 11, 2004.
Dear Ms. Joyce and Dr. Nightingale,
On behalf of the pubic who visit the ReuniteLuna web site every day, we are
writing this open letter to ask you for clarification on some issues related
to the plan to attempt to reunite Luna with his community.
Over the past few weeks, we have received many emails asking a variety of
questions which we cannot answer. It is our hope that you will have answers
to these questions at the public forum on May 11th in Seattle. We further
ask you to reply to this letter in writing so that we may post it on our web site.
There have been varying (and therefore confusing) quotes in the media about
how much it will cost to move and monitor Luna. As you are aware, NMFS
quoted the cost to move Springer at about $280,000 to $300,000 US. This was
the US side of the operations costs. When you add in the donated time and effort
by the Vancouver Aquarium, DFO’s non-reimbursed costs, plus the funds donated
in Canada, you come out with $600-750,000 Canadian.
Will you please provide a detailed budget as to the estimated costs involved in
moving and monitoring Luna? Will you outline the costs that could be
deducted as in-kind services? Why are the in-kind services being capped at
a 5 to 1 ratio of cash to in-kind?
ORCA CONSERVANCY -
JN: We will provide a budget – the first refined one will be handed out at the Seattle
public meeting on May 11. As you can guess, budgeting for this kind of operation
is complex, and things keep changing. The reason the in-kind costs are low (by ratio)
is that the single biggest cost is staffing for the capture and care (estimated at 45 days).
While the Aquarium can and will provide some staff, it is unable to keep the Aquarium going
while providing the full required complement of animal care staff that will have to be with
Luna 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Extra staff hired for this operation will have to
be paid – this is not an in-kind donatable item.
Also, it is widely believed that, if the Vancouver Aquarium has not met
their fund raising goals by May 15, the Aquarium will not go forward with
their participation in the project. This has caused a great deal of
speculation. Would you please clarify what will happen to the plan to move
Luna if there is not enough money raised?
JN: The Aquarium is a self-supporting (meaning no annual operating subsidy from
any level of government) non-profit organization. While we can provide staff time
and expertise (up to a limit), we cannot provide the cash funding needed to pay for
outside contracted staff, rentals, and the many other items which must be rented
or purchased.
This whole operation is mandated by, and partially funded by DFO and NOAA.
They are unable to fully fund it. We are using our fundraising skills and capacity to
try and make up the difference. If we are not successful, there will not be the funding
required to cover the costs, and the operation may not go ahead. That decision will be
up to the two government agencies based on the funding available.
If enough money is not raised by May 15th, would the DFO consider
reconvening the scientific panel to discuss other options?
JN: DFO will have to answer this question.
Last fall, the Vancouver Aquarium stated on their web site that, if they
were not involved in moving Luna, they would turn the relevant monies raised
over to organizations that were subsequently involved in the move on the
instruction of DFO. Now, the Vancouver Aquarium web site says that; “If
sufficient funds are not raised and we can not execute the rescue and
relocation plan, we will redirect the donated funds to our Marine Mammal
Rescue and Rehabilitation <http://www.vanaqua.org/mmrr/aboutus/history.php>
program.”
JN: We have said all along, if for some reason, the physical translocation does not go
ahead, large pledges or donations will be returned. We set a limit of $1,000 because
of the complexity of issuing tax receipts which cannot be retracted. Thus, we are
holding large gifts or pledges in trust for Luna. Small donations (and almost all are
less than $100) will go to the permanent Marine Mammal Rescue Fund. It is not
practical to hold small donations, nor is it possible to give them back. We have raised
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ORCA CONSERVANCY -
less than $5,500 (including funds donated last fall). Over 40% of those funds came from
Aquarium staff, Board, and regular donors. All of that money will be used for the “Plan B”
physical translocation.
What about all of the people who made contributions last year? If Vancouver
Aquarium is not involved in the move, will they still redirect those funds
to groups still actively involved in the plan to reunite Luna?
JN: Anything above $5,000 will go to other efforts if the physical translocation does not
go forward – the Aquarium has spent over $50,000 in out-of-pocket costs and staff
time to date. Assuming the translocation goes forward, we expect the staff time,
equipment, and cash donation to the whole operation to exceed $100,000 Canadian
(nearly matching the Government’s commitment).
Finally, why did the Vancouver Aquarium set a minimum of $1,000 for
donations that will be returned in the event that the VA pulls out of the
project? Does this mean that donations less than $1000 will be considered
as part of VA general revenues?
JN: No, it was a simple figure that was chosen to represent the difference between large
gifts or pledges, and the many small ones. It is impractical to hold small amounts
(the $25 and 40 dollar gifts) in trust, they have to be processed, and cannot be returned
once a tax receipt has been issued. As noted above, any funding remaining when all of
this is done will go to the permanent Marine Mammal Rescue Fund to continue this kind
of work in the future.
Ryan Lejbak
Gail Laurie
ReuniteLuna.com,
On behalf of the public
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OC TIMELINE: NIGHTINGALE’S BAD MATH
Around this time, Dr. John Nightingale was consistently providing misinformation about the total costs of the Springer operation, and using those inflated figures to estimate the anticipated costs of rescuing Luna.
As mentioned before, he also admitted to us that he was seeking a back-end arrangement with Marineland Ontario that would provide the Vancouver Aquarium a paid commission on the sale of the orca, in the
event he and his handlers ever determine the reintroduction a failure – EVEN if they had to remove the orca from U.S. waters. VanAq wasn’t volunteering their efforts for Luna; they were bidding on the job.
It was particularly frustrating to our volunteer group, because we knew EXACTLY how much it cost to move Springer – because we took the lead in sourcing the Prescott Grant and the matching funds to make it
happen. It cost $266,666.66 USD to get her home, not a penny more. And it cost VanAq nothing. And in fact, the Aquarium no doubt saw a huge spike in its ticket sales, memberships and donations with the
high profile we helped create for them. We made them look like heroes. Still we were forced to continue to be the truth cops, and at every turn Nightingale seemed to be spreading lies and passing the hat.
His estimates on rescuing Luna were obscenely inflated – substantially more than what was needed for Springer. To which Orca Conservancy President Michael Harris once asked on CBC Radio, “Springer was a
startup project. Luna is the second go around. Why would this one cost more?” For a while, the talks between Orca Conservancy and Nightingale were direct and respectful (see e-mails below). Bu then like a
child who doesn’t get his way, Nightingale exited the discussions – as he did once on live radio during a CBC discussion with Michael, causing the host to remark on air, “Well, that was strange.” Not many
organizations could challenge Nightingale when he tossed around cost estimates… but we could, and did. We had to. Being honest about the budget for Springer was critical to have an honest discussion of Luna’s
prospects. When asked by the media to corroborate Nightingale’s estimates for Luna, we had no choice but to set the record straight. We paid all these bills in past, so we know how much it cost to do this rescue
and repatriation thing. The truth of the matter is, relatively speaking, it’s actually not that expensive. And considering the biological returns for the bucks spent, it’s a bargain.
CORRESPONDENCE: Orca Conservancy’s Michael Harris and Vancovuer Aquarium President Dr. John Nightingale trading e-mails on the costs of translocating orcas. And Dr. Nightingale
privately passing the hat for donations to an organization for which he continuously and conspicuously showed disdain.
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PLAN A
OC TIMELINE: GETTING THE MOWACHAHT/MUCHALAHT ON BOARD WITH THE BOAT-FOLLOW
Orca Conservancy was now not only pushing hard for “Plan A,” the boat-follow option of reuniting Luna with his pod, but also taking extraordinary leadership to
help make this “culturally sensitive approach” happen. We enlisted the support of the boat follow from Chief Mike Maquinna – through an introduction we got
from Bill Cranmer, Chief of the Namgis First Nation, a critical partner during the Springer effort. Chief Cranmer made a call to Chief Maquinna, at the behest of
Michael Harris and Dr. Paul Spong of OrcaLab, and that discussion opened the door to our talks. Together with the generosity of Peter Hughes and others, OC
was able to fly Fred to Nootka Sound for that first meeting with Maquinna. We then collectively worked to secure his trust – primarily through the public
statements we were making in the media, urging DFO to respect First Nations rights in addressing any plan concerning this whale in their ancestral territory.
Toward the efforts on the “soft introduction,” the boat follow, we also put our time and money where our mouths were – we provided support to Keith Wood, who was now anchored off Yuquot at the mouth of
Nootka Sound watching and listening for Southern Resident whales off Vancouver Island’s West Coast. We brought a state-of-the-art hydrophone to Keith at Yuquot, donated to us from our friend Joe Olson at
American Cetacean Society/Puget Sound. And Michael personally delivered the gear to Yuquot – in part via a plane ride to Nootka Sound by Smithsonian writer on assignment, Mike Parfit. Mike was also kind
enough to offer his services as pilot as he and Michael scanned hundreds of miles of Vancouver Island coastline, looking for whales. To our great disappointment, the orcas did an end-around – the Southern
Residents took The Inside Passage on their way back south to Puget Sound rather than the West Coast, and we lost our best chance to lead Luna out to them by boat. Plan A was now Plan B, the direct
intervention, rescue and translocation, and our work began anew to enlist the critical support of Chief Maquinna and the First Nations… because clearly, DFO and VanAq weren’t giving it much thought.
May 11, 2004
U.S., Canadian Officials Discuss Luna Relocation Plan
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER/AP
The Associated Press
NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK. Michael Harris on site survey of Yuquot, BC. Photo: Mike Parfit.
SEATTLE – First, find L Pod!
The main concern among U.S. and Canadian fisheries officials and whale advocates working on a plan to reunite a young killer whale with his U.S. family is to spot his
relatives as they return from the Pacific Ocean to their summer home in inland waters.
"Nobody's seen them," Janet Sears of NOAA Fisheries said Tuesday night after a meeting that drew some 50 whale advocates eager to learn the latest details of the Luna
relocation plan.
"Our main concern right now is we need to see L Pod, find L-98's family and hook them up," she said.
Luna, or L98, appeared in Nootka Sound, an inlet off Vancouver Island's west coast, more than two years ago after separating from his U.S. pod.
He has managed to feed himself but has also taken to socializing with people, cozying up to boats and nuzzling seaplanes. Boaters on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian
border, the U.S. and Canadian Navy and Coast Guard vessels are being asked to report any orca sightings, Sears said.
A joint U.S.-Canadian Luna reunion plan, released a month ago, was discussed in detail at the meeting, which featured representatives of the Canadian Department of
Fisheries and Oceans, NOAA, the Vancouver, B.C., Aquarium and the Whale Museum of Friday Harbor, Wash.
"There's certainly a real good feeling about the efforts that have gone into it so far," Sears said.
The main focus now is on the last week of May and the first week of June, Sears said, a time when L Pod has historically been seen around Vancouver Island and in the
Strait of Juan de Fuca, en route to waters around Washington state's San Juan Islands.
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The first plan would be to try to get Luna to follow a Canadian Fisheries boat out of Nootka Sound to meet his pod as it swims by, Sears said. Luna is used to seeing the
boat since it intervenes when he gets too cozy with other boaters. If that isn't feasible, the fallback plan would be to move Luna to a net pen in Pedder Bay, about 140
miles to the south near Victoria, British Columbia, and wait there for his pod to swim by.
If the 5-year-old whale is successfully reintroduced to his relatives, there was also discussion of the need for monitoring "to make sure he doesn't go back to interacting
with boats and people - educating folks to avoid the whale," Sears said.
Vancouver Aquarium president John Nightingale said between $118,000 and $151,000 (Canadian) was still needed for the relocation, Sears said, although the figure is
changing often and many in-kind pledges for things like transportation and veterinary expertise are being received.
Nightingale said he would be releasing a specific budget in the next few days.
The Canadian government has committed $95,000 to the effort and the U.S. government is providing $100,000 ( U.S.)
Fred Felleman of Orca Conservancy said activists eager to help the effort have been asking to see the budget, hoping to
find opportunities to offer additional in-kind donations
May 12, 2004
Help Hook Up Lonely Whale
Calgary Sun, CP
VANCOUVER – Boaters on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border are being urged to help find the family of Luna, a killer whale living alone in the waters off Vancouver
Island. It's part of a plan to reunite the whale with his pod, which will likely swing in to action by June.
The pod that includes the five-year-old orca's mother, grandmother, two uncles and a brother is expected to appear within a month in the Puget Sound area of
Washington state.
The U.S. and Canadian navy are keeping an eye out for the pod, and boaters are being asked to report any orcas as well.
The plan calls for a wide range of fisheries officials, whale experts and volunteers to reunite the whale with his family either in Juan de Fuca Strait or near the entrance to
Nootka Sound off Vancouver Island, where he has lived alone for three years.
May 12, 2004
U.S., Canadian Officials Discuss Luna Relocation Plan
KATU2.com, AP
SEATTLE - The plan to reunite a young killer whale with his US family is still on. But first, whale experts have to find the family.
At a meeting in Seattle tonight of US and Canadian fisheries officials and whale advocates, the most immediate concern was the need to spot Luna's relatives as they return from the Pacific Ocean
to their summer home in the inland waters of Washington and British Columbia.
Luna is a member of the "L" pod of killer whales. But he got separated from them more than two years ago, and has been hanging out in Nootka Sound, an inlet off Vancouver Island's west coast.
He's been causing problems there – nuzzling up to boats and so forth – and experts have a plan to reunite him with his pod.
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But first, they have to find the pod, so they can start the process of reuniting Luna with his relatives.
Boaters on both sides of the US-Canadian border, and US and Canadian Navy and Coast Guard vessels, are being asked to report any orca sightings.
The "L" Pod has historically been seen around Vancouver Island and in the Strait of Juan de Fuca during the last week of May and the first week of June, as the orcas return to waters around the
San Juan Islands.
May 12, 2004
$150,000 More Needed in Effort to Aid Orca
The Seattle Times
Nguyen Huy Vu
American and Canadian government officials say they will need another $150,000 in donations by Saturday to reintroduce Luna, a U.S.-born killer whale, back to his pod.
Luna, or L98, appeared in Canada's Nootka Sound, on the west side of Vancouver Island, after separating from his pod in 2001.
Marilyn Joyce, marine-mammal coordinator for Fisheries and Oceans Canada, said she was "optimistic" that Luna could successfully be reintroduced by summer but expressed concerns last night at
a public hearing at the Seattle Aquarium.
"We're at a critical junction," she said. "We may not be able to proceed here, and I would hate not to have the money lined up."
The U.S. and Canadian governments have been cooperating to reunite the 4-year-old orca by next month with his family, L-pod, which spends much of the year near the San Juan Islands.
Fisheries officials will try to lead the whale out of Nootka Sound next month to the Strait of Juan de Fuca just as his pod is passing through. The decision to move Luna was made after he began
approaching boats, docks and seaplanes, prompting safety concerns.
The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and Fisheries and Oceans Canada have each pledged $100,000 toward the effort. Officials estimated last night the entire cost of the move and
monitoring Luna will cost around $350,000. Fisheries officials said if Luna is not able to reunite with his family, they plan to get the orca to swim into a net enclosure, have veterinarians check for
diseases and release him near southern Vancouver Island by truck.
Bill Arntz, director of the Seattle Aquarium, thinks Luna will end up like Springer, the orphaned Canadian female orca who turned up off Vashon Island in early 2002. She was safely transported to
the north of Vancouver Island and released to her native clan in July 2003.
"If you can hit a home run once, you can hit a home run twice," he said.
OrcaLab Becomes Personnae Non Grata
(left) Researcher Lisa Larssen from OrcaLab, keeping an eye (and ear) on L98 from the cliffs above Nootka Sound. Not long after OrcaLab reported that Vancouver Aquarium
staff were inappropriately interacting with the orca on the water, potentially jeopardizing efforts to de-acclimate him from human contact, DFO abruptly revoked OrcaLab’s
Scientific Permit to continue acoustically monitoring Luna. The Luna Research Project continued on First Nations land, based on a boat donated by Orca Conservancy.
On another occasion, when the L98 rescue in Nootka Sound was nearing, OrcaLab Director and DFO Scientific Advisory Panel Member Dr. Paul Spong went down to the Gold
River dock, the site of the L98 operations, to visit Lisa. Dr. Spong was told by the gate guard that he was banned by name from the site by DFO and/or Vancouver Aquarium’s
Dr. John Nightingale. OrcaLab had just graciously hosted the entire Springer team from DFO and The Aquarium on Hanson Island, and now were being returned this insult.
“Say it ain’t so,” Dr. Spong would inquire to DFO’s Marilyn Joyce. It was so. And it coincided suspiciously with Dr. Spong’s thoughtful comments in the BC media wondering if
DFO might be moving too soon on the hard capture, “Plan B,” before giving the boat-follow option, the soft reintroduction “Plan A” a few more weeks to work. Our guess was
that this was as much Joyce’s call as it was Nightingale’s, another in an increasing amount of personal vendettas he was pursuing while tightening his grip on access and public information regarding this project.
With each day, the operation and Nightingale became less transparent – and trust was eroding fast, particularly among the local First Nations. A report disseminated about Nightingale alerting Gold River EMT to
“the possibility of tear gas injuries.” He had put a request in to close the airspace above the operation, to discourage news helicopters. He hired his own “pool photographer,” to share images with the media.
Later we learned that VanAq and the feds were negoatiating a deal with that pool photographer so that only his channel would get exclusive access to most of the footage. Kicking Dr. Paul Spong off the site was
the final straw for us, so we began reaching out to Chief Maquinna, getting an entrée through our friends at the Namgis First Nation whom we contracted to catch wild salmon for Springer. We smelled a captivedisplay wonk trying to bum rush his way into Native Canadan ancestral territory and keep everyone out – including the Indians. Unless someone gave Nightingale some pushback, this whale was in trouble.
That’s when Orca Conservancy came up with the idea of the monitor-photographer…
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May 12, 2004
Hunt On for Luna's Elusive L Pod as Reunion Hopes Build
Victoria Times Colonist
Judith Lavoie
Phone home L Pod – we have your lost whale.
Boaters, conservation groups, the U.S. and Canadian navies, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are
among groups hunting for the orcas that spend their summers in Juan de Fuca Strait.
It is a mystery where the whales spend their winters, but at the end of May, they swim down the coast of Vancouver Island.
Hopes are high that Luna, the four-year-old solitary orca from L Pod who has lived in Nootka Sound since 2001, is about to rejoin his family.
The least dangerous way to reunited the family is for Luna to follow the DFO boat to the mouth of Nootka Sound when the pod is within auditory range. But one problem
is finding L Pod and then persuading Luna to follow the boat at exactly the right moment.
However, if L Pod turns up around southern Vancouver Island, it means Plan B will kick in. That would see Luna caged in a net pen in Gold River, tested for diseases and
then put in a sling in a tank and trucked down Vancouver Island to another net pen at Pedder Bay, close to where his family hangs out in summer. When acoustical
contact is made, the hope is Luna will rejoin his family and lose his interest in boats, people and seaplanes.
Keith Wood from Act Now For Ocean Natives is monitoring activity at the mouth of Nootka Sound in his 15-metre sailboat, equipped with hydrophones and a satellite
phone so he can instantly relay any sign of L Pod to DFO.
"I would expect to hear them if they are anywhere in a 10-mile radius. I think that should be enough time to get Luna out," said the Texan native.
Paul Spong, OrcaLab research projects director, said it is a good sign Luna is spending most of his time in western Nootka Sound instead of hanging out around Gold
River.
"It really improves the possibility that he may hear them and, if there's acoustic contact, the whales will do the rest," he said.
Dialects are passed from generation to generation and there's no doubt the pod would recognize one of their own, Spong said.
More details about the reunification plans were to be released Tuesday evening at a public forum at Seattle Aquarium.
One of the biggest problems is coming up with about $100,000 in additional funding almost immediately, said John Nightingale, Vancouver Aquarium president. If the
money is not raised within the next week, the relocation plan will have to be shelved, he said.
The U.S. and Canadian governments have contributed a total of $260,000 and, so far, the Aquarium has received $60,000 in cash donations and $40,000 in donations of
goods and services.
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Loose Lips Sink Ships…
Guest Columnist
Enlisting Navy’s Voice for the Silent Sea
Wednesday, May 12, 2004
By Fred Felleman
Special to The Times
The U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy’s preliminary report on ocean conditions does a public service by elevating the significance and vulnerability of our nation’s
greatest liquid asset. The degree to which it is a “life preserver,” however, will depend on the political will that is mustered to implement its recommendations.
Only governors can comment on the report. Therefore, it is important that the public urge Gov. Gary Locke, at his public forum at the Seattle Aquarium starting at 3
p.m. tomorrow, to strengthen the report’s findings. The report calls for significant increases in funding for ocean research and conservation, but seeks it from an
unfortunate source — offshore oil and gas revenues. This creates a perverse incentive to unnecessarily impact the ocean in order to fund its conservation.
The commission’s chairman, retired U.S. Navy Adm. James Watkins, clearly has had some influence in recruiting the Navy’s maritime prowess to offset the need for
hard cash. But more is needed. The report does call on the Navy and the Office of Naval Research to support educational efforts in our schools and to transfer
technology and declassify naval intelligence as appropriate, which are positive steps for institutions like the University of Washington.
In addition, if directed by the White House and Congress, the Navy could contribute to our understanding and conservation of the sea instead of seeking exemptions from environmental laws.
Through the leadership of former Secretary of State Ralph Munro, several members of the whale research and conservation
community have been meeting with senior members of the Navy in the Northwest over the past year to discuss such ideas and
are anxiously waiting to see if any will be put into action.
Some would like to see the Navy simply stop using mid-frequency sonar in the inland waters to avoid further incidents such as the USS Shoup’s May 2003 harassment of our acoustically sensitive orca, porpoise
and minke whales. Others, like myself, believe while the Navy is part of the fabric of the Puget Sound community, its footprint on Washington’s waters is far broader than acoustic and includes impacts on water
quality; persistent toxins in the sediment from past base operations; oil-spill risks from potential collisions between Navy and commercial vessels; and the potential for nuclear mishaps.
Examples of projects the Navy could contribute to include:
• Helping to implement phase one of the U.S.-Canada plan to reunite Luna (L98) with his orca pod while it is offshore near Nootka Sound. L pod has suffered the greatest population losses of our three resident
pods. Any contribution the Navy can provide to detect where L pod goes off the coast in the course of this effort would help the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in shaping a conservation
plan while attempting to add another member back to the pod.
• Providing ongoing acoustic monitoring of ambient noise and whale vocalizations throughout the year. This tracking effort can be accomplished via a series of hydrophones on buoys such as the one the Coast
Guard is to deploy off Hein Bank this summer with money Sen. Patty Murray appropriated for oil-spill prevention.
• Repositioning of one of the Navy’s two salvage tugs from California and other oil-spill and salvage equipment from Alaska. That could go a long way toward enhancing our region’s oil-spill prevention and
response capability. Despite securing four years of public funding, the state is about to put the Neah Bay rescue tug back out to bid without public review. We could have a far more capable tug for a longer period
of time if the Navy’s surplused assets were made available to the state for this purpose.
Due to our elected officials’ concerted efforts, the armed forces are Washington state’s largest employer. It is time to assure that this increased presence and expansion of their operating areas does not occur at
the expense of our fragile marine environment. Severely depleted populations like our resident orca and Cherry Point herring need more than a life preserver. They need active resuscitation. The U.S. Commission
on Ocean Policy has clearly shown the ocean to be an essential part of our homeland in need of immediate protection. It is my hope that the Navy’s unique maritime prowess can be recruited in its defense.
The late Sen. Warren Magnuson was instrumental in the creation of NOAA in response to the last ocean commission report. Integrating the Navy’s unique expertise and capability in this effort would be of
comparable significance. I hope our congressional delegation can carry on his legacy of ocean stewardship.
Fred Felleman, based in Seattle, serves on the boards of Ocean Advocates and the Orca Conservancy.
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K-Pod and L-Pod confirmed by Strawberry Isle Research Society, near Tofino, BC – a promising development, but still a long way away and heading in the wrong direction.
May 19, 2004
Luna's Pod May Be Near
KOMO Staff & News Services
VANCOUVER ISLAND, B.C. - The family of Luna, the orphaned orca, may be approaching Nootka Sound. Luna has been living in Nootka
Sound since 2001, when he became separated from his family. Luna is getting too friendly for his own good. He often rubs up against
boats and shows signs of being comfortable around people.
Officials in Canada now believe they have spotted members of Luna's family, L Pod, off the west coast of Vancouver Island. Whale experts
have been waiting for the L Pod to return to the water off Vancouver Island with the hopes of reuniting Luna.
Whale watching boats have spotted groups of 17-20 orcas in the last two weeks. Each group included three adult males and several other
whales with "open" saddle patches.
Based on that, scientists think there is a good chance that part of L Pod is already present in waters off Vancouver Island's west coast not
far from Nootka Sound. L Pod spends much of the year in the waters near the San Juan Islands. In May, the pod usually arrives in the
waters off southern Vancouver Island. They may have arrived.
Scientists are considering two possible plans to reunite Luna with his family. First, if his pod is just passing by, they might try and lead him
out of Nootka Sound. The second plan is to confine Luna to a pen, use a sling to lift him into a giant tank, then truck him to Pedder Bay
where he has a better chance of rejoining the pod.
Such a move could happen anytime between now and the end of June.
May 21, 2004
Perhaps Luna is Up for Some Company
CKNW
VANCOUVER/CKNW (AM980) – Fisheries and Oceans Canada is warming up its plan to reunite a killer whale with his family, now that
sightings have been confirmed in the waters off Tofino.
Photos confirm some Orcas off Vancouver Island's West Coast are members of K and L pods and that has whale researchers becoming
increasingly optimistic Luna will soon be reunited.
But, Marilyn Joyce of Fisheries and Oceans Canada says there may still be a hitch in the plan. She says the whales are still far away from
Nootka Sound, "They are about 100 kilometers and we estimate that it would take 22 hours to move Luna that distance, so at this point
we're not sure that that's feasible."
The plan would involve leading Luna out of Nootka Sound to within acoustic range of the other orcas.
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May 21, 2004
Fisheries to Try Reuniting Luna With Pod
Victoria Times Colonist
Judith Lavoie
GOLD RIVER – A last-ditch attempt to lead Luna the killer whale out of Nootka Sound is likely to be made today.
Members of L Pod, Luna's family, have been spotted off Tofino, but late Thursday there were no new sightings and everything will depend on locating the whales.
A spotter plane will be on the lookout first thing this morning. If members of L Pod are in the area, fisheries officers, accompanied by a staff member from Vancouver
Aquarium, will attempt to lead Luna to Tofino.
"If the whales are there, we are going for it," said Department of Fisheries and Oceans Gold River supervisor Ed Thorburn.
The four-year-old orca has developed an affection for the DFO Zodiac boat, and fisheries officers Thorburn and Greg Rusel have spent the last two days in experimental
runs, seeing how far they can lead Luna, as a preparation for the trip to Tofino.
On Thursday Luna followed the boat for four hours to the mouth of Nootka Sound.
"We have been trying all sorts of things to keep him interested. We have toys," Thorburn said.
Luna's favourite is a blue bumper which he puts under his flipper, takes for a deep dive, and then resurfaces with it on his nose.
But Luna remains reluctant to swim into the open ocean and Thorburn is uncertain whether the attempt to travel in tandem to Tofino will work and whether such a trip
can be accomplished in daylight.
There are also worries about what will happen if Luna gets tired and heads into a community such as Hot Springs Cove.
"How do we mount a capture there?" said Thorburn, who has developed a close relationship with the whale during the almost three years he has been living in Nootka
Sound.
Despite the problems, this is a far more palatable option than the "hard capture" which is likely to go ahead next week if the lead-out fails, Thorburn said.
"We are hoping against all odds that it works out," said Rusel.
If the walk-the-dog attempt is not successful, all efforts will go into persuading the 1,800-kilogram orca into the small net pen already installed beside the old Gold River
pulp mill site.
Luna would be kept in the net pen for up to 11 days while blood tests are done to ensure he does not carry the ebola virus, which could infect other members of the
endangered southern resident killer whale population.
If healthy, he would be put in a sling and trucked to Pedder Bay, to a net pen within earshot of L pod which usually spends June in the Juan de Fuca Strait.
Luna, who has been on his own since he was a year old, is being moved because of the danger he poses to boats and floatplanes and because everyone agrees he needs
whales, not humans, to keep him company.
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He is lonely, and although he has moved out of the high traffic area of Gold River to the relative isolation of Moowa Bay, he craves attention.
Earlier Thursday, Luna insistently begged for attention from a small aluminum boat carrying a Times Colonist reporter and photographer.
But his real entertainment arrived as the MV Uchuck chugged into sight through the waters of Hanna Channel. Luna danced and jumped his way across the channel to
greet passengers and crew on the boat which does regular freight runs to communities and logging camps around Nootka and Kyuquot sounds.
Alongside the boat, the orca rolled on his side, eyed up his audience and dove in and out of the bow wave as he kept up with the vessel.
"When you look in his eye it just breaks your heart," said one man, who like many Gold River residents, does not want to be identified because of the strict penalties and
rules imposed by DFO in an effort to stop Luna from becoming habituated to human contact.
But every resident has a Luna story.
"He laid against the bottom of the boat I was in and wouldn't move. If you tried to leave he would bang his head against the side of the boat," said logger Chris Flynn.
"You can see how much he wants affection," said Cameron Forbes of Critter Cove Marina as he tried to steer his boat away from the lonely orca.
May 22, 2004
Bid to Reunite Luna, L Pod Postponed
Victoria Times Colonist
Judith Lavoie
Weather and disappearing whales conspired against the effort to lead Luna, the solitary orca, back to his family Friday.
After members of L and K pods were identified in the waters off Tofino Wednesday, the plan to lead Luna from Nootka Sound to Tofino, kicked into high gear.
Ed Thorburn, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Gold River field supervisor, has been practising leading Luna with a Zodiac boat and was planning to attempt the big
trip Friday. But gale-force winds and no new sightings of the whales off Tofino halted the plans.
"It's a matter of health and safety when the waters are that rough," said Thorburn, who estimated that it could take 20 hours to lead Luna to Tofino, even in good
weather.
And, there has to be positive confirmation that members of L Pod are in the area or there is no point in taking the four-year-old orca out of Nootka Sound, where he has
spent almost three years.
Aircraft and helicopters over the west coast of Vancouver Island failed to see any sign of the whales Friday morning and there are fears they may have already headed
down to the Juan de Fuca Strait, where they traditionally spend the month of June.
As soon as the whales appear around southern Vancouver Island, Plan B kicks in: Luna will be captured in a net pen in Gold River and trucked to a net pen in
Pedder Bay, where it is hoped he will make acoustic connection with his family. Thorburn, who was heading out into Nootka Sound for another practice Friday afternoon,
is holding on to the hope that the walk-the-dog approach might still be possible.
"We are on standby for the weekend," he said.
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Clint Wright, who is organizing the logistics of the move for Vancouver Aquarium, will stay in Gold River for the weekend and any opportunity for a lead-out will be seized,
Thorburn said.
However, plans are going ahead for the capture. Experts and scientists from the aquarium and DFO will take up residence Tuesday in a building beside the net pen on the
old mill property in Gold River. The entire area will be closed to media and tourists. If Luna is captured, the harbour will be roped off.
Cameron Forbes of Critter Cove Marina is co-ordinating efforts to catch fish for Luna, which are being kept in a live net pen.
"We've got to get about 1,000 pounds of fish, and right now, we've only got a couple of hundred pounds," Forbes said.
Chinook are Luna's fish of choice, but in a pinch he will also eat other salmon, sardines, herring and ling cod as long as they are alive, Thorburn said.
"I have told Luna we have food for him – now I just have to figure out how to get the fish here," said Thorburn.
John Nightingale, Vancouver Aquarium president, is leading the fundraising drive to move the lonely orca.
The Canadian and U.S governments have donated $260,000 and another $200,000 was needed in cash and donated services.
The money is coming in slowly but steadily, Nightingale said Friday. "We're not quite there yet, but we are optimistic."
The setup for the capture is worrying Paul Spong, of the whale research station Orcalab, who fears that because everything is in place, the capture will go ahead even if
there is still a chance for a natural reunion.
Spong believes the L and K Pod whales are probably still circling off Tofino, waiting for other whales to join them from the north –
meaning they would have to pass the entrance to Nootka Sound.
"I am concerned that these guys are getting so very prepared (for the capture) that it will drive the agenda," he said.
A 14-metre sailing vessel the Anon is anchored at the mouth of Nootka Sound where skipper Keith Wood is listens for whale sounds on a hydrophone and makes daily
forays out to sea to search for approaching orcas.
Luna is extremely vocal and, because he is now in an area of the Sound where noise will carry to the open ocean, it is possible passing pods will hear him, increasing the
chance of a natural reunion, Wood said.
Crew on Standby for Effort to Reunite Whale With Pod
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER/AP
May 22, 2004
VICTORIA, British Columbia – A Canadian crew was on standby for this weekend in case good weather - and another sighting of a killer whale pod - provide an
opportunity to try and reunite a young whale with his U.S. relatives.
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Plan A, which would involve leading the 5-year-old Luna from his adopted home in Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island's west coast to a spot where he'd meet up with his
pod, kicked into high gear this week when the orcas were spotted near Tofino.
Ed Thorburn, a field supervisor with the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans, has been practicing leading Luna with a small motorized boat and planned to
attempt the big trip Friday.
But high winds and no new sightings of the whales off Tofino halted the plans.
"It's a matter of health and safety when the waters are that rough," said Thorburn, who estimated that it could take 20 hours to lead Luna to Tofino, even in good
weather.
Aircraft and helicopters over the west coast of Vancouver Island failed to see any sign of the whales Friday morning.
Luna, or L98, appeared in Nootka Sound more than two years ago after separating from his U.S. pod.
He has managed to feed himself but has also taken to socializing with people, cozying up to boats and nuzzling seaplanes.
U.S. and Canadian fisheries authorities and whale advocates have been involved in planning for a reunion they hope will return Luna to the healthier company of his own
kind.
Historically, L Pod has been seen around Vancouver Island and the Strait of Juan de Fuca in the last week of May and the first week of June.
Thorburn said he hopes the "follow the boat" approach is possible.
"We are on standby for the weekend," he said.
IF that approach fails, the fallback plan would be to move Luna to a net pen in Pedder Bay, near Victoria, and wait there for his pod to swim by, then release him.
Vessels Asked to Look for Luna's Pod
CKNW
May 22, 2004
VANCOUVER/CKNW (AM980) – It's a group effort this weekend to try to locate Luna's family.
Earlier this week, some members of the K and L pods were spotted near Tofino, off Vancouver Island's west coast. The plan for the weekend is to use various resources
from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, local whale watching boats and a Coast Guard vessel to search the waters off Nootka Sound in hopes of getting an exact location on
the whales.
Orcalab's Dr. Paul Spong says the effort should help cover a lot of ocean. He says they know the pods are out there, they just don't know where. But the searchers are
hoping they'll get lucky.
The hope is that the pods will come close enough to Nootka Sound to reunite with Luna naturally.
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May 23, 2004
Crew on Standby for Effort to Reunite Whale With Pod
KGW Television (NBC Portland) and AP
Luna will have to stay lonely a little longer.
About 20 killer whales spotted near Nootka Sound on Sunday were members of a transient pod — not the family pod of the
orphaned orca, said Fred Felleman, with Orca Conservancy in Washington state.
A Canadian crew had been on standby since last week when orcas were spotted near Tofino. If the weather cleared and the orcas proved to be members of L-pod, the
crew planned to lead Luna toward it, reuniting the 5-year-old orca with his family. But the group of whales turned out to be transient.
Luna, or L-98, has been in Nootka Sound, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, for more than two years since separating from his pod. He has managed to feed himself
but has also taken to socializing with people, cozying up to boats and nuzzling seaplanes. Ed Thorburn, a field supervisor with the Canadian Department of Fisheries and
Oceans, has been practicing leading Luna with a small motorized boat in hopes of being able to reunite him with his pod.
Historically, L Pod has been seen around Vancouver Island and the Strait of Juan de Fuca in the last week of May and the first week of June.
May 23, 2004
No Whale Reunion Just Yet
KING 5 News (NBC Seattle)
SEATTLE - Lousy luck for Lonely Luna.
It turns out a group of orcas swimming near Vancouver Island's Nootka Sound on Sunday are transients, not members of Luna's family, the
L-Pod. Officials with Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans were hoping to reunite Luna, a 5-year-old killer whale, with his pod.
Luna's been separated from his pod for more than two years now, and has been living in Nootka Sound, where he's been cozying up to boats.
Officials say that once L-pod arrives in the area they hope to lead Luna out to it.
ORCA CONSERVANCY -
2004
News Release
THE LUNA FILE
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Late May
The End-Around – PLAN A Becomes PLAN B
Entire L Pod Takes “Inside” Route to Summer Range
Chances of “Natural” Reunion Now Dim
OrcaLab
May 29, 2004
Thursdays’s sighting of part of Luna’s orca family, L Pod, southbound via Johnstone Strait on the way to its summer range off southern Vancouver Island, was
followed Friday by another sighting of the entire L pod making its way past Campbell River, still southbound. DFO scientists confirmed that all the matrilines of
L Pod were present, including the L2 matriline which is the family group Luna comes from. Luna’s mother, L67, was accompanied by her youngest offspring,
2 year old Aurora. The sighting considerably diminishes the likelihood of a “natural” reunion for Luna, now in Nootka Sound on the opposite (western) side of
Vancouver Island where he has been leading a solitary existence for the past 3 years.
“The slight remaining hope for a natural reunion is that K Pod, which was not with L Pod, could still be on the west coast,” said OrcaLab’s Dr. Paul Spong who
had reported Thursday’s sighting. “If they are, Luna could still join them on their way south. Luna was very familiar with K pod in his early life and would feel
comfortable being among them.” The orca researcher added, “Realistically, however, the chances of this happening are now slim.”
Despite the odds, the sailing vessel Anon is continuing its vigil off Nootka Sound and will remain there - hoping that K Pod will come near - until receiving
confirmation that all the orcas of the Southern Resident community are in southern Vancouver Island waters.
Over the weekend, DFO officials will be evaluating the situation and determining the time at which their “Plan B” will commence. This plan will see Luna
captured and held in a pen at Gold River while medical tests are conducted, then transported by road in a container to Pedder Bay near Victoria where he will
be placed in another pen. The hope is that ultimately, Luna will be released back into the company of his Southern Resident orca community. The plan for Luna
is modeled on the 2002 precedent of the baby orphan orca Springer’s return to her Northern Resident family, the A4 pod, after she was discovered far from her
normal range off Seattle.
Mariners and the public are encouraged to immediately report all orca sightings via the toll free phone number 1-866-ORCANET. Boaters in Nootka Sound are
urged to keep their distance from Luna if he is sighted, and to avoid all contact, including eye contact, with him. If Luna is thought to be approaching a vessel,
it should leave his area at speed immediately.
-30Further information:
Dr. Paul Spong/Helena Symonds, Orcalab: email [email protected]
Michael Harris, Orca Conservancy; email [email protected]
Keith Wood, www.anon.org, email: [email protected]
www.orcanetwork.org
www.reuniteluna.com
www.orcaconservancy.org
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THE REAL ISSUE. Chief Mike Maquinna once said to Orca Conservancy’s Michael Harris, “You realize that this isn’t just about a little orca in Nootka Sound. It’s about these fish farms that keep popping up in our waters. It’s about First Nations sovereignty.” OC TIMELINE: THE MONITOR/PHOTOGRAPHER AGREEMENT
By Michael Harris, Orca Conservancy
After getting a tip from my television colleagues that John Nightingale at Vancouver Aquarium was trying to get government authorization to close the
airspace above the capture (no live TV news aerials), and that Nightingale had also allegedly contacted the Gold River EMT and advised them to "prepare for tear gas injuries," I called Chief Mike
Maquinna (our organization had a very good relationship him by that time) and he immediately invited me up to the Gold River Reserve and meet with him at his house. Only me. To counter
Nightingale's moves, and the persistent disregard DFO was affording the band in the matter, I came up with an idea – I envisioned something akin to the American Humane Society and its
supervising and approving the use of animal actors in Hollywood films – only the signoff group here would be the Mowachaht/Muchalaht. But for the plan to work it had to have the same teeth that
The AHA has with Hollywood. After helping Maquinna draft the demand letter, we worked together to put it on M/M letterhead and fax it to DFO, NOAA Fisheries, Sen.
Maria Cantwell, Rep. Rick White and others, and then do all the necessary telephone follow-up to make it happen. After political pressure, especially from Sen.
Cantwell's office which procured the funding from the U.S. side, DFO reluctantly consented. But after we secured that monitor/photographer agreement (and it was
reported in the media and the regional First Nations newspaper), Maquinna called me urgently asking for help in dealing with DFO, who were backpeddling at the 11th
hour and insisting that the M-M monitor and photographer now only be allowed limited access to the operation under strict supervision of a DFO representative. Mike
asked me, "What should I do?" I told him to tell DFO to go to hell, which he did. Together, we found a way to push back on DFO and secure unrestricted access to the
official monitor and the freelance network broadcast photographer that our group hired to work for the band on that capture day. That photographer was picked up on
this side of the border by a writer on assignment from Smithsonian Magazine, Mike Parfit, and flown to Nootka Sound.
On Saturday, May 22, 2004, I arrived in Gold River and Parfit drove me to Mike Maquinna's house for the sole purpose of working out the monitor/photographer agreement. Parfit wasn't invited to
the meeting, but agreed to pick me up afterward. I spent the good part of the day with Chief Maquinna, as he bounced his new grandson on his lap, and together we came up with an
extraordinary and irrepressible plan that accomplished two important goals – the reinforcement of the First Nations rightful authority in the matter of a stranded orca in their territory, and a
compromise that would allow – if done respectfully – the capture and translocation of the whale back to his family. Maquinna told me that exactly 100 years ago, while the bands were at a
gathering in Victoria, white people came to Yuquot (Friendly Cove) and stole their most sacred shrine. He felt that the same was happening with this whale. I told him we would do all we can to
make sure that history doesn't get repeated with Tsux'iit. At the end of the talk, and after we came to full agreement on how we were going to proceed together, he said, "I'm filled with spirit
now. I have a vision now, a deja vu. I have seen you standing with me in this house before. This is a sign that good things are now going to happen."
Sen. Maria Cantwell’s office was thrilled with this mediation, as they had expended a significant amount of political capital to free up the “$100,000 and more if needed” toward doing for Luna was
we did the year before with Springer. The Senator never wavered in her position to directly intervene on Luna’s behalf, even though she fully supported the rights of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht.
She was in a bind, as were many organizations like ours that consistently called for the hard capture and translocation. DFO was doing nothing to resolve the escalating conflict with the First
Nations. Someone had to come up with an idea. That’s where I came in. Orca Conservancy’s Board Member Fred Felleman was extremely uncomfortable with the Monitor/Photographer proposal,
contending that our organization could be seen throughout Indian Country as not supporting the wishes of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht to leave the orca alone. Fred expressed concern specifically
about how this agreement might be perceived among The Makah Nation, relatives of Maquinna’s people and with whom Fred was contracted as a paid consultant. The Orca Conservancy Board
tried to persuade Fred that this was a complete collaboration with the Mowachaht/Muchalaht, not something we were shoving down their throats. We also argued that Orca Conservancy’s public
position from the beginning was “to give Luna the same chance we gave Springer,” which meant a direct intervention if necessary to get him home to his family. We had an obligation to all the
people we called on to join us in that effort, as well as a fiduciary responsibility to donors who contributed to Orca Conservancy’s “Luna Fund.” Fred still vehemently objected to the plan, but in the
end was the lone dissenter among the Orca Conservancy Board. The motion passed and we went forward. At our invitation, veteran network photojournalist Kevin Ely offered his services to the
band – for half-pay and a LONG day. Kevin knew every assignment editor on every network desk and had an extensive experience shooting both hard, breaking news and wildlife – and orcas.
The Mowachaht/Muchalaht had everything they needed to oversee the operation and control the message, by live television.
Of course, those familiar with the Luna saga know what happened next. But what was truly behind the canoes leading Luna away from the capture boat on that first day? As the Chief might even
admit, it took everyone by surprise. It wasn't intended. That's why Maquinna wasn't on one of those canoes. In fact, the night before, Maquinna went out on the water and together with other
band members sang goodbye songs to "Tsux'iit" and gave their blessings. As tough as it was for him and despite some public statements he made prior to the capture, it’s my strong belief that the
Chief was willing to finally let that whale go home to his family – especially after securing the monitor/photographer agreement, which I conceived as a way both to help the band keep an eye on
how the whale was treated but also, if he determined Tsux’iit was being mistreated, given our contacts with network news, it gave the band an opportunity for them to enlist in real-time
(via sat truck) the sympathy of millions of people for First Nations’ right to have their proper say in the matter.
Maquinna also suggested that if he and I secured the monitor/photographer agreement, he would discourage any other direct action on the part of the band to block the operation (rumor was that
they were planning to block the roads and not let the truck leave with the whale). Our mediation averted what could've been a very ugly and dangerous scene. On the day of the capture, I’m
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convinced that the canoes went out simply to sing songs and witness the operation, as the Namgis First Nation did when Springer came home to Dongchong Bay after our group and OrcaLab
enlisted their support. But of course, ANY human-habituated whale is going to be far more interested in canoes with singing people reaching out to caress him than it would the buzzing outboards
with shouting people waving a fluke noose at it. Luna’s decision to hang out with the First Nations canoes instead of submitting to a hard capture and a truckride home wasn't motivated by any
great spiritual or mystic event. It’s simply what any orca would do in that situation.
The true question is what happened after the canoes began leading Luna away. With the eyes of the world's media there, Maquinna no doubt saw a remarkable opportunity to use the dramatic
images that were unfolding to make a broader statement about indigenous sovereignty. He admitted to me at his house on the day we met about the monitoring agreement that "this isn't about a
little whale in Nootka Sound, this is about aquaculture and our sovereignty." When Luna went off with the canoes, the Chief no doubt saw a grand chance to make his point. But again, sometimes
the best acts of protest happen unexpectedly. And personally, although I support the band and indigenous sovereignty in general, personally I was devastated to see the rescue and translocation
fall apart. We cashed in a lot of chips to get it to that point, and I feared the days, weeks and months that lay ahead.
In defense of the Chief, it’s likely that his trust of the non-Native community was beginning to erode – and I believe it was due mostly to the intrusion of so-called whale advocates feeling left out
and eager to claim some role in the effort (see the OrcaLab e-mail below). After confidence was broken regarding the monitor/photographer negotiations, a parade of American idiots soon started
flooding uninvited into Nootka Sound and even calling Maquinna at his house, including unbelievably Erin O’Connell, a woman who played a key role during the 1999 protests at The Makah Nation,
close relatives of the Mowachaht/Muchulaht. One woman, known as “OrcaGirl,” claimed to have talked to Maquinna and received his blessing to the band’s official videographer – which Maquinna
laughingly refuted to me later. Some, like Howard Garrett, did even worse damage. He started spreading horrible lies about our organization's efforts and intentions – DFO's Lara Sloan told me
that Garrett called her to alert her that the monitor/photographer was “a sham” engineered by me as a way to commercially profit by making a documentary. Sloan inferred inan e-mail that DFO
had responded by restricting the band’s photographer from access to the operation. Garrett’s intrusion into a project that until that time he had little or nothing to do with critically compromised a
very delicate government-to-government mediation just underway, helped rekindle hostility between the band and DFO, and ultimately made Maquinna appear easily manipulated in the eyes of
both the Native and non-Native community. And in the end it severely compromised the multilateral effort to get Luna home – all out of spite for his former organization.
Garrett’s behavior repeatedly compromised the Springer effort, and now he was doing his worst for Luna.
Meanwhile, completely unbeknownst to anyone in our organization, we learned that our newly colleague Fred Felleman had secretly traveled to Gold River the day before capture day,
meeting privately with Maquinna and assuring him that, although his organization supported the rescue and translocation of Luna, he personally didn't want the capture to go forward.
He was concerned about NOAA Fisheries and DFO’s discussions about possibly fitting Luna with a telemetry dorsal tag to track him after he is released, presenting troubling studies on how these
tags might be harmful to the animals. Felleman was also worried that the procedure would require additional time in confindement in the seapen – which might increase human acclimation, but
also be upsetting to the First Nations, who were generally uncomfortable with the idea of keeping their kukawiin and late Chief’s spirit locked up for any period of time. All extremely important
concerns raised by Felleman, but also coming far too close to the proposed DFO capture date – some six months after the time we were first presented a Draft Plan for L98. Much too late to stop
this show. And not something to throw at the Chief the night before the capture day. Dr. Rich Osborne at The Whale Museum, one of groups directing the post-release and tracking part of the
plan, had promised us in mid-April that the tags being discussed for Luna much newer-generation and perfectly benign. And nothing was written in stone. There’d be plenty of time for all of us,
including the First Nations, to make that case to the feds… or file an injunction on this end, under the ESA and MMPA. Instead, Felleman rushed up to Gold River, BC without talking to any of us,
without any updates on the monitoring agreement, loudly discontented with the proceedings and his organization, and made us look like fractious idiots. He was completely unaware of the day-today, hour-to-hour status of the relationship between the Mowachaht/Muchalaht and DFO and Vancouver Aquarium – at this time, most immediately embodied by something else that Felleman
didn’t bother to get briefed on before heading north, the Mowachaht/Muchalaht/DFO mediation agreement that his organization had just helped broker. His ill-timed, impetuous trip to Gold River
was a disaster, and I believe in the end also helped compromise Luna’s chances to get home. As an observer up there told me, “Fred sold you guys out and covered his ass."
Given Felleman’s red flag to Maquinna and the unfortunate phone calls Howie Garrett and others made to Nootka Sound, it’s not a stretch to think that by capture day Maquinna was convinced that
we Americans were nuts. He wasn't sure who to believe. By the time the monitor photographer arrived in Gold River, he was hardly well-received (see e-mail from Kevin Ely). Upon a “tip” from
Garrett that a “scam” was afoot (by us), DFO began blocking access to the official First Nations monitoring team on capture day, breaching the accord and angering the band. The band then went
around DFO and allowed another photojournalist onto one of the canoes that were now making their way out to the capture site. Once-mediated tensions now were rising. And an operation that
should’ve been as orderly as Springer’s quickly unraveled and all hell broke loose. Given all this insanity, Maquinna did what all good indigenous leaders do – he decided to trust his own instincts.
However, because these surprising turn of events had left Maquinna on shore, my photographer was able to reconnect with him for a lengthy interview explaining the band's intentions. I was able
to feed that interview from Seattle for broadcast that night on "ABC World News Tonight With Peter Jennings." It was an extraordinary television audience for Maquinna, seen by tens of millions of
people worldwide, arranged and paid for by Orca Conservancy and Earth Island Institute (and in part by me personally). And when my photographer returned home later that night, on Mike
Parfit's plane, I even arranged to send freelance producer Karen Lucht from "NBC Nightly News" on the flight back. Maquinna got additional national airtime to tell his story the next day.
Without our consent, Felleman also took the liberty to re-assign the monitor photographer position I fought so hard to secure for the band (and only intended to be for that first critical day) to
Suzanne Chisholm, a freelance print reporter and wife of Mike Parfit. Chisholm and Parfit then used this position to gain exclusive access to the orca to make and sell a film – ironically, as Garrett
told DFO I was scheming to do. As time went on, Chisholm and Parfit kept their paparazzi intact – and in the name of stewardship, to regularly and "secretly rendezvous"
and interact with the whale, irrepairably imprinting him to humans and no doubt dooming him to permanent dislocation and a predictable and horrible death. Prior to this, we put our trust in the journalistic ethics that came with an assignment from a reputable publication like Smithsonian. We constantly kept Parfit and Chisholm appraised of the
sensitive and confidential mediation negotiations we were leading between the band and DFO. We spent countless days with the filmmakers, availing ourselves to hours of interviews and
no small amount of shadowing as my group continued trying to keep the Luna effort moving forward. We extended a great deal of trust to them, not suspecting in the least that over the
ensuing months they would betray it… and Luna. The story ends like this – Americans found a displaced, friendly Canadian young orca named Springer here in Puget Sound.
We resisted the temptation to adopt it. We fought the feds, raised the money and within months brought it back to its family. We kept boats away. We made it wild again.
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A year later, a couple Canadians found one of our local orcas in their waters, also alone and friendly. They kept it for their own.
The following are some of the correspondences relating to the Mowachaht/Muchalaht monitor/photographer agreement.
Michael Harris, Orca Conservancy.
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ON THE LOOKOUT FOR LUNA’S FAMILY. Yuquot, BC, May 23, 2004 – Michelle Kehler, Keith Wood, Lisa Larssen and Michael Harris from the team assembled by OrcaLab, Orca Conservancy, ANON.org and
Marine Mammal Monitoring Project to look for Luna’s family off the west coast of Vancouver Island, BC. PHOTO BY MIKE PARFIT, Mountainside Films.
May 24, 2004
The Lively Tale of One Lonely Whale
Victoria Times Colonist
Judith Lavoie
GOLD RIVER - The young whale flipping his tail, rubbing up against boats and speeding joyfully across the open
expanses of water, is blissfully unaware this might be his last week of freedom in Nootka Sound.
Luna, the four-year-old orca who turned up alone in Nootka Sound almost three years ago, has won the hearts of
almost all those he meets and, despite antics that have driven fishermen and boaters to distraction, many Gold
River residents are profoundly uncomfortable with his planned move to the waters off Victoria.
There is general agreement that Luna needs the company of other whales. A "natural reunion" with his L Pod
family, with no capture and net-penning, would satisfy most Luna lovers.
But the idea of trucking him to southern Vancouver Island and releasing him in the heavy traffic areas of Juan de
Fuca Strait is scary. It's the "what if" scenarios that are alarming, said Cameron Forbes, as he tried to extricate his
six-metre aluminum boat from Luna.
The orca, delighted with the company, slid under the boat, blew water over passengers and popped his head up, apparently looking for an approving pat. It's not a good
situation, agreed Forbes, as Luna pushed the boat sideways while emitting a series of unearthly squeaks and songs interspersed with sonar noises resembling the purring
of a giant cat.
But it is hard to see how a whale with an affinity for boats will be safer in major boating lanes than in the pristine waters of Nootka Sound, surrounded by snow-capped
mountains and tree-covered islands. What if Luna still tries to approach boats, even if he is reintegrated with L Pod, asked Forbes, echoing the question being asked by
many in the small town.
The evidence of what small boats – let alone a B.C. Ferry – can do to an orca can be seen in the many scars on Luna's smooth skin. On Thursday, one of those was oozing
blood. Forbes, who runs Critter Cove Marina, came across Luna in Mooya Bay when the whale received his first bad gash.
"He came up to the boat and I swear it was like a kid wanting a hug," he said. "When you have a big animal like that trusting you so much – well, when are you going to
see that again?"
May 25, 2004
Whale Sighting Renews Hopes
Tiffany Crawford, Fort France Times
A pod of killer whales sighted off the west coast of Vancouver Island on the long weekend is not the family of Luna the lonely whale. Crews were disappointed but not
discouraged after spotting 20 orcas near Tofino on Sunday. Unfortunately, the whales turned out to be transients and not from the K and L pods to which Luna belongs.
“We got quite excited there for a little while,” said Dr. Paul Spong of Orcalab.
Last week, some members of the K and L pods were spotted near Tofino but now are nowhere to be seen. Spong, who had been out searching the waters all weekend on
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the sailing vessel Anon, is part of a research team hoping to reunite the two-year-old whale with his pod. Spong is hopeful they’ll spot them again in the next few days.
“They’re out there, we just have to find them,” he said. “It’s a big ocean.”
Spong is confident that if the pods come close enough to Nootka Sound, they will be able reunite with Luna naturally.
“Luna is a fantastic hunter and he makes calls that are echoed throughout Nootka Sound, and these sounds are even carried to the outside ocean, so we are hopeful,”
Spong said.
Sunny, clear weather is aiding crews searching for the pods. Those crews now include a Department of Fisheries and Oceans vessel and an RCMP helicopter. Ryan Lejbak,
with a group called “Reunite Luna” trying to raise donations to move the orca, also is confidant they’ll find the pods. He said search crews are using high-tech equipment
such as hydrophones to listen for the whales underwater. Lejbak said he anxiously was awaiting news that searchers had found the whales. Once they find the pods,
officials hope to lead Luna to his family. Lejbak said it’s a much better option for Luna to meet up with them naturally. He also said the cost difference is a factor.
“If they can lead him out, you’re basically looking at the price of a couple of DFO officers and some fuel for the boat.”
Lejbak said if they can’t find the whales and reconnect Luna with them soon, he will be captured in a net pen and trucked to an area where the pod is known to pass
through.
It’s Plan B, and, despite the higher cost factor, the DFO is prepared to move on it. However, Spong feels that plan should be delayed.
“During the early time the K’s and L’s come down into their summer range, they do make excursions out of Juan de Fuca Strait and it might be possible to put in place a
longer boat follow that would get Luna into acoustic range,” Spong said.
He said he’s not comfortable with capturing Luna because too many problems could arise.
A boat follow would see Luna guided on a longer journey underwater 60 km between Juan de Fuca Straight and Tofino.
"If it were known where the other whales were, and you had a point of ocean to head for, and the weather conditions were okay, you just might be able to lead Luna on a
longer journey,” Spong said.
Rough, windy weather hampered efforts Friday to coax the two-year-old whale out of Nootka Sound, where he has been bumping noses with boats.
OrcaLab News Release
Luna Reunion Update
May 25, 2004
Sunday Excitement Near Nootka Sound
Search for Luna’s Pod Continues
A large pod of more than 20 orcas was sighted off Esperanza Inlet, just to the north of Nootka Sound, on Sunday morning by the Canadian Coastguard vessel
Tully as it was southbound on a DFO research cruise. The sighting caused considerable excitement for a few hours, but the orcas turned out to be "transients"
and not members of L & K pods, as had been hoped. After it was determined by DFO scientists that the orcas were transients, the Tully continued its cruise to
the south, passing through the area off Tofino in which orcas from the Southern Resident community's L & K pods had been sighted a week earlier. The Tully
ended Sunday off Carmanagh Point, just to the north of Juan de Fuca Strait, without sighting or hearing any more orcas. The Coastguard vessel reached
Victoria on Monday afternoon at the end of a 2 week research cruise that surveyed B.C.'s coastal waters as far north as Hecate Strait.
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The sailing vessel Anon had anchored overnight off Esperanza Inlet on Saturday evening, so it was also in a position to observe the orcas sighted by the Tully.
Anon skipper Keith Wood and crew member Colin Baird, leader of the Keiko project during its last 2 years, joined the excitement, listening on a hydrophone
and observing from a distance, until it was determined that the orcas were transients. After the transient confirmation, the Anon continued its vigil, now 2
weeks long, spending the day sailing off Nootka Sound. The Anon anchored for the night off Yuquot at Nootka Sound's entrance and continued listening to a
hydrophone during the night.
With the better weather of Sunday and Monday, whale watching vessels operating out of Tofino were also on the lookout for orcas. None were spotted.
On Monday, Gold River's DFO Officer Ed Thorburn took Luna on a second "trial run" to the entrance of Nootka Sound. The exercise was aimed at getting Luna
used to following the DFO vessel so that he can be led nearer to his pod if the opportunity arises, and also to help him become more familiar with the sounds of
the open ocean. The trial run was again successful in taking Luna to a position where his acoustic field includes the open ocean in front of Nootka Sound. From
there, Luna will be able to hear any vocal orcas that are within acoustic range, thought by scientists to be at least 15km.
"If Luna hears L or K pod calls, or if they hear his calls, there is a good chance that a natural reunion will occur," said Dr. Paul Spong who directs the
OrcaLab/Anon.org research and sightings effort aimed at keeping track of Luna and locating his orca family.
The search for Luna's pod continues.
Mariners and the public are encouraged to immediately report all orca sightings, especially those off the west coast of Vancouver Island via the toll free phone
number 1-866-ORCANET. Boaters in Nootka Sound are urged to keep their distance from Luna if he is sighted, and to avoid all contact, including eye contact,
with him. If Luna is thought to be approaching a vessel, it should leave his area at speed immediately.
-30Further information:
Dr. Paul Spong/Helena Symonds, OrcaLab: email [email protected]
Keith Wood, Anon.ORG: email [email protected]
Michael Harris, Orca Conservancy: email [email protected]
www.orcaconservancy.org
www.reuniteluna.com
www.orcanetwork.org
P.O. Box 510 • Alert Bay • B.C. Canada • V0N 1A0
[email protected]
May 26, 2004
Whale Wait Puts Onus on Capture Option
Victoria Times Colonist
Judith Lavoie
The trouble with whales is they don't use calendars and don't file travel plans.
That means Vancouver Aquarium and Department of Fisheries and Oceans staff are in hurry-up-and-wait mode as they try to plan their moves to reunite Luna
the lonesome orca with his pod.
Everyone is clinging to hopes that four-year-old Luna can be led out of Nootka Sound, where he has spent almost three years, at the precise time his family is
within auditory range.
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But as the days tick by, the likelihood increases that L Pod will show up in Juan de Fuca Strait. Once the killer whales are seen off southern Vancouver Island,
hopes of a natural reunion die and Plan B – capture, net pen and truck down island – kicks in.
Clint Wright, Luna logistics co-ordinator for Vancouver Aquarium, said a natural reunion is a long shot because of the expanse of water where L Pod could be
hanging out.
"It's like being told your relatives are travelling from Seattle to Vancouver, so you stake out the highway to try and catch them going by," he said.
"We really want it to happen, but the chances are really slim."
In the meantime, a building on the former mill site in Gold River has been set up for the scientists and capture experts, and DFO Gold River supervisor Ed
Thorburn did another trial run Monday to ensure Luna would follow his boat to the mouth of Nootka Sound if his family is spotted.
Thorburn has also experimented with leading Luna from Mooyah Bay, where he is spending most of his time, to Gold River, where the net pen will be set up.
Luna was willing to follow, but that does not mean he will be convinced that a net pen is a fun place to be, Wright said.
Once a decision is made to go ahead with the capture, several days likely will be spent trying to persuade the 1,800-kilogram whale to swim into the net pen,
he said.
If Luna refuses to go in of his own free will, DFO and the aquarium have some hard decisions.
The next step is a tail rope. But there are fears of possible injuries, and much will depend on how Luna is reacting.
"Any technique has to be as safe as possible for the crew and for Luna," Wright said.
"There's no guarantee at the end of this that we are going to end up with a whale in a net ready to transport south."
There are two reasons the operation could be called off – either because the aquarium does not receive the almost $100,000 it still needs to pay for the
operation or if it is decided the orca cannot be captured and transported safely.
One problem with fundraising is that people are reluctant to donate to the expensive relocation plan if there is still a chance that the natural reunion might
work, said Wright.
He hopes donations will start to pour in if L Pod is sighted near southern Vancouver Island.
Marilyn Joyce, DFO marine mammal co-ordinator, said plans are progressing for the physical move.
"We would like to be in a position to go ahead by the beginning of next week," she said.
Although some Gold River residents and members of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation want Luna left in Nootka Sound if a natural reunion is not possible,
the busy boating season is just around the corner and Luna is a danger to boaters, Joyce said.
"He really needs some other whales so he can let go of his boat addiction."
Once he is released in the Strait of Juan de Fuca Strait, an intensive monitoring and radio tag program kicks in.
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Stewardship boats will intercept any vessels that get close to the whale and there will be intense education about the harm done by interacting with the orca.
Ken Balcomb of the Centre for Whale Research in Friday Harbour said groups are ready to monitor Luna.
"We'll make sure we know where he is, and if he's bothering boats we'll try and extract him," he said.
From Helena Symonds, OrcaLab…
May 26, 2004
Hi everyone,
I wrote the following thoughts yesterday, mostly for my own & Paul's benefit, but thought you might like to see them
as well.
All the best from Hanson Island,
Helena
*************
Holding on while letting go:
I believe we are at a very difficult time, held in check by circumstances beyond our control and not able to move in any clear direction. This is causing confusion
to our sense of purpose. So I thought this morning it might be useful to put down on paper my sense of how things are going and what possibly we might do
next.
First of all I believe we need to be clear about our objective. The long-term objective has always been to see Tsux’iit return to his orca family. To this end
everyone has worked very hard to bring the urgency of his situation forward and push the authorities to take responsibility. To a large extent this has been
achieved. However, along the way certain sensitivities have been obscured, ignored and forgotten. DFO’s initial response to Tsux’iit was to leave him alone
once it was understood that he was foraging successfully and was healthy. Springer came along soon afterwards and distracted everyone away from Luna. She
was not healthy and so very far from home, so intervention on her behalf was an easier conclusion to reach. But it was not an easy exercise, and it was a long
while before everyone was facing in the same direction.
Tsux’iit’s situation meanwhile grew grim as word of his presence spread. In a perfect world leaving him alone would be the best outcome, but the needy,
greedy, grabby, all wanted Luna. And he responded to the attention in kind but not always with the best decorum. The nice little solitary whale became the
rambunctious socially starved nuisance. Each summer brought new horrors. DFO seemed stuck in its non-intervention mode, responding to the situation with
small bandages. They assembled a Science Panel (mostly the same people who worked well on Springer’s behalf) that was largely ineffectual at convincing DFO
what to do with Luna. This helped the prevailing inertia around Luna’s plight and the status quo prevailed even when DFO put up signs, charged a lady for
touching Luna, hired LSP to monitor the situation & educate the Public and distract Luna when necessary. The negative situation prevailed until Luna became
nearly dangerous around planes and a DFO employee hit him on the head. Even DFO could then admit that the situation was clearly going from bad to worse
and finally was pushed into action.
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However, just as DFO got stuck into the non-intervention position, they now got stuck in the “radical” action mode, contracting out a hard capture plan. All
other options discussed by the Science Panel & others went out the window. Instead of embedding the efforts to engineer a natural reunion as a prerequisite to
Plan B, DFO treated “Plan A” as “nice if it could happen” but invested no time, energy or money into the idea.
We have at least managed to push Plan A into the fore for the time being. We have used the time before the arrival of the Ls & Ks in the San Juans to gather
data on L98’s behaviours during the Spring; position the Anon at Friendly Cove; survey the open ocean for Ls; create a sightings network; encourage more
Luna walks and get the media fired up about a natural reunion. This was no small task but where do we go from here, especially as the momentum for Plan B is
growing and time is diminishing?
The good news is that the Ls have not turned up in Juan de Fuca – yet. Plan A is still in motion and we need to stay the course. It means we still have time to
voice complete opposition to the hard capture – especially the rope method – and voice the opinion that there is no need to be in a hurry at this time. The
arguments for rushing ahead probably are: 1) get L98 before the summer starts both in Gold River and in the San Juans when the boating situation becomes
busier and problematic; 2) do the capture soon enough so that there is enough time to do the sequential blood tests (at least two weeks) so that L98 can be in
position in Pedder Bay in time to connect with his family as they move back and forth between the west coast and Juan de Fuca before they settle in with the
Js; 3) get the capture & the holding period over with in a timely way so that costs are kept in check. The last reason is probably driving the agenda. Putting
crew, security & even feed in place has already cost big time, and there must be tremendous pressures on the VPA & DFO to protect their investment to date &
simply get the job “done”.
BUT the waiting time is not used up yet. The Ls have not turned up yet. We need to make it clear that both the DFO and the VPA will look bad if they move too
fast on the hard capture. The public needs to know the risks associated with 1) rope captures; 2) holding 3) tagging 4) transport by truck. The argument
should be - why do these radical procedures before all other options are exhausted?
What are the other options?
We have to be encouraged that Luna has followed Ed Thorburn to the entrance twice and that the ANON is out there listening for the Ls. If the “walks were
done often the chances of a rendezvous would increase. The downside of Luna becoming too attached to boats is not a strong argument against increasing Ed’s
efforts. Consuming all of Ed’s time while costing DFO additional expenses might be a factor, but Ed has seemed pretty confident and positive (at least he did
before Tuesday) about his ability to get Luna to follow him to the entrance. Getting Luna even a little further down Zuciarte Channel regularly is beneficial. It
puts him in position to listen to the open ocean beyond and get his voice further out as well. As Fred said “we need smart luck” and that is still in play until the
Ls turn up south.
The logical next step is to try the longer boat follow. The Science Panel (esp. Ken Balcomb) was quite supportive of attempting this but the idea was shuffled to
the back & lost in the contract tender process. Because the contract to move Luna was awarded to the VPA the idea virtually disappeared. Probably the whole
concept seems totally foreign to the VPA and outside of their capabilities, and hence it is not being considered as a logical sequence to Plan A. Of course, it
would also take the VPA out of the picture and again they may think they have an “investment” to protect. I think we need to push this idea forward and see if
we can make it a reality much in the same way we got "Plan A" a higher profile. It will be tricky but perhaps it may bring everyone together in a real collective
effort. It would certainly be distinctive from the Springer project. How difficult would it be to engineer? If all his favourite boats helped out and encouraged him
past Burdwood Point he might go all the way down the coast (probably 4 days) and have the chance to connect either on the way or in the Juan de Fuca
system. Certainly Springer, with very little training, went along on her first day with John and Graeme (and an unknown boat to boot) and Keiko went quite far
offshore with his familiar boat on several occasions. If it didn’t work there would be 3 possible outcomes 1) Tsux’iit would return to NS; 2) he would wander off
to somewhere else and start a whole new life; 3) he would find his family on his own. None of these are horrible or extraordinary and any negative results
could be dealt with later.
At the point when it looks like the Ls are back (or even before) it might be beneficial to urge DFO to reconvene the Science Panel – 1) to reassess Luna’s
situation, 2) review the options once again, 3) make recommendations based on (1 & 2). Also the Science Panel needs to discuss the “What ifs”, for example,
what if Plan B falls apart? Again, DFO missed the mark by not building an external review process into the reunification plan. They are far too “in-house” and as
a result subject to hurry-up agendas.
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Leaving Tsux’iit alone and providing added and stricter enforcement is not going to fly. DFO, having been pushed to get this far, is not going to invest money
and personnel in an effort reminiscent of their previous efforts and towards something with an uncertain outcome. DFO is fully aware that they have no control,
even with good enforcement, over Luna’s activities. If he caused a serious accident he would most certainly be considered dangerous and would be either killed
or captured and placed in a tank. I don’t think we can risk this. In a perfect world this might be reasonable but not only is there no control over Luna while he
is free, there is no control over the too eager Luna seekers. A recent incident clearly shows that this summer would not be any different from the past two. Lisa
watched a Time Colonist reporter who was aboard a small local boat that was trying to engage Luna. The passengers on the boat were seen leaning over the
side of the boat attempting to touch Luna etc. This reporter later reported to Paul that when her boat had seen Luna they quickly went the other way as Paul
had advised. This was a very different account from Lisa’s and it shows the crux of Luna’s problem – people will NOT give him the space to be himself and
settle down. He is still an accident waiting to happen. And reluctantly I think DFO is correct that there is no going back.
I haven’t yet discussed First Nations but I see the advantage to Luna (and them) of their participation in the boat follow if they were willing. A flotilla could be
assembled, a part of which could be native canoes. The Band up to this point has been unwilling to intervene in any capacity. Their period of mourning is not
yet complete and it is difficult for them to curtail this prematurely and encourage removal of Tsux’iit from Nootka Sound in any way. However, they are, I
believe, totally opposed to the hard capture and are practical enough to realize what is already going on. As we know DFO has never really tried to engage First
Nations as part of the decision process and has treated them as an afterthought, which is nothing new and something we can relate to. It is a question of what
role Mike Maquinna and the Band now want in L98’s fate. They probably do not want to be seen as working to DFO’s tune but perhaps they might be willing to
lead the initiative for a boat follow. This, of course, means they will have to say “good-bye” to Tsux’iit a little early. Personally I feel we all have to let go of
something. – Paul has to abandon the idea of leaving Luna alone and getting enforcement in place; DFO will have to supplant some of their authority and give
it to First Nations so they can organize their part in the follow; the Band will have to let Tsux’iit go a little ahead of time. If we are going to give Luna this new
chance before the heavy experience of the capture is exercised we need to be willing to work together. The job is really to help keep this wonderful free spirit
intact and send him on his way back to his family.
I think we need to discuss our reaction to the hard capture; the need for transparency & witness in the face of over-the-top security & seclusion, acoustic &
visual monitoring of what is going on, the media, the concerns of First Nations & our own feelings.
Helena
May 26, 2004
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OC TIMELINE: WHALE-HUGGERS GET WILEY
Michael Harris, Orca Conservancy
On the evening of May 27th, ReuniteLuna.com organized a conference call with a large number of NGOs to discuss what to do about Luna.
Both Fred Felleman and I were on that phone call. When Marc Pakenham raised the idea of possibly arranging for an independent
monitor/photographer for the Mowachaht/Muchalaht and as nobody on the call who knew about the arrangement we were brokering spoke up, I was
forced to chime in and inform Marc and the participants that this very idea was already in the works. I emphasized how sensitive it still was and urged
the group to keep it confidential, until such time as it was approved. As I was beginning to further share what was going on, both Howard Garrett and
anti-indigenous whaling activist Erin O'Connell jumped on me, saying, "Now YOU'RE First Nations??" I tried to keep calm and explain things further,
but upon the very next sentence O’Connell claimed I was lying about talking with Mike Maquinna that week, saying, "That's funny, because I know for
a fact that Mike's out of town." He wasn’t, of course. I tried to reassure those on the conference call that this endeavor was in fact underway, and pled with them to keep it
confidential. After further verbal abuse, I simply stopped talking. A couple minutes later, I excused myself from the call. In the ensuing days, several of those individuals on the
conference call broke confidence about these delicate negotiations, some calling DFO to discuss it, some even calling Chief Maquinna. It reinforced our belief that seeking broad
consensus in the support of individual initiative often imperils it… particularly among the Pacific Northwest orca advocacy community.
Below is OrcaLab's thoughtful letter to the phone group defending my efforts on behalf of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht:
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June 2004
June 10, 2004
LUNA THE ORCA TO BE CAPTURED
KING 5 News (NBC Seattle)
DENNIS BOUNDS: Luna the wayward orca will be captured in a matter of days.
JEAN ENERSEN: After the whale was nearly run over by a float plane the other day, Canadian authorities have now announced their intentions to capture the
whale and move him south to release him near Victoria. KING 5's Glenn Farley has been tracking this story for years now and Glenn, it looks like this
is finally happening.
GLENN FARLEY: Yes, Jean, it really is. It is finally. Canadian whale experts say it's too dangerous to leave him where he is any longer. But what is about to
take place is not Plan, it's Plan B. After a hands-off approach for years, lost Luna became a liability, a public-safety threat to people in boats, seaplanes, even
to himself.
Now, Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans will take a hands-on approach to get Luna out of there and back to his family pod. The Vancouver
Aquarium will lead the capture.
"Setup has been going on hot and heavy for the last week. The net pens that Luna will be held in in Gold River are nearly set up," said John Nightingale,
Vancouver Aquarium.
The plan now is to capture him as early as Monday in Nootka Sound, put him in a net pen and holding him for about a week to run medical tests. He will then
be transported by truck to Pedder Bay near Victoria and put into another net pen, to be released when his mother and the rest of L-pod come into the area.
This was not the first choice. Plan A was based on the hope that L-Pod would come in or near enough to remote Nootka Sound that Luna would follow a boat
and join up.
"With the recent sightings of Luna's pod in the Juan de Fuca Strait, we believe the chances of a natural reunification in the Nootka Sound area have been
exhausted," said Marilyn Joyce, Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
"It was like finding a needle in a haystack," said Michael Harris, President of
Orca Conservancy. "And it's tempting, because there's still L-Pod off the coast,
so it's still tempting to say, 'Hey, we can do this,' but you know, they gave it
the best chance they can give it, and it just didn't work out."
GLENN FARLEY ON SET: That was Michael Harris of Orca Conservancy. Organizers say they're still about
$60,000 short on cash and donations, but will move the whale anyway. The U.S. government contributed
$100,000 to the move project as part of a program to protect the so-called Southern Resident pods that
primarily live along the Washington-B.C. border. And that is the group that Luna belongs to. Since 1996,
their numbers have dropped about 20 percent.
JEAN ENERSEN: Thank you, Glenn.
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OC TIMELINE: TAGGING – THE RIGHT ARGUMENT AT THE WRONG TIME…
Once it was confirmed that the Southern Residents did an end-around, choosing to come home to their summer feeding grounds via the Inside Passage rather than down the west coast of Vancouver Island and
Nootka Sound, nearly every scientist involved in the Luna rescue conceded that the opportunity to do “Plan A,” the boat-follow and soft reintroduction of Luna to his natal pod, was now gone. Finding Southern
Resident orcas along the vast and rugged west coast of Vancouver Island turned out to be, as Michael Harris said in the media, “like finding a needle in a haystack.” And even if we had found the right group of
whales, and the weather and seastate were accommodating, the proposition was still imposing. We would have to quickly mobilize the DFO boat and team that was tapped to lead Luna out to sea. They were
some 20 miles away in Gold River. They’d have to rush out and track down Luna somewhere in Nootka Sound, then do a Pied Piper act to get him beyond Yuquot and on an interception course with the Southern
Residents. At that point, we’d all cross our fingers and hope Luna would stick to the group.
As hard as we all tried, and with all the material support we provided toward Plan A, we knew it would require an enormous amount of luck. We also knew that if that window closed, if the whales didn’t come to
collect Luna, we’d have to deliver him to them. We’d be absolutely obliged to go with “Plan B,” the capture and translocation option. Orca Conservancy was as out-front in the media as any other group calling
for federal action to “give Luna the same chance we gave Springer,” even if that meant a direct intervention. We were explicitly in support of the most humane way possible to repatriate that whale, and were
repeatedly on record in support of both Plan A and Plan B. BUT in the event of the latter, we also worked hard to ensure that the capture and translocation would be done in a completely transparent way – most
notably through the monitor/photographer agreement that we helped broker between DFO and the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation. Behind the scenes, we had arranged for an effective way to put a stop to
the operation should the monitor and band decide they didn’t like how things were proceeding – images captured by the band’s official photographer (a well-known freelance network photographer we provided to
the band) would be sent via satellite back to ABC, NBC, CBS and CNN for broadcast that same evening, together with “sound” we’d give them from Chief Mike Maquinna. Our media efforts got the feds to take
action on behalf of Luna – now we were employing those very resources to put Maquinna in a unique position to stop it, if needed.
Most of us believed we wouldn’t need to play that card. With the world and the First Nations watching, we strongly believed Luna would get the same relatively gentle treatment that Springer got. And like
Springer, he would be successfully repatriated. After delivering everything we said we would on the Springer project, and up to this point on the Luna effort, we had developed an extraordinary amount of trust
among the public. Although we were an all-volunteer group, we had accepted and re-directed contributions from caring individuals around the world toward getting Luna home, including from our friend
Peter Hughes, who was now a very vocal advocate of the capture and translocation. Nearly every one of our supporters stood with us on our commitment to make this happen, Plan A or Plan B… or Plan C,
if necessary. As long as that orca got the hell out of Nootka Sound and harm’s way.
Our five-member Board of Directors were completely together on our support of the L98 Reintroduction Plan submitted to us by the feds in the fall of 2003, and the more detailed plan presented to us by DFO at
our Orca Conference on Orcas Island, WA in April 2004. We had concerns about some aspects of it, but were productively engaging both DFO and NOAA Fisheries to address them. But as we did with Springer, we
thought it fair to dial back our dissenting opinions and, at least in our public statements, rightfully applaud DFO for doing what we called for them to do for so long – act. When Plan A was tried and proved
impossible, we told reporters that, “it’s tempting, because there are still some whales out there,” but that it was time to move on to Plan B.
Unfortunately, one of our own went south on us. Just days before the scheduled rescue, Orca Conservancy Board Member Fred Felleman began raising red flags about some of the tagging methods that were being
discussed by DFO and NOAA Fisheries. DFO and Vancouver Aquarium were in charge of the capture, translocation and rehabilitation phase of the L98 Plan – behind the scenes, DFO and VanAq were also trying to
assert authority on the post-release tagging, but the jurisdiction was clearly shared with NOAA Fisheries, and entirely held by NOAA Fisheries and the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission while Luna was in U.S.
and tribal waters. In part through our advocacy, The Whale Museum was also tapped to direct the post-release phase, assisted by the U.S. Navy, which our group enlisted for the effort. Fred’s worries were
specifically related to a telemetry tag NOAA Fisheries was now considering, which would be bolted to L98’s dorsal fin. Studies on earlier versions of that bolt-tag suggested that it had an adverse affect on tursiops,
or dolphins, with some studies suggesting that it might harm reproductive functions. In other words, it seemed possible that we could be sterilizing a male orca we were hoping to reintroduce to an Endangered
population. Clearly, this would be unacceptable. If it were true. As it turned out, it wasn’t. In fact, as Dr. Rich Osborne of The Whale Museum wrote in late April 2004, the draft post-release plan was discussing
the latest generation of tags, not the kind that researchers determined might be harmful to cetacea. These new devices were considered benign. Most importantly, NOTHING was set in stone on the post-release
side. There was still plenty of time for us to convince NOAA Fisheries to employ benign bolt tags, or suction cup tags, as were used for Springer. Or perhaps none at all.
Our usually quite-together Orca Conservancy Board began to debate something extremely important, but in the 11th-hour – why wasn’t this matter raised the previous fall or winter? Why now, just weeks away
from the rescue? The information that our friend David Howitt at OrcaLab had uncovered was incredibly important. We applauded David’s hard work to obtain it and make it available to all involved in the Luna
effort. At Orca Conservancy, we saw it as a powerful and persuasive tool to put on the table with NOAA Fisheries, to convince them to re-craft the finer details of the post-release plan. Moreover, we all had
worked quite hard to ensure that Dr. Osborne and The Whale Museum was a critical player in the post-release, because we had a huge amount of respect in them and complete confidence that they wouldn’t sit idly
while a Southern Resident whale was mistreated. Or sterilized, for that matter. It just wasn’t going to happen.
Our organization tried to pull itself together, but Fred was locked into his position about the bolt-tag and shared its feared evils to all who would listen, from reporters on our media list to Chief Maquinna himself.
Our organization had accomplished so much over the previous several years by being on the same page in our public statements, by staying on message – but now, one of our most prominent members was going
off-script. After OC calling for action on Luna for three years, Fred was now calling for no action. It severely impacted our credibility as an organization. I also imagine his unscheduled meeting with Chief
Maquinna the night before the capture and these terrible tales of tagging probably were persuasive enough for Maquinna to re-think the delicate and qualified agreement in place to allow the rescue to go forward.
Fred may have saved Luna from being tagged, or even sterilized, but he also played a role in that whale not being saved at all. We lost our best chance to get him home.
Michael Harris, Orca Conservancy
Fred Felleman, with NOAA Fisheries’ Doug DeMaster, The Whale Museum’s Dr. Rich Osborne and activist Mike Sato,
from the Michael Harris film, “THE INLAND SEA With Jean-Michel Cousteau: Where Have All the Orcas Gone?”
(right) Dr. Osborne’s e-mail to us regarding tagging for L98.
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Wednesday, June 16, 2004
Paddlers led Luna Out to Sea to Thwart Capture
The Associated Press
GOLD RIVER, B.C. - Seventeen men and women of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First
Nation in dugout canoes patted a rambunctiously friendly young killer whale
and led him out to sea yesterday, trying to thwart the capture of the orca
they consider a reincarnation of a deceased chief.
By mid-afternoon, when veterinarians and scientists were scheduled to begin
the first part of the plan to reunite Luna with his U.S. pod, the whale was
already about 12 miles away from the pen where he was supposed to spend the
next week.
Luna playfully followed the canoes. Videotape shows him swimming alongside
the paddlers, spinning over onto his back while some of the Indians patted
his skin, rubbed his teeth and scratched his belly with hands and paddles.
"We hope to divert Luna away from capture," said Mike Maquinna, chief of
the Mowachaht First Nation.
Fisheries officials did not immediately comment on the glitch.
Officials had planned to use a boat that Luna is particularly fond of to
lead him into a net pen, where he would undergo medical tests. If he proves
healthy, he would later be coaxed into a sling, crane-lifted into a
container, placed on the back of a transport truck and then driven about 200
miles south to a bay near Victoria.
Once there, the plan called for him to be held in another net pen until his
pod swims by. He would then be released and officials hope he would set out
to meet his family.
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Maquinna said band members believe Luna embodies the spirit of his late
father. Luna separated from his pod and arrived in Nootka Sound in 2001, about the
same time the chief died.
The whale, believe to be 4 or 5 years old, has become comfortable around
the people of Gold River on the west coast of Vancouver Island. They come
down to the dock to see him, and he has developed a taste for pushing boats
around, scratching himself with boat propellers and popping up to peer at
people and dogs.
Canadian government experts want the whale moved for his own safety and that
of boaters.
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Thursday, June 17, 2004
Local Indians Lure Luna Out to Sea
Yesterday Rescuers Were Set to Help Troubled Killer Whale Find his Family, but the Orca had Other Plans
By LISA STIFFLER
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
The underwater net pens were ready and a jet boat was primed to serve as a lure, but the star of the show –
a stranded killer whale – wasn't cooperating yesterday with his would-be Canadian captors.
Luna headed out to sea off the northwest coast of Vancouver Island with a group of local Indians paddling dugout
canoes.
Native Canadians claiming a spiritual connection to the lonely orca lured him away in an attempt to prevent his
capture – the first stage of a planned reunion with his Puget Sound relatives.
So far, the protesters have succeeded.
For months, U.S. and Canadian officials and scientists have been planning and preparing for the capture of the 4-year-old whale. The orca has
grown increasingly chummy with people and boats, which he follows and even pushes around. Last week, Luna nearly collided with a
seaplane.
But members of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht band oppose the reunion strategy, convinced that Luna embodies the spirit of a chief who died
around the same time the orca separated from his pod and wound up in remote Nootka Sound, three summers ago.
"That means a lot in that my late father expressed to a couple of members that he was going to come back as a killer whale," said Mike
Maquinna, chief of the Mowachaht First Nation.
To block the capture, 17 men and women of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht band boarded two traditional canoes in Gold River near Nootka Sound
yesterday morning. They managed to draw Luna about 12 miles away from where officials had hoped to trap him in a large net pen for a
medical inspection.
For much of the trip, Luna swam alongside, spinning over onto his back while some of the Indians patted his skin, rubbed his teeth and
scratched his belly with hands and paddles.
The decision to capture the whale was prompted by increasing concerns that he could be injured in his frequent human interactions,
combined with the fact that his pod is precariously small. As long as Luna remains a loner, he remains out of a breeding pool that desperately
needs more genetic diversity.
The plan is to lure the orca into the holding pen using a jet boat that he likes to follow, apparently enjoying the rush of water across his face.
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Maquinna said the band may rotate new paddlers and supplies into the canoes to keep Luna at the mouth of the sound, near a traditional
village and away from the pen.
Officials with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the agency overseeing the capture, said their team used the extra time caused by yesterday's
delay to make final preparations.
Marilyn Joyce, marine mammal coordinator with the department, said she will be talking with Maquinna to try to address their concerns.
The chief said the effort to thwart Luna's capture was not meant as an act of civil disobedience, and Joyce said it would be up to her
department's enforcement division whether to make any arrests.
A team of 25 orca experts have been assembled in Gold River to oversee and conduct the operation. It's being led by the Vancouver
Aquarium and scientists with Fisheries and Oceans, the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service and independent experts.
Most have predicted that the capture should go smoothly, posing little threat of harming the orca.
"He seems to get along with people pretty well, so it's not a serious risk," said David Bain, an associate professor with the University of
Washington who is a member of the project's science advisory panel.
"The transfer process is very well worked out now, and they're hiring the best people in the business," said Rich Osborne, director of The
Whale Museum in Friday Harbor.
The challenge is expected to come on the other end of the endeavor – getting Luna to re-bond with his family and leave people alone.
"If he doesn't pick up with his pod right away, he has a lot more boats to choose from compared to where he is now," Bain said.
Luna belongs to an extended family of orcas known as the L-pod that frequents the waters around the San Juan Islands.
Concerns about the survival of the small population of local killer whales – which includes J, K and L pods – helped fuel the interest in
reuniting Luna with his family. There were close to 100 local orcas in the mid-1990s, but that population slid below 80 in 2000. The
population climbed to 83 last year.
U.S. and Canadian governments each are spending about $100,000 on the Luna reunion effort, and there has been $44,000 in cash donations
and more than $200,000 worth of in-kind donations. An additional $44,000 is needed, officials said.
Luna, also known by his scientific designation L-98, will be held in Gold River for about a week once captured while he undergoes medical
tests to check his health and make sure he doesn't carry any diseases that could spread to his pod. Experts have said that he appears to be in
good condition.
Then he will be put into a sling and hoisted by a crane into a truck, by which he'll travel more than 200 miles to Pedder Bay west of Victoria.
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Experts decided to move Luna by truck instead of boat because of fears of rough seas on the western Vancouver Island coastline.
"Apparently whales can get sea sick," said Fisheries and Oceans spokeswoman Lara Sloan.
Luna will be transferred again to a net pen in Pedder Bay until his pod comes into auditory range, which is about 5 to 10 miles, depending on
how much background noise is present.
Orcas make sonar noises and chirps and whistles common to toothed whales, but also make screams or calls that are unique to killer whales,
said Osborne, of The Whale Museum.
Local orcas have about 35 sounds – screeches and moans – in their vocabulary. Each maternal group, which includes mothers and their
offspring, has specific calls and sounds are shared within pods, Osborne said.
The hope is that Luna will recognize their conversation as coming from his pod while it travels around the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the San Juan
Islands and up around the mouth of the Fraser River and Georgia Strait. The animals swim about a hundred miles a day.
Scientists and orca enthusiasts closely track the resident killer whales when they're in inland waters, sharing information on the Orca
Network. When the network observes Luna's pod within range, the orca – which will be tagged so his movements can be tracked – will be
released.
The successful reunification of Springer in July 2002 gives the whale experts reason to be hopeful. The 2-year-old orca strayed from her pod
and spent about six months hanging out around Vashon Island.
When the orca showed signs of poor health and began interacting too much with boats, she was captured and released near Vancouver Island
as her relatives swam nearby. Springer appears to have reconnected with the pod, which includes an aunt, grandmother and cousins, but not
her mother.
"The main concern is that he might be a lone whale," said Osborne, whose museum will lead the effort to monitor the reunification. "The best
way to have it work is to have him reintroduced with his pod. They normally live their whole lives with their mothers."
While Luna has been apart from his pod for about three years, experts think he could return successfully because his mother is still there. He
also has a new sibling that he's never met.
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ABC World News Tonight With Peter Jennings
June 24, 2004
Anchor: On “WORLD NEWS TONIGHT”… It was all-out warfare in Iraq – a new wave of coordinated attacks kills 100 people and injures
hundreds more… At the Supreme Court, victory for the Bush Administration – Vice President Cheney’s secret meetings will not be
made public… The fight over the new movie attacking President Bush – conservatives say the ad campaign for the film is illegal…
“A CLOSER LOOK” at the real estate boom – why it’s still going, and when the bubble might burst…
And the killer whale with the free spirit – trying to get Luna back to his family...
Anchor 18:27:31: Finally tonight, on a much lighter note, the custody battle in the water. This is about the young killer whale named Luna, who has spent most of his
life stranded off the west coast of Vancouver Island and British Columbia. The Canadian government has been trying to reunite him with his family. But the operation
has been complicated by a tribe of Native Indians, who claim a special bond with the whale.
Here’s ABC'S Brian Rooney…
Brian Rooney: Luna the killer whale was first spotted swimming along nearly three years ago. Killer whales swim in a group called a pod, and are very social. So, Luna
has been cozying up to people and their boats.
Michael Harris, Orca Conservancy: “There are a lot of people who wanted to go out and get a Shamu
experience with this whale, to some extent, even pouring beer down his throat, trying to feed him,
rubbing his tongue, sticking their heads in his mouth.”
Brian Rooney: But they are called “killer” whales for a reason. And the Canadian Department of Fisheries decided this could not continue. In
an effort to reunite him with his family, they are using boats to lure him into a pen. From there, he would be trucked 200 miles south to
where his pod is located.
Marilyn Joyce, Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans: “In this case, the situation has escalated to the point where, unfortunately we can’t… we know there’s
a risk to people and we can’t allow that to continue.
Brian Rooney: The local Native population also wants to save him. But they don’t like the way the Canadian government is doing it.
Mowachaht/Muchalaht Band Member: “Animals don’t deserve to be penned up.”
Brian Rooney: And to them, Luna is not just a creature. He is the reincarnated spirit of their late Chief, who died just days
before Luna appeared. They say the Chief told them he would return as a whale. Singing and chanting as they paddle,
members of the First Nations have used their traditional canoes to lead him away from the government boats.
Chief Mike Maquinna: “We’re saying hello to him, and showing our respect to him. And that
we hope in some way, shape or form to let him know that we don’t mean any harm to him.
And we don’t want any harm coming to him.”
Brian Rooney: They want him to find his own way home. Luna was almost captured one day. But he swam off and at last sighting was many miles away. He may or
may not be the spirit of a Chief. But he certainly has spirit. Brian Rooney, ABC NEWS.
Anchor: That’s our report on 'WORLD NEWS TONIGHT.'
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CORRESPONDENCE:
(left) The result no doubt of Howard Garrett’s phone call “tip”
to DFO’s Lara Sloan. (below) “Food for Thought” from Orca Conservancy Board Member
Kelley Balcomb-Bartok on the subject of journalistic integrity.
From: Kelley Balcomb-Bartok
Sent: Thursday, July 01, 2004 8:59 AM
To: Michael Harris; Fred Felleman; Stephanie Buffum; Brian Calvert
Subject: Re: ABC transcript.
Michael,
From an editorial standpoint, journalists are not
to engage themselves in the story they write on.
It creates an extreme conflict of interest situation,
and it calls into question the integrity of the media...
I would recommend you pick either producing for
ABC, and then distance yourself from participation,
or ask the station to get someone else to produce,
then you can act as an "expert."
Whether it's a small community paper, or national news,
I am concerned that that firewall is not safely defended
by crossover...
Food for thought...
Good luck on your wedding.
Kelley
June 25, 2004
BID TO PEN LUNA ENDS
Judith Lavoie – Victoria Times-Colonist
GOLD RIVER – The effort to capture Luna the killer whale is being
suspended indefinitely, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans said
late Thursday.
First Nations people, who have been blocking the capture, paddled their
dugout canoes into their camp on the estuary of the Gold River after
hearing the news. Tears of joy streamed down their cheeks as they sang
and banged their paddles.
"In the interest of public safety and the well being of the whale, we
will be meeting with First Nations over the coming days to review
options. Consequently, for the time being, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
is deferring operations to relocate the whale," said a statement handed
out by DFO spokeswoman Lara Sloan.
ORCA CONSERVANCY -
DFO marine mammal co-ordinator Marilyn Joyce, who has headed plans to
relocate the four-year-old orca, would not come out to answer questions.
Federal officials want to capture and move Luna because they feel he is
a danger to himself and to boaters in the waters off Gold River. They
also feel that instead of swimming about alone, he should be reunited
with his pod. Members of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht band oppose capturing
Luna, and have suggested that he should be led down the west coast of
Vancouver Island to meet up with his pod.
The $500,000 operation to get Luna back to his pod, supported
financially by the Canadian and U.S. governments as well as public
contributions, was being led by Vancouver Aquarium. Giving a hint that
the delay might be lengthy, the news release thanked Vancouver Aquarium
crews and other volunteers for their help.
"We look forward to productive discussions with the First Nations and are hopeful that
a resolution that is agreeable to all parties can be found," said the DFO statement. The
plan to lure Luna into a net pen and truck him down Vancouver Island to Pedder Bay near
Victoria, where his family pod is spending the summer, ran into problems from the moment
it swung into high gear almost two weeks ago.
The Mowachaht/Muchalaht believe the whale embodies the spirit of their
former chief Ambrose Maquinna, who died days before the solitary orca
appeared in Nootka Sound three years ago.
Each time DFO boats tried to lure Luna into the net pen area, native
canoes would coax him away with their singing. News of Thursday's decision
to suspend the capture effort filtered by VHF radio out onto the waters of Nootka
Sound, where First Nations people in canoes and other native watercraft were
keeping their watch over Luna.
Chief Michael Maquinna hugged each of the emotional canoeists on their
return to camp. Paddler Rudolph Dick hugged his 17-month-old son Warren
tightly as he wiped away the mixture of tears and sweat running down his face.
"He hasn't seen me for three days," Dick said.
Gary Maquinna said everyone heard the call to come in and it sounded as
if it was good news. "Now it's like when you win an award, you can't
say anything," he said.
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Tsu-xiit (the First Nations name for Luna) is free, Maquinna said, "and
we have helped him stay free. We are not going to let anyone buy him,
prod him, tag him, poke him or do anything unnatural."
Sam Johnson said that before this battle over control of the whale's
future he would never have believed two cedar canoes could take on the
might of the DFO.
The break in the impasse was apparently sparked by a conference call
Thursday afternoon between Chief Michael Maquinna, Department of
Fisheries and Oceans directors in Ottawa, and members of the Assembly
of First Nations, First Nations Summit and Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council.
The previous day Maquinna had upped the ante by writing to Ottawa
demanding that Marilyn Joyce be replaced and raising the spectre of
infringement of aboriginal rights and failure to consult with First Nations.
Maquinna, refusing to describe the temporary halt in DFO plans as a
victory, said the main demand from Day 1 by the Mowachaht/Muchalaht
people was that they be fully involved in all planning and decision making.
"All we have done is gotten ourselves included in the plan that we
should have been included in from the very beginning," he said.
"Hopefully we can be in the plan from the beginning to the end and not
just be treated as people who happen to be here."
If agreement can be found with DFO, the next phase could involve canoes
leading Luna down the west coast to his pod or another attempt to lead
him out to the mouth of Nootka Sound in late fall or early winter to
reunite with his pod as they pass by, he said.
The Mowachaht/Muchalaht also want an interim agreement on marine
mammals to ensure no other band meets the same problems and to cover
the possibility of Luna being returned to Nootka Sound if a "soft"
reunion does not work.
Maquinna said the strength of the band members has been inspiring. "It
has been a blessing and an honour to be part of this."
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THE LUNA FILE
The band will continue singing to the whale, but may not be so "interactive,"
Maquinna said. DFO says the whale is being habituated to human contact,
which will ruin his chances of ever being able to live a normal wild-whale life.
The truce followed days of escalating problems on the water as
frustrated fisheries officers were thwarted in their attempts to pen
the whale.
Richard Lucas of the nearby Hesquiaht band said he was told by a
fisheries officer Wednesday that he would be charged under Section 7 of
the Fisheries Act for coming within 500 metres of Luna and interfering
with a marine mammal. Lucas said the whale started following his boat.
"He only followed me briefly and then I went to get some gas, that's
when Fisheries came after me. They were quite forceful asking what I
was doing."
On Thursday DFO boats were on the water and telling native boats to
keep away from the whale, but withdrew when the situation became
confrontational. Maquinna said he hopes charges will not be pursued.
The M/V Henrietta, donated by Orca Conservancy to serve as base of operations for OrcaLab’s Luna Research Project.
Page 203
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NORTHWEST WILDLIFE
These are short pieces I did for free for NorthWest Cable News – an edited packagefrom wildlife locations, with a couple minutes live discussion on set. Hosting the piece is Cam Johnson, a true whale lover and
one of my all-time favorites in Seattle television. The first chance I could, I contributed a NorthWest Wildlife segment on Luna. Mowachaht/Muchalaht Stewardship Project Director Jamie James and my crew
decided not to pursue Luna – and in fact, our boat never came withinseveral hundred yards from the whale at any time. We knew where he was. We just left him alone. No interaction. It didn’t make for the
“Shamu shot” for our viewers, but I think we did a decent job setting the scene. To date, the rainiest shoot I’ve ever done. –Michael Harris
NORTHWEST WILDLIFE: LUNA’S WINTER
Northwest Cable News
By Michael Harris, Special to NorthWest Cable News (A.H.Belo)
Sound-up, fjord winds and rain, bald eagle and LUNA CALLs…
MICHAEL HARRIS, middle of Nootka Sound: Here we are – we’re getting soaked! – It’s
the Sunshine Coast, Nootka Sound in the dead of winter… pouring down rain.
We’re about 250 miles north of Puget Sound. And out there somewhere is Luna –
also known as L98, also known as Tsux’iit by the First Nations here. And Luna’s
been going solo, away from his family, for about three years now, a long way
from home.
Sound-up, LUNA CALL.
Sound-up, little boy on the dock, Luna rubbing against their boat: “Whale!”
MICHAEL HARRIS: Right now the Mowachaht/Muchalaht have a Stewardship Project in place. And it’s not an easy task – imagine, telling people to ignore a 15 or
16-foot orca that weighs about a ton-and-a-half, that’s approaching your boat and wants your attention…
JAMIE JAMES, Mowachaht/Muchalaht Biologist: “A lot of people want to interact with him (laughs), but the whale is getting bigger, which is my main concern. So part
of my job is to limit that interaction. This is a very unique situation. Everybody’s still kinda stunned about it. And he’s just as curious as we are.”
CHIEF MIKE MAQUINNA: “There is no rhyme or reason as to why this kukawiin has chosen to be here at this time. And if you look too hard for an answer, you
tend to look far away and on the highest mountain, and you want to go climb that highest mountain to get that answer, when actually the answer is right here.
(Touches heart) Right? That’s where it is.”
Sound-up, LUNA CALL.
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December 2004
Meanwhile, Back in the Southern Resident Community…
J-Pod at Sunset. From the two-time Emmy Award-winning documentary, “THE INLAND SEA With Jean-Michel Cousteau,” by Michael Harris.
Orcas Will Be Protected Under Endangered Species Act
Conservationists Hail Decision to Protect Orcas, Demand Bush Protect ESA
Press Release, Dec. 17, 2004
Contact:
BRENT PLATER (Center for Biological Diversity) 415-572-6989 (cell)
PATTI GOLDMAN (Earthjustice) 206-343-7340 x 32
The National Marine Fisheries Service ("NMFS") today proposed to protect Puget Sound's Southern Resident orcas under the federal Endangered Species Act,
the nation's strongest conservation law. The orcas declined by 20% over five years during the 1990s, and Endangered Species Act protection insures that NMFS
will have the world's best conservation tools at its disposal as work begins to recover the whales from the brink of extinction.
"This is a victory for sound science, the orcas, and the people of the Pacific Northwest," said Brent Plater, attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity.
Today's decision comes one year after a U.S. District Court found unlawful the Bush administration's June 25, 2002 announcement that the orcas are not
significant enough to protect. NMFS will now take public comment and put final protections in place for the whales within one year.
"I'm glad NMFS has joined with the State of Washington and Canada in deciding to protect these whales," said Ralph Munro. "Like many natives of the Pacific
Northwest, I have spent my life growing up with these whales, and I know that they will benefit from the protections provided by the Endangered Species Act."
"The Endangered Species Act allows us to look forward and roll up our sleeves and do what's needed to insure these orcas survive," said Patti Goldman,
attorney with Earthjustice.
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"With only 85 Southern Resident orcas left on the planet, one major oil spill could cause them to go extinct. The habitat protection afforded them by the
Endangered Species Act is critical if we are to protect the ecological integrity of our marine environment," said killer whale biologist and Northwest Director of
Ocean Advocates Fred Felleman.
The Endangered Species Act is a federal law providing a safety net for wildlife, plants, and fish that are on the brink of extinction. Endangered Species Act
protection will result in many new safeguards for the orcas, including the creation of a binding recovery plan, protection for the whales' critical habitats, and
assurances that all federal projects will protect the whales before the projects can proceed. These safeguards could lead to improvements in oil spill prevention,
vessel traffic, toxic pollution, and activities that harm salmon, herring, and other fish eaten by the orcas.
"But just when the orcas are poised to reap the benefits of the Endangered Species Act, the developers and the politicians they give money to are proposing to
repeal the law altogether," said Plater. "We are obligated to insure that the orcas survive for future generations, and therefore we must not allow a repeal of
the protections for our whales."
"It's time to move away from the battle to obtain protections for the orcas and make the Endangered Species Act work for the orcas," observed Kathy Fletcher,
executive director of People for Puget Sound. "We must work together to prevent further toxic pollution and oil spills in Puget Sound."
"The Endangered Species Act should not be a partisan issue," said Michael Harris of Orca Conservancy. "In fact, the ESA
began under the Nixon administration, and our state in particular has a rich history of Republicans helping the whales. But now
the Act itself has become endangered. Almost everyone wants the best possible protection for these orcas, and that's what the
ESA does. This is a great Christmas gift for the orcas."
"This is an important victory for orcas and the biologically rich waters they frequent in San Juan County. We must act to preserve this totemic species for our
future generations," said Stephanie Buffum, executive director of Friends of the San Juans.
Background on Southern Resident Orcas
The Puget Sound resident orcas are an extended family of whales made up of mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, aunts uncles, cousins, and grandparents. They have stayed
together for many years, always loyal to, and supportive of, each other. They use a unique language to communicate with each other. They differ from many of their wilder cousins in
that they tend to stick together, close to shore and eat mostly salmon, herring and other fish instead of hunting seals and other whales at sea. These whales are considered among
the most intelligent animals in the world, hunting as a team and taking turns babysitting the young whales. Unfortunately they are also one of the most imperiled, which is why
scientists and conservationists requested they be protected.
For more information:
www.biologicaldiversity.org
www.earthjustice.org
OUR ATTORNEYS… EarthJustice’s Patti Goldman and Center for Biological Diversity’s Brent Plater.
ORCA CONSERVANCY -
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2005
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Government Agrees to List Puget Sound Orcas as
“Endangered” Species
By LISA STIFFLER
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
After years of legal challenges, Puget Sound orcas have been granted federal protection as an endangered species, officials announced this morning.
Citing new information and analysis, NOAA Fisheries Service officials acknowledged that the local killer whales were at risk of extinction and reversed an earlier
decision not to give the iconic orcas protection under the Endangered Species Act.
By granting protection “we have a better chance of keeping this population alive for future generations,” said Bob Lohn, regional administrator for NOAA
Fisheries Service’s Northwest region, in a prepared statement.
Environmental groups celebrated the decision and its potential benefits for the species. They were pleased that the orcas were deemed endangered, as
compared to the lesser designation of threatened, as originally proposed.
“This listing is long overdue but it’s the right decision,” said Kathy Fletcher, executive director for People for Puget Sound, an environmental group. “We know
that these whales are in serious trouble, but the good news is this will give a real boost to make sure the actions are taken to make sure that these whales
survive.”
Scientists have identified numerous factors putting the local orcas at risk of disappearance. There has been a decline in the amount of salmon - their favorite
food source - from historic levels. The killer whales are contaminated with industrial pollutants that can reduce fertility and make them more vulnerable to
disease. Some research has indicated that boat traffic can disturb the highly social animals.
The iconic killer whales have been on a population rollercoaster, plummeting in the early 1970s when they were rounded up for aquariums, then building and
dropping over the decades, for unknown reasons. Their numbers dropped precipitously from the mid ‘90s until 2001 when they reached a recent low of 79
orcas. They currently stand at 89. The agency recently set 84 to 120 orcas as the target population.
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife determined the orcas were endangered under state regulations last year. The Canadians have also recognized the
population as vulnerable to extinction.
In 2003, NOAA Fisheries Service proclaimed the orcas “depleted” under a less protective regulation than the Endangered Species Act. Environmental groups
challenged that decision and a federal judge told the agency to reconsider their decision.
Now the government will need to devise a plan to recover the orcas. The new designation will also require federal agencies to review their actions to make sure
they won’t hurt the orcas.
Officials with NOAA Fisheries Service said they will continue working to boost the Sound’s salmon stocks and that other agencies will address exposure to toxic
chemicals and vessel traffic.
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EarthJustice Press Release
Puget Sound Orcas Finally Protected Under the Endangered
Species Act
Whales protected by court order over resistance from the
Bush administration
November 16, 2005
Seattle, WA – The National Marine Fisheries Service announced that Puget Sound's Southern Resident orcas, or killer whales, will be protected under the federal
Endangered Species Act. The orcas have been listed as endangered, meaning they are in danger of going extinct. The orcas declined by 20 percent over five
years during the 1990s, and Endangered Species Act protection insures that NMFS will have the world's best conservation tools at its disposal as work begins to
recover the whales from the brink of extinction.
The decision, announced Tuesday, comes two years after a U.S. district court found the Bush administration violated the law on June 25, 2002 when it
announced that the orcas are not significant enough to protect.
"This is a close-knit family of highly intelligent whales that have been living cooperatively with each other in Puget Sound for thousands of years," said Patti
Goldman, attorney with Earthjustice. "This will give us the will and the tools to take the actions that will allow them to survive."
"With only 89 Southern Resident orcas left on the planet, one major oil spill could cause them to go extinct. The habitat protection afforded them by the
Endangered Species Act is critical if we are to protect the ecological integrity of our marine environment," said killer whale biologist and Northwest Director of
Ocean Advocates Fred Felleman.
The Endangered Species Act is a federal law providing a safety net for wildlife, plants, and fish on the brink of extinction. Endangered Species Act protection will
result in many new safeguards for the orcas, including the creation of a binding recovery plan, protection for the whales' critical habitat, and assurances that all
federal projects will protect the whales before the projects can proceed. These safeguards could lead to improvements in oil spill prevention, vessel traffic
control, toxic pollution, and activities that harm salmon, herring, and other fish eaten by the orcas.
"Southern Resident killer whales have been integral to the ecological, social, and economic well being of the Pacific Northwest for thousands of years," said
attorney Brent Plater of the Center for Biological Diversity. "Providing the Southern Residents the protections of the Endangered Species Act ensures that we
protect these whales for future generations."
"This listing is long overdue but it's the right decision," said Kathy Fletcher, executive director for People for Puget Sound, an environmental group. "We know
that these whales are in serious trouble, but the good news is this will give a real boost to make sure the actions are taken to make sure that these whales
survive."
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Background on Southern Resident Orcas
The Puget Sound resident orcas are an extended family of whales that live together in matriarchal family units. They use a unique language to communicate
with each other. They differ from transient orcas in that they tend to stick close to shore and eat mostly salmon, herring, and other fish instead of hunting seals
and other whales at sea. These whales are among the most intelligent animals in the world. Unfortunately they are also one of the most imperiled, which is why
scientists and conservationists requested they be protected.
The listing of the orcas under the Endangered Species Act make it only the fortieth species to be added to the list of federally protected species since the Bush
administration took office. Protections were extended to all 40 species only after federal courts ordered the government to act. In spite of its steadfast
opposition to protecting the orcas, the regional head of the National Marine Fisheries Service, Bob Lohn, today changed his tune and finally admitted, "By giving
it protection under the ESA, we have a better chance of keeping this population alive for future generations."
*******
Regional Contacts:
Ralph Munro (360) 791-XXXX
Mike Sato (People for Puget Sound) (360) 336-XXXX
Fred Felleman (Ocean Advocates) (206) 595-XXXX
Stephanie Buffum (Friends of the San Juans) (360) 378-XXXX
Contact:Patti Goldman (Earthjustice) 206-343-7340 x 32
Brent Plater (Center for Biological Diversity) 415-572-6989 (cell)
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Government Gives Orcas a Shield
Puget Sound's 'Local' Whales Receive 'Endangered' Status
By LISA STIFFLER
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
In a move that surprised and pleased environmentalists and whale enthusiasts, the federal government declared Puget Sound orcas "endangered" Tuesday,
triggering the most protective actions and requirements legally available.
The decision comes at a time when laws safeguarding orcas and other vanishing creatures have come under attack by some federal lawmakers. Tuesday's
announcement underscores their importance, environmentalists said.
"This listing is long overdue, but it's the right decision and we're really happy," said Kathy Fletcher, executive director of People for Puget Sound, an
environmental group.
"We know that these whales are in serious trouble," she said. "But the good news is this will give a real boost to make sure the actions are taken to make sure
that these whales survive."
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The Endangered Species Act requires the government to devise a recovery plan for the orcas and to identify and safeguard "critical habitat" necessary for their
survival. This could trigger a renewed push for the cleanup of contaminated hot spots in the Sound, environmentalists said. They also speculated that
restrictions could be tightened on whale-watching boats.
Under the act, federal agencies also must review their actions to make sure they won't hurt the orcas. Concerns have been raised by the potential harm caused
by Navy sonar tests.
And whale lovers are hopeful that more money will flow toward research and recovery. Sen. Maria Cantwell secured $1.3 million in last year's budget for
studying the whales.
The effort to secure Endangered Species Act protection for the local orca population was launched more than four years ago. Federal officials rejected
protection under the act three years ago, but a legal challenge forced them to reconsider. In December the National Marine Fisheries Service announced it was
seeking "threatened" status for the orcas.
New research and analysis highlighting the precariousness of their survival led to the stronger endangered designation, said officials with the fisheries service,
which is responsible for protecting orcas and other marine life.
By declaring them endangered, "we have a better chance of keeping this population alive for future generations," said Bob Lohn, regional administrator for the
fisheries service, in a statement.
The region's killer whales have been on a population rollercoaster, plummeting by the early 1970s when they were still being rounded up for aquariums, then
building and dropping over the decades, for unknown reasons.
Their numbers dropped precipitously from the mid-'90s until 2001, when they reached a recent low of 79. They currently stand at 90, according to the Center
for Whale Research, a Friday Harbor-based scientific group.
The federal agency recently set 84 to 120 orcas as the target population.
"Because the population has such a small number of sexually active males in it, a catastrophic event – an oil spill, a chemical spill – could really make a huge
difference in the population," said Brian Gorman, spokesman for the fisheries service.
"The fact that the population is small always worries a biologist," he said.
Scientists have identified many other factors that put the local orcas at risk of disappearance. There has been a decline in the amount of salmon – their favorite
food source – from historic levels. The killer whales are contaminated with industrial pollutants that can reduce fertility and make them more vulnerable to
disease. Research has indicated that boat traffic and other manmade noise can disturb the highly social animals.
In 2003, the fisheries service proclaimed the orcas "depleted" under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which has less power to save the whales. Officials
argued that the local population was not unique and thus could not qualify as endangered.
But the weaker designation did result in a proposed conservation plan for the orcas, which was released last month. This will be modified to become the
requisite recovery plan, Gorman said.
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Tuesday's announcement also could reinvigorate calls to reunite an orca called Luna that's related to the local
population but has spent the past few years alone on the northwest coast of Vancouver Island. An effort to capture
and reunite the young male orca with its family was derailed in 2004. A local tribe opposed aspects of the effort.
And the announcement has inspired an even more vocal defense of the Endangered Species Act and an act by the late Sen. Warren Magnuson that limits the
flow of crude oil to Puget Sound refineries.
Members of the U.S. House and Senate have proposed laws revamping and softening protections for wild creatures and places, though the fate of the
legislation is uncertain.
But Tuesday's news elicited cautious optimism in even the more skeptical environmental activists.
"If we don't do something completely stupid like gut the Magnuson Act or release some toxic load, it looks like nature has given us this second chance," said
Fred Felleman, northwest director of Ocean Advocates, an environmental group.
"Things are looking up," he said. "This is a good day."
Local Orcas Listed as Endangered
11/16/05
NOAA PRESS RELEASE:
The Southern Resident killer whales have been listed as an endangered species under the federal Endangered Species Act. The National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries Service) announced the listing Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2005. The listing will require
federal agencies to make sure their actions are not likely to harm the whales. NOAA Fisheries Service said its ongoing efforts to restore salmon stocks in Puget
Sound should benefit the whales. Other federal agencies’ efforts are likely to focus on toxic chemicals and vessel traffic.
A year ago, the whales were proposed for "threatened" status under the ESA. A species listed as threatened is at risk of becoming endangered; an endangered
species is one at risk of extinction.
"Recent information and further analysis leads our agency to conclude that the Southern Resident killer whale population is at risk of extinction, and should be
listed as endangered, " said Bob Lohn, regional administrator for NOAA Fisheries Service’s Northwest region. "By giving it protection under the ESA, we have a
better chance of keeping this population alive for future generations. "
The Southern Resident killer whale population experienced a 20 percent decline in the 1990s, raising concerns about its future. Many members of the group
were captured during the 1970s for commercial display aquariums.
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The group continued to be put at risk from vessel traffic, toxic chemicals and limits on availability of food, especially salmon. It has only a small number of
sexually mature males. Because the population historically has been small, it is susceptible to catastrophic risks, such as disease or oil spills.
Southern Resident killer whales already are protected, as are all marine mammals, by a 1972 law, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, under which the whales
were officially listed as a depleted stock more than two years ago. A proposed conservation plan required by the depleted designation was published last month
laying out the steps needed to restore the population to full health.
The population peaked at 97 animals in the 1990s and then declined to 79 in 2001. It currently stands at 89 whales, including a solitary male that has taken up
residence in a small inlet in British Columbia.
Although researchers have collected more than 30 years’ worth of information on the Southern Residents, agency biologists said there are major gaps in
knowledge, such as where the animals go when they’re not in local waters. Because killer whales may live up to 90 years in the wild, existing data doesn’t
cover even one full life span for older animals. Research by NOAA Fisheries Service scientists to fill these gaps will continue, the agency said.
NOAA Fisheries Service is dedicated to protecting and preserving the nation’s living marine resources and their habitats through scientific research,
management and enforcement. NOAA Fisheries Service provides effective stewardship of these resources for the benefit of the nation, supporting coastal
communities that depend upon them, and helping to provide safe and healthy seafood to consumers and recreational opportunities for the American public.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national
safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation’s coastal and marine
resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners and nearly 60 countries to
develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes.
Killer Whales Will Be Protected As Endangered
11/16/05
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) today proposed to protect Puget Sound’s Southern Resident killer whales under the federal Endangered Species
Act, the nation’s strongest conservation law. The orcas declined by 20% over five years during the 1990s, and Endangered Species Act protection ensures that
NMFS will have the world’s best conservation tools at its disposal as work begins to recover the whales from the brink of extinction.
"This is a victory for sound science, the killer whales, and the people of the Pacific Northwest," said Brent Plater, attorney with the Center for Biological
Diversity. "However, if Congress continues on its path to gut the Endangered Species Act, the best tools available to protect the killer whale will be ripped right
out of the hands of the scientists and resource managers in the Pacific Northwest."
Today’s decision comes nearly two years after a U.S. District Court found unlawful the Bush administration’s June 25, 2002 announcement that the killer whales
are not significant enough to protect. The final rule differs from the proposed rule announced nearly one year ago by listing the Southern Residents as
"endangered" rather than "threatened." An "endangered" listing provides stronger, more immediate protections to the killer whales than a "threatened" listing.
"Southern Resident killer whales have been integral to the ecological, social, and economic well being of the Pacific Northwest
for nearly all of human history," said Plater. "Providing the Southern Residents the protections of the Endangered Species Act
ensures that we can give back to these whales and insure their survival."
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2005 – Back to Luna
And The Road to the Inevitable…
May 21, 2005
Tsux'iit: Understanding Indigenous Spirituality
The Dominion
Kim Petersen
Since 1493, when Pope Alexander VI granted Spain dominion over the "Americas" and gave Africa, the Caribbean and a bit of present-day Brazil to Portugal,
the conquest of the "Americas" has been sanctioned by Christian religious authorities. While the native Original Peoples have been forcibly made familiar with
Christianity, the settlers' contemporary understanding of the plethora of indigenous religions remains vague at best.
On the west coast of Vancouver Island, a modern day clash of beliefs is playing out. Canadian officials have attempted to subordinate the reverence for life that
is integral to the spirituality of the communities that have lived there for thousands of years.
The majestic killer whales (Orcinus orca) are the largest dolphins, which have become emblematic of the province of British Columbia where they swim in
residential pods or as wide-ranging transients. In 1999, a killer whale was born to L-pod, the largest of the southern resident pods that ply the waters of the
Pacific Northwest. In July 2001, this young killer whale, L98, turned up alone on the northwest coast of Vancouver Island in Nootka Sound (where British
navigator James Cook received a hearty welcome in 1778. The name Nootka is believed to derive from Cook's poor rendering of the Nuu-Chah-Nulth tongue).
The juvenile cetacean took up residence near Gold River – a small community situated inland on Muchalaht Inlet – and received intense media attention. The
killer whale was named Luna in a contest sponsored by a Seattle newspaper because it "explores the ocean like the moon explores the earth"; however, the
Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation (MMFN) named it Tsux'iit after their late Chief Ambrose Maquinna. "Chief Ambrose said he'd like to come back as a Kakawin
[killer whale in Nuu-Chah-Nulth language]," said Jamie James, MMFN fisheries manager. "Four days after his death, Tsux'iit showed up." According to James, in
the MMFN culture everything works as 'fours.' Therefore, Tsux'iit's appearance was an auspicious event for the MMFN.
James explained, "Chiefs believe that when they die they shape-shift into other animals that walk this earth. In the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation culture
the Kakawin is the enforcer of the Sea, the Wolf is the enforcer of Land and the Eagle is the enforcer of the Air. All living creatures have a significant purpose in
their lives in relation to the water, land, and air. The Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation has always been the protector of their land and resources for thousands
of years and continues to this day."
Some thought that Tsux'iit would eventually rejoin L-pod but this has so far not transpired. Tsux'iit seemed healthy and his boisterous antics and friendliness
began to draw tourists to a community still recovering from the economic loss of its pulp mill in 1998. However, it was feared that Tsux'iit 's curiosity for boats
and human contact was putting him at risk and steps were taken to minimize direct contact. Based on the successful reuniting of another killer whale, Springer,
with its pod, Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) made plans to move Tsux'iit.
Dave Wiwchar, media and communications advisor to MMFN Chief Mike Maquinna and editor of Ha-Shilth-Sa Newspaper stated, "DFO hadn't consulted
Mowachaht/Muchalaht at all about their plans for Tsux'iit."
"For DFO just to go in and enforce their views on residents of Gold River and Mowachaht/Muchalaht who have been there since time immemorial seemed like
the wrong thing to do."
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MMFN people believe in the right of the whale to rejoin L-pod. However, added James, "We object to the techniques of the DFO to move Tsux'iit back down:
throw him into a pen, then the back of a truck, with no certainty of whether he will rejoin his pod or not."
MMFN had qualms about the planned move; the outcome was confrontation. When DFO and the Vancouver Aquarium – of ignominious history vis-à-vis killer
whales – attempted to capture Tsux'iit, MMFN and Hesquiaht First Nation people in canoes coaxed the whale away toward Yuquot, the coastal portal for NuuChah-Nulth people's first contact with people from the Old World.
Wiwchar quoted MMFN Chief Mike Maquinna last summer, during the height of the confrontation with DFO: "All we are doing is the same thing we've been
doing here for thousands of years; paddling our canoes and singing songs. We have a very special connection with Tsux'iit and we're paddling in support of
him. . We're trying to stay out of harm's way, but DFO seems committed to turn this into a battle, even though we've made it clear we don't want that. They
have bulletproof vests, guns and high-powered vessels. We're just paddlers in traditional canoes."
The DFO eventually relented in its pursuit of Tsux'iit and in mid-September a joint stewardship was set up between the DFO and MMFN. Funding for the
stewardship is still being negotiated.
A Settler Perspective on First Nations Spirituality
In one example indicative of responses in the settler media, The Christian Science Monitor expressed dismay that "a native group would be given such power"
concerning Tsux'iit. Not atypically, the Monitor's position implies that despite having lived on the land for millennia and never having ceded their land to the
Canadian state, the MMFN has no grounds for "special" rights or claims to knowledge of the world they live in.
The Monitor continues: "Killer whales may well be important in native mythology. And there are more things in heaven and earth, and all that. But Tsux'iit is
not a mythological whale, he's a real one. Perhaps a simple, 'We're sorry we stole your land, but the whale needs its pod' is in order."
While conceding – albeit by quoting Shakespeare – that there might be more to the world than the reality of the western worldview, the Monitor immediately
reasserts their privilege to determine what is "real" and what is "mythological". Meanwhile, the reader's understanding of the situation remains impoverished.
Native American Studies professor Arlene Hirschfelder and White Earth Chippewa writer Paulette Molin noted in the preface to The Encyclopedia of Native
American Religions: "The public knows or understands little about native religions in North America despite all the Native American issues which frequently
make the news… Yet despite all this news, the North American public remains ignorant about Native American religions, and this despite the fact that hundreds
of books and articles have been published by anthropologists, religionists and others about native beliefs."
DFO claims to "understand the cultural and spiritual significance" of Tsux' iit to the MMFN. But for the MMFN, it is much deeper.
Speaking of his people, James said, "We all have a spiritual connection to nature and the land around us."
James advocated a simple, non-confrontational course of action: "Let nature take its
course; that's what we stand by as Nuu-Chah-Nulth First Nations."
Jamie James, Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nations Fisheries Manager, letting “nature take its course.”
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May 22, 2005
Luna 'Trapped' by Wave of Noise
Victoria Times Colonist
Judith Lavoie
Constant noise from sonar fish finders and depth sounders may be driving Luna, the solitary orca, to distraction, says Roger Dunlop, fisheries biologist with the
Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council.
As fishermen head to Nootka Sound for the first boating weekend of the season, Dunlop is calling for a ban on sonar in Nootka Sound.
"I think Luna's trapped by a noise field and it's driving him to do things he wouldn't normally do," Dunlop said Saturday. His theories are cautiously supported
by whale experts.
When the whale's ability to use echoes to find his way is disrupted by sonar, it is not surprising that he damages transducers and rudders, Dunlop said.
"Luna is crying out, 'Shut up.' I think that's what he's here to tell us."
Five-year-old Luna turned up in Nootka Sound, off the Island's west coast, in 2001 and has created havoc as he plays with boats, disrupts fisheries and
regularly removes sonar fish finders from vessels. A Department of Fisheries and Oceans plan to relocate Luna last summer, in hopes he would rejoin his pod,
fell apart after the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation lured him from the net pens with their canoes.
Paul Spong, director of OrcaLab, said there is growing awareness in the scientific community of the problems underwater noise causes for whales.
"Anything that can be done to reduce noise levels in the sound, particularly from pingers that are used in fish finders, would be potentially helpful," he said.
Some transducers are so loud it is likely they are painful to whales and, although it's unlikely to entirely explain Luna's boisterous behaviour, it would be an
interesting experiment to ban them from Nootka Sound, Spong said.
John Ford, DFO marine mammal scientist at the Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo, said there are probably many reasons why Luna plays with boats, such as
using them as a social surrogate. However, sonar likely plays a part, he said. "Luna went through a period of breaking transducers off small boats and we did
wonder if he was reacting to the sound of those fish finders and depth sounders. Was it irritation or fascination?" Ford said.
But the idea of banning sonar would not go down well with boaters, said Tim Cyr, owner of the Nootka Island Lodge.
Almost every boat is equipped with sounders for safety, rather than to find fish, he said. "They're needed so people don't hit the rocks."
Luna tends to play with transducers whether they're on or off, he said. "He gets mad if you don't play with him – that's the bottom line."
Tourists and boaters are on their way to the picturesque Nootka Sound area – and Luna is waiting. But, so far, no stewardship agreement has been reached
between the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation.
First Nations representatives will be handing out information, warning people to stay away from the orca, and patrolling the area – telling boaters not to
approach Luna or cut their engines when they see him – even though no agreement is in place, said Roger Dunlop, Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council fisheries
biologist.
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"We don't have any money, but someone has to do it," he said.
The Mowachaht/Muchalaht estimate the cost of dockside education and boat patrols for 16 hours a day, seven days a week during the summer would be
$177,000.
The budget has been submitted to DFO, but the First Nation is also hoping to raise money from other sources, including the possibility of charging whale
enthusiasts or scientists who want to spend time on the stewardship vessel.
Last year, after an aborted attempt to relocate Luna to southern Vancouver Island, where it was hoped he would rejoin his pod, DFO provided the
Mowachaht/Muchalaht with $10,000 for an education and monitoring campaign.
That meant the First Nations boat was on the water less than 16 per cent of daylight hours, Dunlop said.
This year's budget allows $512 a shift for two people, the boat, gas and transportation.
DFO spokeswoman Lara Sloan said a review of last year's stewardship program has been conducted, but it has not yet been possible to set up a meeting with
the Mowachaht/Muchalaht to discuss this year's program.
Meanwhile, fisheries officer will be out in the area as part of their usual duties, she said.
The Mowachaht/Muchalaht, who prevented capture of the whale last summer, believe Luna embodies the spirit of their dead chief Ambrose Maquinna and
fiercely oppose efforts to move him out of the area. The final potlatch for Ambrose Maquinna will be held this fall.
The First Nation have no objections to a "natural reunion" between Luna and his pod, if the whale could be persuaded to swim out of Nootka Sound when L Pod
is off the west coast.
July 2005
July 6, 2005
Luna Toys With Vessel, Boaters Say
The Province
By Lena Sin Staff Reporter
Luna the whale is back and up to his old boat-bashing tricks.
David Krajnc and his brother-in-law, Markus McConkey, were watching a whale breach in Nootka Sound last Wednesday when it burst through the water about
a metre from their aptly named boat, Squish.
"We both fell back and he startled us totally," said Krajnc, 32, of Surrey.
"He's scraping the bottom, he's lifting the boat, he's pushing it, turning, spinning, we didn't know what to do at the point."
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At one point, Krajnc said Luna's head was only a half-metre from his face. After about five minutes, Luna got sideways to the boat and Krajnc was able to start
his engine and escape. The men, who were on holiday in Gold River, managed to get away without any injuries but Krajnc said he feared at the time they
might go overboard as Luna was bigger than their 4.6-metre boat.
Jamie James, fisheries manager for the Mowachaht/Muchalaht band, said it was the first time this summer he'd heard of Luna toying with a boat.
"It is a concern, considering we don't want him adapting to boats all over again," he said.
The band is asking Ottawa for $176,000 this year to pay for a stewardship program that would keep the whale safe from boaters, but has yet to see any
money. So far, members of the band are getting out to monitor Luna whenever they can. Last year, the band received $10,000 from the department of
fisheries and oceans to monitor the whale.
July 9, 2005
Tsux’iit Disables Coast Guard Boat
Ha-Shilth-Sa Newspaper
David Wiwchar
Gold River - A small service boat deployed from the Coast Guard ship CCGS Bartlett had its rudder torn off by Tsuxiit two weeks ago despite warnings about
using sonar equipment near the whale.
Mowachaht / Muchalaht fisheries staff along with NTC Northern Region Biologist Roger Dunlop have proven that Tsuxiit (aka Luna, L-98) reacts to underwater
sonar devices such as depth sounders and fish finders.
Warnings about the use of such devices in Nootka Sound are broadcast regularly on Coast Guard marine radio channels, but this advice went unheeded even by
the Coast Guard’s own crews who were recently working in Nootka Sound.
The service boat was dropped off the Bartlett into Nootka Sound to replace the green can buoy near Hanna Channel. The two-person crew aboard the 27-foot
wooden workboat were using a hand-held depth sounder as they prepared to replace the buoy. Since this is one of Tsuxiit’s favoured feeding areas, use of the
sonar device quickly attracted the whale’s attention, as he began bumping and rubbing up against the boat. According to one eyewitness, the crew sat
helplessly as Tsuxiit rubbed against the boat for two hours until a local Fisheries Officer arrived to distract the whale from the Coast Guard vessel, and arrange
for the boat to be towed back to the Bartlett.
When Luna first showed up in Nootka Sound four years ago, local boaters were horrified to find their fish finder transformers ripped from the bottoms of their
boats. Dunlop quickly realized underwater sonar waves bothered the whale, and began studying this little understood problem few other scientists have been
able to study.
Mowachaht / Muchalaht leaders have proposed an adaptive management experiment to ban sonar and see if it results in fewer interactions with vessels. They
are also proposing a noise-free sanctuary through Zuchiarte Channel to allow Luna passage to the outside to allow him to expand his home range seaward. It
would provide an avenue of retreat from intense noise, and help him to move over the sill so he can hear the calls of other Southern group members if they
come up to Tofino, as they usually do in summer. The passage will also allow Tsuxiit to get used to venturing outside for an opportunity to re-unite acoustically
with fellow endangered Southern Resident whales nearby.
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According to Dunlop, it has been almost six months since Tsuxiit last interacted actively with a boat, but with sport fishing season only a few weeks away, more
interaction is inevitable unless DFO and Mowachaht Muchalaht can agree on an acceptable stewardship plan.
Over the past few months, leaders from the Mowachaht / Muchalaht First Nation have been meeting with representatives Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)
to hammer out a "Tsuxiit Stewardship Plan" to protect the whale from boats and vice versa.
“We are looking at a collaborative approach to protect Luna, and we’re looking for ingenious ways to get some funding, but I don’t have a lot of resources,” said
Ed Lochbaum, former DFO Area Chief of Fisheries Management for the South Coast, adding he will be sending the proposal to his superiors later this week and
won’t know about DFO funding levels until after a review process has taken place.
Mowachaht / Muchalaht was asking for $176,000 to pay for personnel, gas, boat maintenance, and educational materials for this year, but with only four
months remaining in the boating season is now asking for $90,000 in funding.
Mowachaht / Muchalaht has already spent $9,000 on equipment to monitor Tsuxiit, and is asking for further assistance from both government and nongovernmental agencies for help.
More than $208,000 was spent in June of last year, as DFO and Vancouver Aquarium staff attempted to capture Tsuxiit and move him via transport truck to the
Victoria area, where they hoped he would reunite with his pod. DFO spent more than $141,000 on the effort, and the Vancouver Aquarium contributed an
additional $67,000.
People willing to contribute can do so through NGOs (reuniteluna.com) and WCVI AMB Help Luna website (www.westcoastaquatic.org/HelpLuna.htm.
Donations via the AMB site are tax deductible and receipts are provided.
Mowachaht / Muchalaht suggest visitors book passage on the Uchuck III to view Tsuxiit. The First Nation is in the process of setting up a public viewing station
at Tuta Marina where tourists, residents, and whale researchers can watch Tsuxiit through a spotting scope, and listen to him on hydrophones at the same time
as he continues to feed and grow in Nootka Sound.
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“OPERATION ORCA: Springer, Luna and the Struggle to Save West Coast Killer
Whales”
By Daniel Francis and Gil Hewlett
Harbour Press
“The American writers Michael Parfit and Suzanne Chisholm, who had stayed on in Nootka Sound following the
abortive capture attempt, made their own proposal to DFO. They had gathered anecdotal evidence that local fishermen
were getting angry with Luna’s antics and were threatening to shoot him. One sports fisherman who had his boat pushed
around by Parfit told Parfit, ‘next time I come here, I will have a gun.’
“Parfit and Chisholm thought a whole new approach was needed to protect Luna from boaters and boaters from Luna. They proposed the
creation of a surrogate family, a “foster pod,” to which Luna could attach himself. A select group of people, including the Mowachaht/
Muchalaht, would be authorized to associate with Luna, keeping him out of trouble but also teaching him to follow along beside them.
Eventually, Parfit hoped, Luna would be encouraged to swim to the outer reaches of Nootka Sound, where he might encounter his own family
and be reunited with them. Meanwhile, Parfit had come to believe that Luna craved and needed human contact and that it was wrong to deny
it. Luna had a deep emotional impact on people. While knowing not to anthropomorphize the animal, Parfit, Ed Thornburn, the Kakawin
Guardians and others who came into regular contact with him could not help feeling that Luna’s insistent interactions with people showed that he was desperately lonely. They were
caught in a conundrum. Luna needed to be kept wild, which meant interactions with him had to be kept at a minimum. But he was an intensely social animal. How could that
sociability be appeased in the absence of other whales?
“The downside of Parfit’s proposal was that it would further habituate Luna to human interaction and
lessen the chance that he might ever reintegrate with his family group. When Parfit’s plan got no official
response, he more or less initiated it himself. During the winter of 2005-2006 he and Chisholm began
operating their own stewardship program, spending time in their Zodiac watching Luna and from time to time
leading him away from troublesome encounters with fish farms or
other boats. Where this would have led is anyone’s guess.
“The end for Luna came on the morning of Friday, March 10, 2006. The
skies over Nootka Sound were partly cloudy and a moderate wind blew as a large
tugboat, the General Jackson, with a log barge in tow idled slowly in Muchalat Inlet
near Mooyah Bay (where Luna was first sighted in 2001). While the crew waved at
the whale and took photographs… he was sucked into the blades of the propeller
and killed instantly. The tug’s crew felt the impact, then saw parts of the
mangled carcass floating in the wash.”
Winner of Forword Magazine’s “Best Nature Non-Fiction” Award.
The General Jackson.
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The True Story?
From:
SAVING LUNA: The True Story of a Lone Orca Notes on the Making of the Documentary by Mike Parfit At first we participated in the story just as volunteers to help in a non-­‐political way. I’m a pilot, so we flew several spotting missions over the Pacific outside the area where Luna was living to see if we could find his family, L-­‐Pod, as it moved toward southern Vancouver Island from its winter travels. People hoped that if L-­‐Pod could be found, Luna might be led to a reunion near Nootka Sound. No one saw L-­‐Pod, because that year it passed south on the other side of the island. Then, when the government effort to capture and move Luna began, so many restrictions were placed on the press that we believed that no independent members of the press would have the opportunity to watch the capture and subsequent move. We thought that independent observers were important, so Suzanne volunteered to serve as the official videographer for the Mowachaht/ Muchalaht First Nation during the capture attempt. She was invited to do so, and the result was a film we put together for the Mowachaht/Muchalaht called “The Nine Days.” SHADOWING THE LUNA TEAM. Smithsonian reporters Suzanne Chisholm and Mike Parfit (left) in Yuquot, BC on May 23, 2004 with Michelle Kehler,
Keith Wood and Lisa Larssen from the team assembled by OrcaLab, Orca Conservancy, ANON and Marine Mammal Monitoring Project to look for Luna’s family
off the west coast of Vancouver Island, BC. PHOTO BY MICHAEL HARRIS, Orca Conservancy.
NOT SAVING LUNA: The endangered Southern Resident orca and his “human pod” in Canada, loving him to death.
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July 30, 2005
A “Human Pod” – Tide Turns Against Luna
Victoria Times Colonist
Judith Lavoie
Worried about threats to Luna's life, two science writers have proposed a solution where the troublesome five-year-old orca would be entertained and studied
at the same time.
The proposal, submitted to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans by Michael Parfit and Suzanne Chisholm, calls for a scientific team on a boat to provide
Luna the company he craves, while keeping him away from risky situations. The orca's fondness for damaging boats has raised the ire of boaters in Nootka
Sound – small recreational boats are now converging on the sound, and in the last two weeks, several vessels have been damaged.
"We want to give him what he wants in a managed, controlled way with people who are trained," said Parfit, who, with Chisholm, has been working in the
Nootka Sound area for 18 months. "We want to keep him alive and keep him off fishermen's boats."
Keeping people away from Luna so he does not get habituated hasn't worked, because Luna won't
stay away from people, said Chisholm.
"We think the only way to keep this highly social animal alive is to give him a
human family until his whale family comes to get him."
An agreement between the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation to manage the whale is on the verge of being
signed. DFO hopes it will be in effect by next week. But some say a completely new approach is needed if tragedy is to be averted.
Mounting local frustration has resulted in increasing threats to shoot or harpoon Luna, or even to feed him fish laced with cyanide, said Parfit and Chisholm,
who initially went to Nootka Sound to write an article for the Smithsonian magazine. The couple is now working on a book, to be published by Penguin Canada,
titled Saving Luna.
"Killing him would be tragic and dangerous and solves nothing because it would create dramatic conflict among people. But we understand the frustration. We
think the threat is terribly real," Parfit said.
Scientific organizations have already expressed interest in the year-round, long-term program, which would allow scientists to study the whale, Parfit said. The
scientific team would work in conjunction with the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation – which scuttled last year's attempts to capture Luna and reunite him with
his pod – and no extra money would be needed from DFO, Parfit said.
At first, Parfit and Chisholm would use their own boat. They would then look for participation and funding from research institutions. The two hope that once
Luna develops an affinity for the project boat, his territory could be expanded and he would regularly swim into the open ocean, where there is more chance of
connecting with pod members.
DFO manager Bill Shaw said he has not yet looked closely at the proposal, but it is essential that any volunteers work within the stewardship agreement.
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"We don't want people to go out independently and put themselves at risk."
The agreement between the Mowachaht/Muchalaht and DFO offers the First Nation a limited amount of cash, but does not give band members any special
rights or liability coverage if they interact with Luna or lure him away from boats or marinas.
The First Nation's role would largely be education and monitoring, while enforcement and assistance would primarily be carried out by fisheries officers and the
coast guard vessel stationed at Friendly Cove.
"If anyone decides to try and lure the whale out of a marina such as Critter Cove, they are essentially at their own risk," Shaw said.
August 2005
“Structured Play” Leads Luna Down Deadly Road…
August 18, 2005
Concern Grows About Safety of Solitary Whale
Threats of Violence Against Luna Prompt RCMP to Increase Patrols Along
Gold River Dock
Judith Lavoie, Victoria Times Colonist
Frustrated boaters around Nootka Sound have threatened to dynamite, harpoon or shoot Luna the solitary orca. Fears are
growing that someone fuelled by alcohol, bravado or anger may try to harm the whale. Additional RCMP patrols of the Gold
River dock, increased presence of conservation officers on the water and more emphasis on heavy penalties for hurting the
whale are among ways the Department of Fisheries and Oceans is dealing with the threats, said DFO spokesman Bill Shaw.
"I think a small element of people are expressing their frustration. Maybe they've had a few drinks and an encounter with the whale," he said.
"It's like road rage, but it's water rage."
Information about a fisherman who threatened to dynamite Luna has been handed over to Gold River RCMP. It will be up to police to decide whether to pursue
it, Shaw said. The man, speaking during an interview with CTV, said there are ways to make the orca leave Nootka Sound.
"Did you ever hear of dynamite? He ain't going to like dynamite," the man said. Shaw said he was shocked that someone would appear on television saying he
was going to do harm to an animal. Luna, almost six years old, is a member of the endangered southern resident killer whale population. If he was harmed,
charges could be laid under the Species At Risk Act as well as the Fisheries Act, said DFO spokeswoman Lara Sloan. Penalties could range up to a $250,000
fine, five years in jail or both.
The televised threats provoked a "mini-action" this week by the U.S.-based Reunite Luna group. The organization's website asked supporters to contact
Fisheries Minister Geoff Regan and senior DFO managers in Vancouver and ask what will be done to protect the whale. Over the last four years, Luna has
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damaged boats and disrupted fisheries. But the last two weeks have been relatively quiet. Under the newly signed stewardship agreement with the
Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation, Luna has been led away from potential trouble several times, said Shaw.
Meanwhile, a proposal by writers Michael Parfit and Suzanne Chisholm to lead a scientific team to provide Luna with company
and structured play is under consideration by DFO, Shaw said.
"There is a lot of merit to what they are saying," he said.
Luna turned up on his own in Nootka Sound in 2001, but an effort last year to capture him and reunite him with his pod in Juan de Fuca Strait was abandoned
after he was lured away from the net pen by First Nations canoes. The Mowachaht/Muchalaht believe Luna embodies the spirit of their dead chief.
September 2005
September 25, 2005
BC Government Employees Filmed Playing With Luna
Ha-Shilth-Sa Newspaper
David Wiwchar
Phone lines were buzzing between various provincial offices last month after Ha-Shilth-Sa reported two uniformed BC Parks personnel were filmed playing with
Tsuxiit (Luna) in Nootka Sound.
Brent Blackmun, Nootka area supervisor for the Ministry of Environment, Parks division said he knew it wasn’t his staff members, as they are not on the water
that often. “I wanted to clear our name because we’ve talked to our staff about Luna and making sure we steer clear of him,” he said.
The two provincial employees filmed interacting with Tsuxiit were actually from the BC Ministry of Aquaculture and Fisheries, and refused to give their names to
the Mowachaht / Muchalaht stewardship crew who approached and asked them to leave.
“I was quite shocked when I noticed two men in Provincial uniform stopping to interact with and photograph Luna,” said NTC Northern Region Biologist Roger
Dunlop. “If people did not stop there in his home range there would be next to no problems or risk to whale or public,” he said in a letter to BC government
staff supervisors working in the area. “I would be satisfied if your staff were instructed not to go near Luna again during their work: it harasses L98, causes
Mowachaht/Muchalaht more work in defusing yet another interaction that did not have to happen, makes more paperwork for all of us, and further demonizes
the whale that gets the blame when people get tired of Luna rubbing their boat and then cast the blame on the whale for initiating the interaction.”
A subsequent apology was sent via email to Dunlop from Yves J. Antaya, Section Head, Compliance and Monitoring Unit, Fisheries and Aquaculture Licensing
and Compliance Branch, Ministry of Agriculture and Lands. “I have already spoken to both Inspectors involved and reminded them not to approach Luna or any
other whales while on the water,” wrote Antaya. “They suspected that Luna was in the area and it was not their intention to interact with the whale. Once they
got closer, they noticed Luna near their boat and turned off the engine to avoid hurting the animal. I believe this is when you approached them. As for the
inspectors not identifying themselves, I am told that one inspector stated his name and that he was with BC Fisheries. In any case all inspectors working for
our Ministry have been advised not to interact with any whales when out on the ocean. I also reminded my staff that they must identify themselves when asked
by the public,” he said.
When asked by Ha-Shilth-Sa, the Ministry refused to reveal names of the fisheries officers.
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November 2005
Luna’s Last Winter of Discontent
November 22, 2005
Tsux’iit Stewards Work for Less
Ha-Shilth-Sa Newspaper
David Wiwchar
Fisheries and Oceans Canada agreed to fund the Mowachaht / Muchalaht Tsux’iit Stewardship Project, but documents obtained through the Access to
Information Program show the federal department undercut the First Nation by thousands of dollars.
This past August, DFO agreed to give Mowachaht / Muchalaht $48,000 to keep Tsux’iit (aka Luna, L-98) safe from local boaters (and vice versa) from April
through October, which works out to $6,857.14 per month.
But in 2003, DFO was funding the Luna Stewardship Project at a much higher level, from $14,353.12 to $20,000 per month depending on which short term
contract is analysed.
The Luna Stewardship Project (LSP) was an off-shoot of the Marine Mammal Monitoring Program (M3), organized by the Friday Harbour Whale Museum’s
Soundwatch Program and Strait Watch of Johnstone Strait.
The cost of LSP was even higher than the cost of having actual fisheries officers doing the work, which may have been more effective at deterring boaters from
interacting with Tsux’iit since fishery officers can write tickets on site while LSP lacked any enforcement powers.
According to e-mails sent from Gold River Fisheries Officer Ed Thorburn, the monthly costs of assigning two DFO officers to watch over Tsux’iit would have been
$14,338 per month. But DFO Conservation and Protection (C&P) staff have the ability to write warnings and levy fines. LSP were powerless private citizens who
could only report problems to local fisheries officers and RCMP members.
Fisheries officers were also better equipped to monitor interactions between boaters and Tsux’iit, having spent $421.26 on new digital camera, $2053.99 to
repair a laptop computer, and $1825 to have gyro stabilized in binoculars in June 2003.
“I am rethinking the benefit of putting funds into M3 Luna Stewardship Program at this time,” Thorburn wrote in an e-mail to DFO’s Marine Mammals
Coordinator Marilyn Joyce on September 2nd, 2003. “I spent some time discussing this with members of the on-site monitoring team and conclude the effort
spent on the water is not effective. The team cannot interfere with L8 and the vessel being played with. Any attempt to draw L98 off the sport vessel by the M3
zodiac has been unsuccessful. I feel this is adding to the problem and the number of contacts. It would be more beneficial to have an authorized DFO vessel in
the area to assure no purposeful interaction is taking place. If such interaction is taking place it would result in charges. At this time there is no funding for
such a patrol by DFO C&P,” he wrote.
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Meanwhile, many managers within DFO were complaining the costs of monitoring Tsux’iit was exhausting their already meager budgets.
“Approaches other than capture and placement in a long-term captive facility will likely require significant and ongoing contributions of staff time and money,”
DFO Regional Director John Davis wrote to Assistant Deputy Minister Pat Chamut “This will mean that work on other important initiatives, such as the Marine
Mammal regulations, which would benefit the species as a whole, will be adversely affected.”
“I spoke with Ron (Kadowaki) and Bill (Shaw) about the Luna monitoring issue,” Robb Wilson wrote in an e-mail to Thorburn on September 30th, 2003. “As Ron
points out we can simply not afford to have the M3 crew continue their work in Gold River; nor can we afford to have Fishery Officers provide a similar level of
monitoring of Luna,” he said.
“We cannot afford to have the M3 crew continue in Gold River,” Ron Kadowaki wrote in an e-mail to Bill Shaw that same day. “Could you please put together a
plan outlining how we will manage the Luna situation without M3 until such time as he is moved or crowds dissipate?”
“Given the imminent announcement regarding intervention for Luna I feel it is imperative we extend the M3 program for at least two more weeks,” DFO Area
Chief for Resource Management Ed Lauchbaum replied to Ron Kadowaki the following day. “As well as being cash strapped I would request you talk to Paul
Sprout seeking concurrence to deficit spend until this situation is dealt hopefully soon. When this announcement is made the Luna media mill will flash up once
again and I think it important to have this crew as well as some fishery officer presence on scene,” he said.
Given the costs of having DFO or LSP watch over Tsux’iit, it is obvious the federal department is getting a great deal by having Mowachaht / Muchalaht
members watch over boaters and their interactions with the whale. Reported interactions are down significantly this year, which is a further credit to the
Tsux’iit Stewardship workers, and another reason why DFO should provide similar funding to Mowachaht / Muchalaht as they did to LSP.
December 2005
December 23, 2005
It's Hardly Black and White
Los Angeles Times
Stephan Michaels
A sport fisherman was out on the water in August when a young killer whale suddenly approached his 20-foot craft and began to push against the auxiliary
engine. The whale pushed hard enough to break the propeller. The frightened angler gunned his main engine and fled. Back at the dock, the skipper of a gillnet
boat reported that he too had come close to the orca, though he had found joy in the encounter.
"He was swimming right alongside the boat all the way in and surfing in the wake." He smiled. "It was pretty neat."
Interactions like these have become common over the last 4 1/2 years in Nootka Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Canada, ever since a baby orca
adopted the waters as its new home. There are some, though, who aren't sure their new resident is a good fit.
"What's exhilarating for some could be terrifying for others," says Bill Shaw of Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans. "It's fear of the unknown." Like
many who live in the remote inlet town of Gold River, British Columbia, Shaw and other authorities agree that the resident orca, known as Luna, is not being
hostile or aggressive, just overly playful.
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"Any animal that comes up beside you like this and starts rubbing against your boat and then turns upside down and hangs on with his pectoral fins, you know
he's just playing." Still, at 18 feet in length and weighing more than 3,000 pounds, the sheer bulk of this 6-year-old whale creates the potential for a serious
accident.
A handful of anglers are so irate at Luna's disruptive antics that they've threatened to shoot or poison him. An unassuming and affable Shaw says he's been
"parachuted in" to defuse the conflict. "The whale is not the problem," Shaw contends, "people are."
To understand just how volatile the situation has become, consider the primary characteristic of the southern resident orcas of Puget Sound, which were given
protection just last month under the Endangered Species Act. The largest members of the dolphin family, these killer whales are remarkably social and have
developed tightly knit family structures.
According to Department of Fisheries and Oceans marine scientist John Ford, "It seems to be the key feature to their social structure, where dispersal from the
natal group is essentially nonexistent." Put simply, these animals follow their mothers throughout their lives, which is roughly the same lifespan as a human's.
Scientists are thus baffled by the infant orca that arrived here on its own in July 2001, about 200 miles northwest of his pod's prime territory in the waters off
Puget Sound. Nootka Sound, a deep canyon fiord teeming with wild salmon, is surrounded by a towering expanse of mountains covered in old-growth forests.
The village of Gold River is essentially a kind of suburban mill town built in the wilderness. But since the paper and pulp mills shut down in the late '90s, the
town has striven to rebuild its economic base largely around timber and fishing. Then Luna arrived.
Shortly after taking up residency in Nootka Sound, Luna startled locals by making contact with them. He'd pop up over the side of the dock and spray people
from his blowhole. He'd let them pet him and rub his tongue. "His skin felt like a hard-boiled egg," recalls one boater. He even rubbed noses with a curious dog.
The orca engaged humans for stimulation and people obliged, albeit in violation of the law.
In Canada — as well as in the U.S. — it's a crime to disturb or interact with marine mammals in the wild, an offense carrying a fine as high as $100,000 in
Canada. Yet, for many, just the experience of seeing Luna up close is far more than a novelty. "It's spiritual for me," says Louie Johnson about having made
eye contact with the orca. "I get a big lump in my throat when I see him." Others ascribe human characteristics to the whale, such as projecting that "Luna is
lonely."
For science writer Michael Parfit, who lives in Gold River, experiencing the orca is more intangible. "When Luna comes up to you, it's obvious that he wants
something from you and you don't know what it is. We don't know what he's communicating and can't give him what he wants. But as another living creature,
you still respond."
As news of the sociable orca spread, tourists descended upon the docks of Gold River as though it were an amusement park. In response, the law was strictly
enforced and three people were arrested for allegedly touching the whale. As quickly as he had become the star attraction, Luna was officially cut off from
human contact.
Habituated to human interaction, the orca displayed an increasing appetite for
contact with people.
Anglers who activated fish-finding sonar in Nootka discovered they had unwittingly called Luna to their boats. No longer a dolphin-sized infant, Luna sometimes
damaged the fish finders, which scientists speculate irritated his sensitive hearing. Other times, seemingly hungry for attention, he would just rub up against
boats, pushing and banging them around.
Toni Frohoff, a research scientist in Washington state, says extensive studies with solitary dolphins and beluga whales
underscore the dire reality of Luna's situation. "The closer the contact that sociable marine mammals have with people, the
more likely they are to be injured or even killed by them. Some people will take advantage of a situation in which the animals
have learned to trust humans and abuse that trust."
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The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has been deluged with thousands of e-mails demanding that something be done. Research scientists from
nongovernmental organizations and whale advocacy groups rallied in support of reuniting the whale with its pod and mother, known to spend much of the year
swimming between Puget Sound and the waters off Vancouver Island. To address the problem, the DFO convened a scientific panel to consider the ultimate
dilemma: whether or not to intervene in nature.
In spring 2004, the DFO and the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service jointly unveiled an "action plan" to capture Luna and release him in the waters off
Victoria when his pod was thought to be nearby. Because Luna had been separated from orcas and habituated to people for so long, the DFO's Ford says the
plan carried inherent risks. "If he failed to reunite, which was a significant probability, what next?" The contingencies were either placing the orca in an
aquarium or, if he posed a serious threat to public safety, having to kill him.
The indigenous Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation band, which has inhabited the area for thousands of years, vehemently objected to the plan. Tribal leaders
believe the whale is the reincarnated spirit of their grand chief, who died a week before Luna first appeared in Nootka. Before his death, Ambrose Macquinna
reportedly said that he wished to return as a "kakawin," a killer whale.
Having consulted several marine mammal experts, the tribe contended the relocation attempt was disrespectful and dangerous to the whale. And because
some of the experts overseeing the capture were from various marine aquariums, including Vancouver's, the tribe concluded that Luna was likely bound for
permanent captivity. That June, DFO boats were herding Luna into a net pen when members of the tribe paddled out in wooden canoes to prevent the capture.
The ensuing struggle between marine mammal experts and Nootka's indigenous people lasted nine days, until Luna was eventually led into the pen. Johnson
was one of the paddlers and recalls the event.
"There was a lot of emotion that day. We were feeling scared for our wellbeing and for the whale's well-being. Our singers were crying while they were
singing." Before the net could be raised to close him in fully, Luna swam free and took refuge among the canoes. "That's how we lured him out of the pen,"
Johnson reflects, "we just sang our hearts out." Realizing the tribe was resolute, the DFO conceded defeat.
Many observers ridiculed the Muchalaht band for thwarting an effort to reunite the whale with its pod. "We've never been opposed to Luna finding his family or
being with his family. That's a misconception," counters tribal Chief Mike Macquinna. "If there is anything that the elders in our nation have expressed, it's that
we stand by the whale." Macquinna says that if Luna's pod ventures near the mouth of Nootka Sound, the tribe will not interfere. "If he goes, he goes. If he
stays, that's fine. It's just a matter of nature taking its course."
Luna remains free in Nootka, loved by some, hated by others. Over the summer, he became an increasing nuisance, and fishermen stepped up the death
threats. One angler even suggested dynamite.
"There's a lot of tough talk out there, and we take it very seriously," acknowledges Shaw. "If you intentionally harm this animal or harm this animal, period,
there are severe repercussions."
With tensions escalating and captivity or the whale's death as likely scenarios, writer Parfit and his wife, Suzanne
Chisholm, submitted a controversial proposal to the DFO. They suggested giving Luna a kind of "foster pod" of select
boats to manage him with structured and consistent human interaction. The goal would be to eliminate the haphazard
encounters and distract the orca away from fishermen until his pod might eventually swim by Nootka Sound.
"If you can get a system in place that takes care of public safety and Luna's safety on a regular, full-time basis," reasons Parfit, "then aquariums are distanced
from the whale. You don't have that looming possibility, and you don't have the looming possibility of his being shot, either."
Parfit and Chisholm also proposed using acoustic stimulation to occupy Luna, an idea that some independent marine scientists have advocated. This would
entail generating underwater sounds to engage Luna and diminish his fixation on people and boats. Some marine mammal experts have also suggested that
acoustic stimulation could possibly be used as a vehicle to lead Luna back to his pod, if and when the whales are in the vicinity of Nootka Sound. Frohoff is
adamant. "Plans for a lead-out should have been undertaken long ago. Without trying something like this, DFO is setting Luna up for failure."
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Scientist Ford says he sees no obvious downside to acoustic experiments, but he discounts the
"human pod" element of the proposal. "It would further habituate him and just take him further
away from being a wild whale."
Limited success
THE DFO neither approved nor rejected the proposal but did grant the Muchalaht tribe a permit to intervene and lead Luna away from boaters. The number of
negative incidents have dropped, but that permit expired in October. There is now only sporadic, if not scant, monitoring of the situation by authorities.
Luna is being watched from a distance, however. Hydrophones placed in the water by independent scientists are recording and transmitting Luna's many vocal
calls and are linked by satellite to whale researchers around the world. Last month, a researcher in Scotland was startled to hear Luna communicating with a
small group of transient killer whales, which had never previously been documented.
Orca researcher Lisa Larsson, who spent more than a year listening to Luna from a modest hilltop station in Nootka Sound, says Luna is providing science with
hitherto unseen insights into the behavior of a wild orca.
"We have a unique opportunity to learn about solitary orcas through him, and it's unfortunate that some people don't understand that they are very fortunate
to have him in their midst. We can learn amazing things from him. It's so unique that he's managed to survive and entertain himself by going up to people in
boats."
Fall and winter are relatively quiet in Nootka, and Luna has been more of an amusement than a nuisance since this year's fishing season came to a close. In
September, the First Nation stewards were able to lead Luna to the mouth of the sound, where the orca swam in open water for the first time in more than a
year. That's a significant development. If the wayward orca and his pod were to reunite in the waters off Vancouver Island, this healthy male could have a
potentially positive influence on the endangered southern resident population.
But come spring, when heavy boat traffic and fishing resume, Luna's predicament could
come to a tragic conclusion as some area fishermen continue to grumble that the whale
can't be in Nootka next year.
OrcaLab researcher Lisa Larssen studying and acoustically monitoring L98, Luna, in Nootka Sound – on “The Cliff” and aboard The M/V Henrietta, a vessel donated to the Luna Research Project by Orca Conservancy.
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March 2006
“The Katrina of Orca Advocacy”
Luna Killed by Tugboat
Friday, March 10, 2006 | 5:58 PM ET
CBC News
Luna, the Vancouver Island killer whale with a reputation for loving human contact, has been killed after getting too
close to a tugboat's propellers. The whale got caught in the propellers of the Vancouver-based tugboat General
Jackson in Nootka Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island on Friday morning.
David Wiwchar, the managing editor of of the Ha-Shilith-sa newspaper, says the tug had arrived in the sound in bad
weather, pulling a large log-dumping barge. He says Luna was familiar with the General Jackson and went out to
meet it, and "got sucked into the propellers, and was killed immediately."
"We have been told that the skipper is greatly distressed," said DFO spokesperson Lara Sloan.
"The tug was idling – it is assumed that Luna was doing what he usually does and that is playing around the
propellers."
"There's really no blame," said Department of Fisheries and Oceans scientist Dr. John Ford, referring to the fact
Luna loved playing with boats of any kind. This wasn't the first time Luna had gotten too close to a propeller. In
2003, the whale was cut by a prop after getting too close to a small boat.
Luna was first spotted near the government dock in community of Gold River in Nootka Sound in the summer of
2001 after getting separated from his pod. He was extremely friendly, and became a popular tourist attraction in
the depressed former pulp mill town.
But the whale become so friendly with boats and seaplanes that fisheries officers considered him a risk to
public safety.
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At that point, plans were drawn up by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to try to move the whale, to reunite
him with his pod in the waters west of Victoria. But local First Nations paddlers thwarted DFO attempts to catch
the whale.
The Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation said they believed the friendly whale embodied the spirit of Chief Ambrose
Maquinna, who had died just days before Luna was first seen in the area.
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Luna the Orca Killed by Tugboat
Young Whale Dies in Propeller Collision
By ROBERT McCLURE
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Reporter
In the end, the wayward orca Luna died as he had lived and become well-known – alone. And lonely.
The young killer whale, which somehow got separated from his whale family in the back bays of Vancouver Island, died in a grisly collision with a tugboat's
propeller Friday.
The death of a whale that attracted thousands of tourists – some from overseas – sparked anew arguments over whether Canadian officials and native leaders
mishandled the situation.
One minute Luna was frolicking around the back of a boat, as he did routinely in an attempt to secure the companionship he craved.
The next minute, he was sucked into a tube containing a propeller powered by a 1,700-horsepower engine. It chopped the whale into bits. Until authorities
recovered a large piece of the carcass, they were unsure they would even be able to positively identify the creature.
"I'm furious!" said Michael Harris of the Orca Conservancy, the Seattle-based group that had consistently argued
that the whale should be recaptured and returned to his whale family, known as L pod, which frequents the waters
around the San Juan Islands.
"This is the Katrina of orca advocacy," Harris said. "We saw a perfect storm gathering, and they sat around and
did nothing, and now we've got a dead whale! It's incredibly tragic and frustrating."
Luna's sad saga first came to light in spring 2001, when he turned up in Nootka Sound, a remote waterway that snakes inland from the Pacific to the old
logging town of Gold River, B.C. His pod is known to forage in the waters off Vancouver Island in the spring.
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When the L pod returned to Puget Sound without Luna and an older male, his uncle, conservationists speculated the two may have been hunting together when
the elderly uncle died. Others wondered if Luna had been purposely shunned by his pod. There's no way to know the truth.
Orcas enjoy a lifespan comparable to humans. Scientists who study orcas say the 1-year-old calf being left alone was not unlike a human infant suddenly
isolated in the woods. Fortunately, though, Luna was able to catch his own dinner.
At first, Luna stayed about halfway up Nootka Sound, avoiding boats as a normal orca would. But after a time he began to follow vessels. He had his favorites.
Orcas love to splash in the water together, to rub each other, and they enjoy close family bonds. Luna bonded with boats.
Then he started soliciting petting by humans. Eventually, Luna's search for intimacy grew disruptive. He was known to push around 30-foot logs for onlookers'
entertainment, carry twigs on his head, jump out of the water next to boats and push boats around with his nose. In one incident, he momentarily lifted a
kayaker out of the water far enough that she was temporarily trapped. Later, he damaged some boats.
With help offered by U.S. officials and conservationists on both sides of the border, the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans came up with a plan to
capture Luna and transport him back to be with his family – just as the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service recaptured Springer, an orca from a Canadian
pod that turned up alone near Vashon Island at about the same time.
But it was not to be. DFO officials had failed to consult closely with the local natives, or First Nations as they're known in Canada, the Mowachaht/Muchalaht –
who have long been angry at DFO because of its advocacy of salmon aquaculture in the area.
And the natives had come to believe that Luna embodied the spirit of their chief, Ambrose Maquinna, who died just days before the orca showed up.
When the DFO-sponsored capture was about to take place, members of the tribe showed up in canoes and lured the creature away from a pen in the water
where DFO officials were trying to lure him. The Canadian government gave up on the recapture plan.
"At the moment, the First Nation is in disbelief," Fisheries Program Manager Jamie James said Friday.
But he said the tribe still believes it acted in the whale's best interest, because authorities had said that if Luna were not accepted by his pod, he would be
recaptured again and put into an aquarium.
"This is nothing we could predict or prevent in any way," James said of the accident Friday. "We stick to our
statement that we let nature take its course."
Lara Sloan, a spokeswoman for DFO, said the department had never given up on trying to reunite Luna with his pod. The alternative plan, which the First
Nation acquiesced to, was to lead him out of Nootka Sound into the Pacific Ocean when the pod was nearby.
"We always considered the lead-out an option. We were always watching where the pod was," she said. "We were continuing to work with the First Nations."
She said Canadian authorities have no reason to doubt the word of the skipper of the oceangoing tugboat, the 104-foot General Jackson, that Luna's death was
accidental.
The vessel had come into Nootka Sound for refuge from foul weather in the Pacific, said DFO spokesman Dan Bate.
A spokesman for the tugboat company, Great Northern Marine Towing Ltd. of New Westminster, B.C., said the captain and crew of the vessel General Jackson
were heartbroken about the accident.
"We're all very sad about it," said the spokesman, Barry Connerty. "We did everything we could to avoid that outcome."
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News Release
OrcaLab: Luna Dies
Paul Spong and Helena Symonds
March 20, 2006
It is with a profound sense of sorrow and loss that we must report the death of Luna, the young male orca also known as
Tsux’iit and L98, who has been living a solitary existence in Nootka Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British
Columbia, for the past 5 years. Luna was killed in a tragic accident on Friday March 10th when he was hit by the propeller of a
large tugboat. It is not precisely clear how the accident happened, though the bare facts are simple enough. The tugboat
General Jackson had entered Nootka Sound seeking shelter from a storm and was running its engine in gear to control its load
when the accident happened. Just beforehand, Luna was sighted playing close to the tug’s stern, as he has done with
innumerable other vessels over the past several years. Perhaps a momentary distraction caused Luna to be sucked into the
heavy wash of the 2m propellers, we will never know, but it is almost certain that he died instantly. The crew was alerted by
the impact and soon sighted body parts floating at the surface, attracting seagulls. Fisheries officers reportedly recovered some
of the fragments and confirmed them as being from an orca. Though positive identification awaits further testing, there is very
little uncertainty that Luna was the casualty. Stunned Luna watchers around the world, including ourselves, are experiencing
shock and heartbreak.
Luna’s fatal accident came as a huge surprise partly because he had long demonstrated mastery of his environment. When he
first showed up in Nootka Sound in July 2001 Luna was less than 2 years old, yet he quickly displayed an ability to fend for
himself. In part, it was Luna’s apparent competence that calmed immediate concerns about his separation from his family and
community. Luna appeared healthy, and though he was in an unusual part of the range of his Southern Resident orca
community he was still within it, so there was reason to hope that he would find his own way home. He did not, and instead
Nootka Sound became Luna’s home. He knew every nook and cranny of it, and every vessel that plied its waters… and
everyone knew him. To a few, Luna was a nuisance in that he used vessels as playthings and occasionally caused damage, but
to the vast majority he was admired and respected, even idolized, an awesome fascination. People drawn to Luna came to love
and care for him, and a circle of concern for his welfare spread around the world.
Luna became a cause célèbre as calls for his reunification with his family and community grew. In response, Canada’s
Department of Fisheries and Oceans made plans to capture and move Luna to a location where he could hear the familiar
sounds of his community and hopefully rejoin it, as happened successfully with Springer in 2002. Unfortunately, the plans failed
to fully consider the cultural perspective of the First Nations of Nootka Sound, and when they actively opposed Luna’s capture
the translocation attempt was abandoned. Stewardship efforts to protect Luna by leading him away from danger and diverting
small vessels during the busy boating season were largely successful, but Luna remained a free and independent spirit whose
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fate ultimately lay only within himself. Perhaps as a substitute for social life among his own kind Luna became fascinated by
human activities, constantly challenging the limits of his ability to avoid danger. So many of us recognised the dangers Luna
faced, but held to the faith that a solution to his dilemma could be found. Tragically, even as plans were being made to use
Luna’s natural inquisitiveness to protect him from harm and learn more about him, perhaps even lead him back to his kin,
disaster struck.
Born in September 1999, Luna was a member of “L” pod of the “Southern Resident” community of orcas that spends much of
each year in the waters of southern Vancouver Island and Puget Sound. His earliest days were confusing in that he was first
seen with one adult female and then another, but it soon became clear that Luna’s mum was Splash (L67). In 2000 Luna spent
his first summer “season” with his family & community, but when they returned in June 2001 he wasn’t with them. At that point
he was presumed to have died. Then in July of 2001 he was sighted alone in Nootka Sound. His identity as L98 was determined
a few months later, but his presence wasn’t broadly known for some time. Once it seemed that Luna was comfortable in Nootka
Sound and reluctant to explore the open ocean, the issue of attempting to reunite him with his kin arose. The web site
www.reuniteluna.com served to focus public discussion while governments consulted the scientific community via their
agencies. An official plan was formed, funded and eventually attempted. Its failure did not diminish the concern for Luna, or
inhibit the search for solutions to the problem he presented. Extraordinary efforts to protect him continued, but in the end time
simply ran out.
The loss of Luna has many facets. Gone is his exuberant life; gone is the possibility that Luna may have contributed to the
future of his endangered Southern Resident orca community; gone is the opportunity he presented for diverse groups with
differing perspectives to work together in solving a challenging common problem, as happened with Springer; and gone is
Luna’s potential contribution to our understanding of orcas, their biology & behaviour, their societies and their needs. Gone
forever is Luna’s unique gift to our world.
In the wake of Luna’s death, thoughts turn to lessons learned. Can we, collectively as a community with all our disparate parts,
opinions, attitudes and agendas, sort through the wreckage of this tragedy and find enough common ground to ensure that
next time the ending is different, a rejoicing instead of a dirge? If we can, Luna’s passing from our midst will not have been in
vain.
Unlikely as such an outcome may be, Luna leaves us with a legacy that includes a multitude of fond memories of a magnificent
being and the sounds of his haunting voice echoing among the cathedral walls of Nootka Sound.
Paul Spong & Helena Symonds
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Ocean Advocates: Learning from Luna
Fred Felleman, MSc.
So many people contributed time and resources on the lone orca (L98) Luna’s behalf that his loss is widely
felt. As a whale biologist and photographer I have tried to minimize the impact of my presence on my focus of
study and have only encouraged intervening with nature during a few extraordinary circumstances. This was
one of them.
When whales strand themselves, people make heroic efforts to guide them back into the water. The stranding of
the Transient orcas on Dungeness Spit was one such successful occasion. When Springer (A73) was found sick in
the Vashon ferry lanes, the public rallied for her successful reunion with her family to Johnstone Strait.
It is easy to point fingers for why we were not able to afford Luna a similar opportunity, but the following insights
are simply offered to try to make sense of some hard lessons. There was disagreement between the various
official and unofficial trustees of Luna as to whether to intervene on his behalf in the first place. While Canadian
Fisheries officials (DFO) came to Washington with great interest in Springer’s precarious position in Puget Sound,
they initially kept Luna’s solitary existence in Nootka Sound a secret. Once the word was out there was still
disagreement as to what to do about him.
The successful repatriation of Springer included the positive engagement of the Namgis First Nation welcoming her back to native waters. Unfortunately, due
to a long simmering conflict between DFO and First Nations in Nootka Sound over the sighting [sic] of salmon pens and treaty negotiations, such
communications were not forthcoming. In fact, I was in contact with Chief Maquinna through an introduction afforded me by his Makah cousins* before DFO
contacted him about what they intended to do about Luna. During my meeting with the hereditary chief at his campsite on Friendly Cove overlooking the
Pacific, he made it clear that any efforts to reunite Luna with his family should be done in a way that afforded the whale the ability to swim freely and that he
not end up in an aquarium. While he favored “letting nature take its course” he expressed a willingness to allow Luna to follow a boat out of Nootka Sound to
reunite with his family.
There were many potential benefits associated with giving Luna such a chance in addition to those to him personally. Returning a whale to the endangered
southern resident community was one given the potential for Luna’s disappearance being associated with an inexperienced mother and his obvious capability of
meeting his own physical needs. Alternatively there was the possibility that he was intentionally abandoned and that we were simply watching the “hostile
forces of nature” at work. However, after 30 years of study, such behavior had not been observed before and we could only offer the opportunity for reunion,
the rest was up to the whales.
There was the protection to the boating public in Nootka Sound. However, NMFS officials expressed concern that we would be bringing the problem to
Washington waters rather than assume the whale would prefer his kin over people. They required that a satellite tag be bolted through his fin as if he would be
hard to find if he continued making mischief with boats. While the tag posed potential physical impacts to Luna, it also required that he be kept in a net pen for
extended periods while he was fitted. Such excessive handling of Luna and holding a healthy whale captive for over two weeks was a major source of
antagonism to Chief Maquinna and many in the environmental community. It was important to draw a blood sample to verify that he did not pose a health risk
to his family, but it was hoped that could have been done while Luna was still free swimming giving his inclination to approach boats.
In preparing to lead Luna out of Nootka Sound efforts were redoubled to try to track the fall to spring movements of L Pod which was a goal of the NMFS orca
recovery efforts. The US Navy even provided several sightings of orcas along Vancouver Island. Extraordinary efforts were made to acoustically monitor Luna’s
calls that streamed briefly on the web. It was also hoped that having a joint “project” would help DFO and NMFS put down some of their professional
differences while rallying to Luna’s assistance. There was also the potential for the whale huggers and the aquarium industry to work together after so many
years of distrust over the early capture operations. Unfortunately, documents surfaced indicating that the aquarium industry had agreed to undertake the
reunion efforts for DFO as long as they had the first dibs on Luna if he did not successfully repatriate. This opened the door for the appearance of conflicts of
interest and questions were being asked about who makes the determination as to whether the reunion was a success and if Luna had to be captured.
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Whether you preferred a “hard capture” or a “boat follow” it appears that DFO would have been better off starting with the less invasive approach as a show of
good faith to the First Nations that they were willing to try working with their concerns. Considering such an approach after being thwarted from their preferred
alternative by the First Nations only seemed to embolden their distrust. If First Nations were asked to help lead Luna out prior to their demonstrated ability to
engage him with their canoe to thwart the capture, perhaps DFO would have opened a working relationship that could have resulted in a less tragic outcome.
The most important lesson to learn is that while we admire the intelligence and prowess of orca, they are vulnerable mammals just like us and we all make
mistakes. Luna’s plight can be broadly blamed on a failure of governance. DFO did not have the benefit of the Prescott stranding funds that were used by NMFS
to help Springer and NMFS was restricted to only using those monies in US waters. Instead DFO was reliant on the aquarium industry to manage Luna and their
vets were more comfortable treating Luna as a patient than a wild whale. Underlying all this was the strained relations between DFO and First Nations. While
they did establish a science advisory panel to receive input from representatives on both sides of the border, it was clear their input was not fully embraced.
Managing an endangered population of free-swimming, large brained mammals across an international border is not an easy task. Add to that the complexity
associated with the co-management authority Treaty Tribes have in the United States and is being sought by First Nations in Canada. Such challenges exist in
the management of salmon and halibut as well as in the operation of ships passing through our shared waters. However, unlike the management of our orca,
the management of these other resources is not left to ad hoc advisory committees, but to international treaties.
Given that no one government or person can lay claim to Luna, his family, or the marine environment, it is time that elected officials from both sides of the
border call for the creation of an Orca Commission. The Commission should be comprised of researchers, bureaucrats, tribes, environmentalists and elected
officials to address the ongoing challenges associated with bilaterally managing our totem orca population. In this way Luna may live on to help us all be better
stewards.
Fred Felleman is a whale biologist and photographer. He is the NW Director of Ocean Advocates and former Board Member of Orca Conservancy
By Fred Felleman, MSc.
Ocean Advocates
Seattle, WA
(below) The Namgis First Nation greets Springer in Dongchong Bay, July 2002.
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OC TIMELINE: MICHAEL HARRIS ON LUNA’S DEATH
I first got word of the passing of Luna from a reporter who called me from CBC Radio.
I was so upset that I don’t even remember doing an interview with him. If I did, I shutter
to think what I said. This poor whale had the best chance in the world to go home, to rejoin his family,
but was relegated to this violent post-script. We as conservationists blew an opportunity to restore one healthy,
resilient, resourceful, soon-to-be breeding-age male back to a population now listed as “Endangered” – ironically due
to our Petition and lawsuit. And to think that on the U.S. side we enlisted a Senator, a Congressman, the Navy,
the State of Washington, even the Bush Administration, and most importantly a irrepressible wave of public
sympathy through our media work… then in the 11th hour, we even came up with a creative and compelling
mediation agreement between the First Nations and the Canadian Government that probably averted
a violent confrontation, and which gave the project its best and last chance to move forward.
THE LUNA SHOW. Who needs SeaWorld?
And to consider HOW Luna died, getting chopped up in the propeller tube of a tug.
Approaching a boat he knew, bored as hell, looking just to hang out. In an instant, one of the
Last of the Mohicans, a male orca in a population on an extinction slide, was hacked to death.
Yes, I was furious. I felt like pointing fingers. In my eyes, Luna didn’t just die. He was allowed to die.
Negligent homicide. The culprits in my eyes? There were many, both within our organization and outside.
The two reporters, of course, who came to Nootka Sound to cover a story, but decided they wanted to be the story.
They knew that they weren’t supposed to interact with Luna – every scientist they met and interviewed
told them that, but they did anyway. They were told it would ruin any chances of his being repatriated
to his pod. Certainly it’s an exhilarating thing to sidle up to a wild orca and actually touch him.
Just ask anyone who pays for a ticket at SeaWorld. But they didn’t have a right (and no
exemption from the law) to take the extraordinary liberty to personally adopt this whale
for their own personal amusement and commercial filmmaking. And to hear about this film
winning awards at festivals, and now sold for national broadcast – it absolutely sickens me.
So, who else failed Luna? No question a few misfits who felt it
more important to stick it to my group and me than to get behind the best ideas
to bring Luna home. Some point their fingers at Chief Mike Maquinna, but I don’t agree entirely.
I still think he showed great leadership and dedication to his people as their rights were walked upon by DFO
and Vancouver Aquarium Director John Nightingale. I was always honest with Mike in saying that my
organization – and myself personally – wanted badly to get Luna back to his family, to give him the same
chance we gave Springer – in other words, and in no uncertain terms, a direct intervention and the fastest
trip possible home. That meant a “pluck and drop,” as we were calling it – a quick capture, translocation
and reintroduction. Mike and I didn’t always agree (he much preferred “Plan A,” a soft introduction via a
boat-follow), but we were completely together on the resolve not to let this mooyah kukawiin get stolen
away to a concrete tank. And our work together on the monitor/photographer agreement was brilliant.
But when the effort fell apart and Luna was stranded yet again in Nootka Sound, I also didn’t pretend I
wasn’t disappointed that Mike didn’t call the canoes back and let the rescue go forward,
especially once his point was made. I’d like to think that every once in a while Mike looks back and wonders if maybe
he should’ve done something more for Tsux’iit. But this is Indian Country and he did what he had to do.
And no doubt the Canadian feds got that message loud and clear. That bodes well for all of us.
I felt sick that horrible day on March 10, 2004. For the most part, I kept it to myself. I probably wrote a
few remembrances here and there, but I didn’t feel like emoting publicly on the loss of my dear friend.
The fact of the matter is, the Luna effort was one of the most discouraging experiences of my life. Particularly
as it came off the sheer exultation of the Springer project, something many of us get to celebrate over and
over again with each majestic day she’s seen living out her life among The Northern Residents. But when
you take a closer look at some of these Springer celebrations, you see many of the reasons why the Luna
effort turned tragic. Many of the folks in the party hats – especially some I saw one summer at a
“Springer Reunion” in Telegraph Cove – were allowed to reprise their disastrous roles during the Luna effort.
When it was “Go Time,” Springer had the entire Northern Community to help her become a wild whale again.
When humans failed and flailed, the whales had Springer’s back. All Luna had were greedy paparazzi, deeply
flawed activists, unimaginative Canadian bureaucrats, and an aquarium wonk negotiating for a back-end
payout if and when he could ship the whale off to Marineland Ontario. Most of all, we didn’t have
the Southern Residents around to help Luna. They couldn’t fix all the things we were breaking. And so, Luna was
left to become basically a garbage bear, begging for attention, looking for love in all the wrong places, his
destruction photo-documented like just another Amy Winehouse. Loving Luna to death isn’t “Saving Luna,”
and there’s nothing mystical about putting all that video to music and cashing in on it. After four years
fighting for this whale, I wonder – is THIS how we’re going to remember what humans did for Luna?
As just another Shamu show? I finally brought myself to watching the trailer for this documentary.
I felt like I was watching a snuff film. – Michael Harris, OC.
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CORRESPONDENCE:
A letter to the Board of Directors of Orca Conservancy from Kevin Ely,
designated monitor-photographer for the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nations.
Kevin is one of the most accomplished freelance photojournalists on
the West Coast. His regular clients include ABC World News Tonight
and Good Morning America, NBC Nightly News, CBS’s 60 Minutes
and 48 Hours, among others. Kevin is also one of the region’s most experienced
photographers of wild orcas, particularly the Southern Resident Community.
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June 2008
“Luna 90210”
Wednesday, Jane 30, 2008
Peace Arch Entertainment's “Luna: Spirit of the Whale” Nominated for Canadian Film and Television Production Association's “Best Television Movie”
TORONTO (MARKET WIRE) – Peace Arch Entertainment Group Inc., an integrated global entertainment company, today announced that its dramatic production, "Luna: Spirit of The Whale," received a nomination for best television movie from the prestigious Canadian Film and Television Production Assn.'s (CFTPA) Indie Awards. Produced by Trish Dolman, "Luna: Spirit of The Whale," will compete for the award at a special CFTPA ceremony Feb. 20 in Ottawa recognizing the outstanding achievements of Canadian independent producers. John Flock, President and COO of Peace Arch Entertainment Group, said, "Peace Arch continues to broaden its distribution slate by adding content from various genres, including uplifting family movies like 'Luna: Spirit of The Whale.' The critical and commercial success of this film is an example of our commitment to acquiring and producing quality entertainment that has tangible value in the worldwide marketplace." "Luna: Spirit of The Whale" has become a film festival favorite in 2007 with screenings at Reel to Real International Film Festival for Youth (Vancouver, Canada), Oulu International Children's Film Festival (Finland), Mill Valley Film Festival (California), Sprockets International Film Festival for Children (Toronto, Canada), American Indian Festival (San Francisco), Dreamspeakers Aboriginal Film Festival (Edmonton, Canada), Carrousel International Film Festival (Quebec, Canada), and upcoming in 2008 at Cinema K: Children's Film Festival (Seattle), Ashland Film Festival (Ashland, Oregon) and KidsBestFest (San Rafael, California). Airing in 2007 on CTV, "Luna: Spirit of The Whale" tells the fictionalized account of an orphaned orca that becomes the center of a spiritual and political controversy. The movie stars Adam Beach ("Flags of Our Fathers," "Wind Talkers"), Graham Greene ("Transamerica," "The Green Mile"), Tantoo Cardinal ("Indian Summer: The Oka Crisis," "H2O") and Jason Priestley ("Beverly Hills 90210"). Based on a true story, an indigenous local tribe adopts Luna, a young stray whale, when they identify it as embodying the spirit of their late chief. When the government decides to transport Luna hundreds of miles overland in an attempt to reunite him with his pod, the tribe fights to protect their whale in a battle that pits political power against spiritual strength. The tribe's young, new chief Mike Maquinna (Adam Beach) finds himself embroiled in a storm that tests his abilities to lead the tribe and maintain their ancient spiritual beliefs in a modern world. (Above) Adam Beach reaches out to Luna, played by an animatronic whale.
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