The Springer File - Orca Conservancy

Transcription

ORCA CONSERVANCY – THE SPRINGER FILE
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THE SPRINGER FILE
THE SPRINGER FILE is Orca Conservancy’s news archive on the extraordinary odyssey of A73, or "Springer," the orphan orca calf once stranded in congested mid-‐Puget Sound, now successfully returned to her family in majestic Johnstone Strait, BC. This unprecedented effort, documented here in coverage and commentary, began in January 2002 when The Center for Whale Research and our friend Mark Sears first encountered this mysterious and friendly visitor... a whale so friendly, in fact, we needed to move fast to keep her from getting in trouble with the townsfolk. Orca Conservancy hit the airwaves and newspapers immediately, asking locals to keep a distance and let the scientists do their job. For the next six months, we kept to task – with the support of Earth Island Institute/Free Willy-‐Keiko Foundation, Friends of the San Juans andThe Canadian Consulate in Seattle, and the advocacy of Sen. Maria Cantwell. Orca Conservancy made more media appearances than any other organization, telling Springer's story on ABC World News Tonight, NBC Nightly News With Tom Brokaw, CBS Morning News, CNN Headline News and CNN International, BBC News, CBC's The National, and programs and publications throughout the world. Our website reached a million hits a month from over 100 countries. The public responded to our call for support. The project moved ahead, through the collaborative energy of dedicated organizations around the Pacific Northwest like OrcaLab, ACS/Puget Sound, The Whale Museum and Friends of the San Juans. People on both sides of the border, on both sides of the captive vs. wild debate, began to work together... and non-‐profits led the way. We found this wayward whale and helped figure out who she was. We kept boaters at bay and called for immediate action to get her back to her pod. We put forth the first fully funded, scientifically reviewed plan to National Marine Fisheries Service that called for minimal human contact, to keep her in the water rather than a tank as much as possible, to work fast to get her a clean bill of health and a chance to go home. Time and time again, we fought the feds to move, and the groups and individuals who claimed it couldn't or shouldn't be done. We navigated a sea of media opportunists and fundraising poseurs. And we watchdogged captive-‐display agents who coveted this extraordinary wild soul as a boon for a Teddy whale breeding program. NMFS finally came around and showed extraordinary leadership. Our First Nations friends opened their hearts and ancestral waters to the project. And against the odds, we found the funds, joined forces and helped make history – the first-ever rescue, rehabilitation and repatriation of a stranded orca to its natal pod. Turns out, people can still save whales. It was a long, strange trip... but Springer is home! And now, she’s a mother herself. A contributing member of the population. A complete and beautiful success. Thanks for your support. – Michael Harris, Orca Conservancy (below l-r) Orca Conservancy Board Members Stephanie Buffum-Field, Fred Felleman and Michael Harris. (above left) The Hollywood Ending… A73, or “Springer,” with her aunt, eight-year-old A64, home at last in Johnstone Strait, BC.
Photo 8/1/02 Anna Spong, OrcaLab. (above right) The Tlingit sing a goodbye song to the kukawiin as she leaves Seattle, WA.
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From Wikipedia: “Springer has been seen with her relatives each year in Johnstone Strait, becoming the only whale in history to be successfully re-‐integrated into a wild pod after human intervention. The work of rehabilitating Springer involved scientists, First Nations, veterinarians, non-‐government organizations, local businesses and volunteers from both sides of the Canada-‐U.S. border, and crystallized decades of research into the social behavior and family bonds of orcas.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springer_(orca) Environment Northwest Springer the Once-Orphaned Orca is a Mom by Gary Chittim, KING 5 News (NBC Seattle) July 9, 2013 It usually doesn’t work. When humans interfere with nature, the results are usually not good for nature. So when several people from a diverse range of groups came together in 2002 to save a young wayward orca in Puget Sound, a tide of skepticism rolled in. The plan was to capture the young female orca and take her to rejoin her pod some 250 miles away. Complicating factors included the fact that Springer was not well. She was also getting dangerously close to boats and ferries; she was too young to make it on her own. As Michael Harris of Orca Conservancy puts it, “Some activists wanted to leave her alone, hoping that somehow she’d find her way home. Marine parks took an interest in the young resident orca. But other groups, including OrcaLab, the Free Willy-‐Keiko Foundation and Orca Conservancy, successfully persuaded NOAA Fisheries to directly intervene, capture the orca and return her to her family in BC.” It worked and today Harris announced “Springer,” the once-‐orphaned orca, has a calf. The orca calf was spotted on July 4th with its mother off the central coast of Vancouver Island, BC. That leaves no doubt the young whale was accepted by and is thriving with her pod. It’s an unlikely outcome. Some of the groups cooperating on the rescue would not sit together in the same room much less share boats and resources. And capturing an orca without injuring is difficult; keeping it alive during a long journey and getting it back together with its pod, well, that’s unheard of. Does that sound skeptical? It should, I was. Now I’m just amazed. Once-Orphaned Orca Surfaces With Baby of Her Own by Matt Lorch , Q13 Fox News (FOX Seattle) July 8, 2013 Springer the killer whale, once orphaned and then rescued with human intervention, is back with a calf of her own. The orca was seen last Thursday, July 4, off the central coast of Vancouver Island, Canada, with a baby. Researchers confirmed on Monday that Springer is a new mother. Springer, also known as A73, was in 2002 the subject of what is believed to have been the first-‐ever successful rescue and repatriation of an orca. In January 2002, the orphaned orca was found sick and alone in the congested ferry lanes off West Seattle, some 250 miles from her home waters of Johnstone Strait, British Columbia. Her plight became top story in the local media, and soon an intense debate raged about what to do with the wayward whale. Some activists wanted to leave her alone, hoping that somehow she`d find her way home. But other groups, including OrcaLab, the Free Willy-‐Keiko Foundation and Orca Conservancy, successfully persuaded NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Fisheries to directly intervene, capture the orca and return her to her family in Canada. Another key supporter of the Springer rescue was the Whale Watch Association Northwest, now known as the Pacific Whale Watch Association. That summer, Springer was corralled in Puget Sound, brought to a sea pen site in Manchester, Wash., to undergo medical tests, and then once cleared of any communicable diseases, put onto a 144-‐foot catamaran and taken to Johnstone Strait. The next day, Springer was released into her natal pod, and after a few days and with the help of her extended orca family, she was back to being a wild whale again. “It’s been 11 years since her release back to her home waters and her story continues,” said Helena Symonds of OrcaLab, which hosted the Springer effort on Hanson Island, Canada, and was a key operational lead on her repatriation. “This is great news given all she went through as an orphaned calf, her rescue in Seattle and her successful release back to the wild,” said Dr. John Ford of Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. “Let’s hope both she and her calf continue to thrive.” Researchers will be watching Springer’s calf. It’s estimated that some 40 percent of newborn resident orcas in the Pacific Northwest don’t survive their first year. Springer the Orca is a New Mom By KOMO Staff (ABC Seattle) July 8, 2013 Springer, the orphaned orca that made headlines around Seattle 11 years ago when she was the first orca to be captured and reintroduced to her pod, is now a mom. The orca, also known as A73, was spotted near Vancouver Island with her baby on July 4, according to the Pacific Whale Watch Association. Springer was discovered in January 2002 all alone along the ferry lanes off West Seattle, some 250 miles from her home waters of Johnstone Strait in British Columbia. As many worried the whale was frequently getting too close to ferries and other boats for her own good and the safety of boaters, debate raged as to whether to leave the orca alone, or have her taken to a local aquarium. Eventually, the decision was made to capture Springer and return her to her home pod in B.C.-‐ the first time such a reunion was attempted. That summer, Springer was corralled, brought to a seapen for a medical checkup, then loaded on a catamaran and brought back to Johnstone Strait, PWWA said. The move has worked out well. "This is what we've been dreaming of since the day we first discovered her off the ferry dock at Fauntleroy," Michael Harris, Executive Director of the Pacific Whale Watch Association, said in a statement released to the media. "Every step of the way, this little orphaned orca had enormous obstacles to clear. Would she be healthy enough to rescue? Would she get medical clearance for a trip home? Would she be accepted back into her pod? Was this a crazy idea to even try? And yet, Springer kept surprising us all."
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Before we get to the first reports on Springer, we’ve included our favorite wrap-up piece on the effort, which aired on
ABC World News Tonight With Peter Jennings. I’ve been a Contributing Producer/Wildlife Specialist for ABC News and
Good Morning America for years, but now the story literally was happening in my backyard, the waters off Seattle. And it
ended at my friends’ place – the waters off OrcaLab, BC. I was able to provide my desk the first images of Springer in
Puget Sound and the first back in Canada with her family, and convey the real spirit of the accomplishment here to the
producers back in New York and LA, which I hope comes across in the story. I know that this was one of Peter’s favorite
stories of all time… and that’s saying a lot. Wherever you are, Peter – Springer and her family send their best wishes.
Michael Harris, Orca Conservancy. Wednesday, August 21, 2002 (also BBC News)
ABC World News Tonight With Peter Jennings
“Family Found”
Peter Jennings: On World News Tonight this Wednesday… “Family Found.”
That baby whale in Canada is doing fine. Her grandmother’s on the job…
Tease #1:
Peter Jennings: When we come back… The laws that let eye doctors keep
prescriptions secret – forcing patients to pay top dollar for contact lenses and
it may be "Your Money." White-collar criminals set a crash course on life
behind bars – we’ll take "A Closer Look." And a reunion for the young
killer whale in Canada – she is finally with family…
Michael Harris, Orca Conservancy: I don’t think anything even close to
this has happened. I mean, this is totally unprecedented.
Tease #2:
Peter Jennings: When we come back this evening, the last item in the
broadcast. That young whale we got so attached to earlier in the summer,
she’s with family again.
Package:
Peter Jennings: Finally from us this evening, the family reunion that
worked against the odds. The tiny killer whale, tiny by orca standards, who
was found sick and orphaned in a Seattle harbor, was spotted with her family
near Port Hardy on Vancouver Island.
Here is Neal Karlinsky.
OrcaLab Video/courtesy OrcaLab and Orca Conservancy: Springer with family. Soundup, Anna Spong, OrcaLab researcher: There she is, in the back.
Neal Karlinsky: These pictures are the first evidence that an unprecedented
rescue effort by American and Canadian scientists actually worked. A73, the
orphaned orca found in Seattle, is seen here surrounded by family for the
first time.
John Nightingale, Vancouver Aquarium: (I’ve been) more than amazed. I've been a fascinated
spectator, watching these whales get used to each other and her integration into her larger family group.
Neal Karlinsky: The 2-year-old baby orca spent months alone, far from her family, in the waters off
Seattle. Scientists captured the whale, barged her to a holding pen in Canadian waters and watched in
amazement as she began to react wildly to members of her home pod swimming nearby.
Lance Barrett-Lennard, Vancouver Aquarium: Her calls were so loud they practically blew our
headphones off.
Neal Karlinsky: Even as the young whale swam near her pod after being released, scientists were
unsure if A73's family would accept her. Scientists have never before successfully reintroduced a whale to
its family.
Michael Harris, Orca Conservancy: People told us we were crazy. They said this can’t be done, it’s
never been done. And we’ve proved them wrong.
Neal Karlinsky: A73 now spends most of her time swimming with three older females, including the one
scientists have identified as her grandmother. This whale, who became so familiar, is free and wild again.
Neal Karlinsky, ABC News, Seattle.
Peter Jennings: And that’s our report on "World News Tonight." We’ll be back tomorrow.
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OC TIMELINE: SPRINGING A WHALE BEFORE WE SPRUNG SPRINGER…
From Michael Harris, Orca Conservancy
It was January of 2002. The country was still in a collective tremble after 9/11, looking for any positive news story
to embrace. I had just been asked by Secretary of State Ralph Munro and the Board of Directors of Orca Conservancy
to serve a three-year term as its President. I’d been working with the group for
several years, dating back to the mid-1990s and our early days as “The Tokitae
Foundation,” when we founded the campaign to FREE LOLITA. I’d volunteered
my TV gear and top crew to shoot and distribute a national public service
announcement campaign with actress Linda Evans – “Make a Call, For the Wild” –
calling for the “retirement” of our Southern Resident orca Lolita, or Tokitae, after
over a quarter-century of captive entertainment at Miami Seaquarium. The 30- and
60-second PSAs went on to a wide reach, an overwhelming response and an Emmy
Award that year.
Representatives of the Keiko project, Vancouver Aquarium, and Olympic Coast Marine Sanctuary give the "thumbs up" for the final attempt at towing the male orca to freedom. The device on the animals back, known as a "TDR" (time-‐depth-‐recorder) is held in place by a suction cup, allowing biologists to later determine the animal's breathing patterns. But after five or six years making noise from the outside, we just couldn’t spring that poor whale. We weren’t getting
anywhere with Art Hertz, Lolita’s owner. It became a strange, personal matter between Mr. Hertz and our former
President, Howard Garrett, and it distracted us from other urgent matters – namely seeking the first-ever federal
protection of our Southern Resident whales and, just as important as advocating for Lolita and other captive whales, to
begin using all of our talents and resources to keep whales from going into tanks in the first place.
As 2002 rang in, we found ourselves in an extraordinary position to put that new mission to a test.
On the morning of January 2nd, Orca Conservancy’s Kelley Balcomb-Bartok (left) got
A report at The Center for Whale Research on Washington’s San Juan Island that an adult
orca had stranded at Dungeness Spit – presumably seal hunting and caught high and dry by
a minus tide. Kelley reached me in Florida, where I was on a shoot. He was stuck. No one
at The Center had any quick way to get down to Dungeness. In the several hours that it
would take for a boat ride, the whale could be dead. I promised Kelley a “MedEvac” – a
media helicopter ride via “SkyKING,” with a reporter I knew at KING TV. Within an hour,
SkyKING picked up Kelley and they flew across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to find the orca.
As it turns out, TWO orcas had stranded in the area. The whale Kelley found was an adult female transient – sadly,
she was already dead. Kelley then rushed to the scene of the other stranding – an adult male transient struggling for life
on the Spit. That helicopter ride got Kelley to the scene in time to make some of the first calls to experts on both sides of
the border – and of course helped KING get a great story on air that evening, seen by hundreds of thousands of people.
What followed in the coming days was a remarkable scene of transboundary cooperation and bridges built between the
wild orca research community and its supporters and captive display facilities like The Vancouver Aquarium, between
activists fighting against animal captures and some people – like orca wrangler Jeff Foster – who SeaWorld hires to do
just that. Even groups suing each other found a way to work together – fast – toward a common cause.
Over the next several days, with a growing crowd of spectators on the beach and now a full contingent of media on hand,
a truly unprecedented effort was underway to save the orca. After numerous attempts, Kelley and the rescuers managed
to tow the disoriented whale off the spit and into deep water. A temporary radio tag confirmed that they were successful.
The orca was free at last and out to sea.
Why did they strand in the first place? Researchers aren’t sure. Some speculate that the transients were hunting harbor
seals at a low tide (belly contents of the deceased orca included seal parts) and were unfamiliar with the area and simply
got trapped. Possible Navy sonar tests in the area were also a concern, so Orca Conservancy and Earth Island Institute
filed a Freedom of Information Act request to determine if these tests could have contributed to the animals becoming
disoriented (we’re still waiting for that information!). No matter what precipitated the
stranding, what we DO know is that these transients may very well be the most
contaminated marine mammals on the planet. A necropsy on the female transient
showed PCB and other toxin levels as the highest ever found in a marine mammal,
absolutely through the roof. These pollutants may have been a factor in the strandings.
But the good news is this – the assembly of people responding on both sides of the
border, on both sides of the captivity question, federal agencies and non-profit
organizations alike, was absolutely unprecedented in this region.
Jennifer Schorr, of Marine Research Consultants, pours buckets of water over the back of the extremely high and dry whale during the middle of the night at a minus low tide. But that doesn’t mean The Bosses back home weren’t scheming to get this whale into a tank, or a captive breeding
program. But by getting Kelley to the scene so quickly, with an NBC affiliate television station along for the ride, it kept
the bad guys honest… for the time being. We’d need to stave off some of those same demons just a month later,
responding to a little orphaned orca we found all alone one morning in our back yard.
Before we get to the A73 Saga, a few stories on the Dungeness Stranding… or “Springer – The Prelude.” ORCA CONSERVANCY – THE SPRINGER FILE
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January3, 2002
Stranded Orca Freed
By KOMO Staff & News Services
SEQUIM - A killer whale that repeatedly stranded itself in Washington's Dungeness Bay near Sequim is free.
A National Marine Fisheries spokesman in Seattle, Brian Gorman, says rescuers towed it through the bay's inlet into the
open water of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
It was swimming west toward the Pacific Ocean Friday afternoon.
It was the sixth attempt to free the adult male since it was discovered Wednesday in the bay with a female that beached
itself and died. Five other times the male swam back to shore.
Gorman says a cheer went up among more than a dozen rescuers as the orca finally took off in the right direction.
They are still monitoring the 21-foot whale and trying to remove a float still attached to a flipper.
Tests on the dead female have not yet indicated what caused her death. Gorman says the cause of the stranding may
never be known.
January 3, 2002
Orca Rescued from Dungeness Bay Sandbar
Second killer whale dies; necropsy planned for today
By Luke Bogues
Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles
SEQUIM - Rescuers freed a killer whale from a Dungeness Bay sandbar Wednesday afternoon but were too late to save a
second whale found dead.
Officials will perform a necropsy today on the carcass of the female killer whale that died near Dungeness Bay. Workers
were expected to mobilize today at daybreak to move the carcass to a location where scientists can determine what killed
the marine mammal.
Officials also plan to monitor the status of the male killer whale rescuers freed shortly after 4 p.m. Wednesday. Stranding
Coordinator Brent Norberg of the National Marine Fisheries Service said the killer whale remained swimming in the bay
after rescuers used rope to pull the male orca off the sandbar and into open water. Before nightfall, the whale was free
swimming, but not heading toward the Strait of Juan de Fuca, he said.
Lingering killer whale?
This morning, the U.S. Coast Guard will assist rescuers determine if the living whale is lingering, Norberg said. Should the
male orca beach itself again, rescuers will again pull it into open water and try to persuade it to leave the bay, he said.
"That seems to be the least invasive method," Norberg said.
Killer whales found
Rescuers became aware of the stranded whale Wednesday morning when a resident on the bluff overlooking Dungeness
Spit discovered the orca after hearing peculiar noises and notified officials, Dungeness Recreation Area manager John
Pease said. Workers from the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge were the first on scene, Norberg said.
When rescue workers arrived, they found the male in water just inches below the top of the whale, Norberg said. The
dead whale was later spotted when a Seattle-based helicopter crew flying over Dungeness Bay spotted the carcass,
Norberg said. The dead female's carcass washed ashore just outside the bay.
Resident or transient?
Researchers are still unsure if the whales are from resident or transient pods, Norberg said. The orcas could be from one
of three resident pods in Puget Sound or may have split off from migrating transient pods. Typically, transient whale hunt
seals and resident whales eat salmon, officials have said. Washington State Patrol officials received reports of three killer
whales hunting seals off Dungeness Spit on Tuesday. Researchers are unsure if the two whales found on Wednesday
could be connected with those sightings, Norberg said.
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January3, 2002
Female Orca Dies on Sequim Beach
KING 5 News (NBC Seattle)
A female killer whale died on a beach in Dungeness Spit Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2002.
Rescue workers were able to free a male whale who was beached in the same area. Kelley Balcomb-Bartok of the Center
for Whale Research was on the scene and in an interview on KING 5 News said he believes the male is related to the
female and is in mourning.
The whales are believed to be transient whales and not members of the three local pods.
January 3, 2002
One Killer Whale Stranded, Another Dies
The Seattle Times
A male killer whale couldn't find his way out of Dungeness Bay on the north side of the Olympic Peninsula last night even
after a rescue crew pulled him into deeper water. Roughly two miles away, a female orca was found dead.
Officials with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife found the male whale stranded in shallow water about 1 p.m.
yesterday. Working with biologists from the Olympic Coast National Sanctuary, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and a number of whale-research agencies, state wildlife workers waited for high tide and,
shortly after 4 p.m., roped the male and pulled him with a boat into deeper water.
January 3, 2002
Whale Experts Hope to Learn Why Orca Died
KIRO 7 News (CBS Seattle)
Orca Conservancy and Earth Island Institute today filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to determine
whether or not U.S. Navy sonar tests being conducted in the area contributed to the death of a transient orca and the
stranding of another yesterday on Dungeness Spit…
January 4, 2002
The Struggle to Save An Orca: With One Killer Whale Dead Nearby, Rescuers
Fight to Keep Another Alive
The Seattle Times
A small army of researchers yesterday struggled with the two-fisted task of saving one killer whale trapped behind the
Dungeness Spit and figuring out what killed another orca found nearby.
Rescuers managed several times to pull the live whale, a male, close to open water, only to have him slip out of an inchthick rope harness, swim away and strand himself again. As of late yesterday, he was still trapped.
Dave Ellifrit of the Center for Whale Research in Friday Harbor yesterday said he was all but certain the two whales are
transients that appear here less regularly and eat marine mammals instead of salmon.
January 5, 2002
Rescuers Finally Tow Orca to Deep Water
The Seattle Times
Its belly cut by shellfish, its organs straining under the heft of its own
weight, a young male orca trapped inside the Dungeness Spit was finally
towed to deep water yesterday — seeming healthy, but minus a
companion.
Young male orca are known to travel for years alongside their mothers, and
her death might explain the bull's reluctance to leave. "We're dealing with
behavior," said Schroeder, the veterinarian who also participated in the
necropsy. "We're not dealing with illness."
January 6, 2002
Whale Finally Towed to Safety
After Six Tries It Was Swimming Out to Open Ocean
By ROBERT McCLURE
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
A killer whale that repeatedly beached itself alongside the Olympic
Peninsula's Dungeness Bay, frustrating would-be rescuers for two days, was
finally towed to safety yesterday. He headed for the open ocean.
"He started chugging west, and he hasn't made a turn yet," Brian Gorman, a
National Marine Fisheries Service spokesman, reported before dusk.
The orca came very close to being euthanized.
Rescuers decided to try for a sixth and possibly final time to pull the
five-ton creature out of the bay at midday yesterday.
This time, they were aided by a special sling borrowed from the Vancouver
Aquarium. Previously, they had rigged a makeshift rope harness around it,
and it slipped off before he could be towed into the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
"It feels good to have him out free and swimming," said Dyanna Lambourn, a
wildlife biologist with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife who aided
in the rescue. "He seemed to be swimming with a direction in mind."
Researchers fitted the adult orca with a transmitter that would track the
animal's movements for 24 hours. Scientists were anxiously tracking it.
"Everybody's holding their breath," Lambourn said.
The drama began Wednesday when a dead female orca was spotted alongside the
bay near Sequim, at the northeast corner of the Olympic Peninsula. The male
was lurking nearby in shallow water. Over the next few days, scores of
people hiked out to Dungeness Spit to get a look at the stranded whale.
Researchers' attention now turns to trying to explain the self-destructive
behavior of the orcas. Killer whales only infrequently beach themselves.
Some other whales and porpoises more commonly do so. The phenomenon is
poorly understood by scientists.
Environmentalists yesterday raised questions about whether military sonar
might have caused or contributed to this week's beachings. They filed a
Freedom of Information Act request with the Navy, seeking information about
its operations around Puget Sound.
Fred Felleman of Orca Conservancy, who is working with the San
Francisco-based Earth Island Institute on the information request, pointed
to a preliminary report released last week in which the Navy acknowledged
that sonar was the likely cause of the beaching of 16 whales and a dolphin
in the Bahamas in March 2000. Seven died.
Felleman, who studied orcas' feeding habits for his graduate degree at the
University of Washington, said there are a number of plausible explanations
for the beachings. For example, he said, the female orca may have been
trying to catch a harbor seal on the beach and got too far up onto the sand
to make it back into the water.
The orcas are not members of the groups that are typically found in Puget
Sound for much of the year, but rather are thought to be "transient" killer
whales that range worldwide and feed primarily on marine mammals. The diet
of the local whales, which take off each year and migrate south before
returning, is mostly fish.
Both groups are contaminated by polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, an
industrial product widely used in electrical equipment until the 1970s.
Levels are higher in the transient orcas because the seals and other marine
mammals they eat are closer to the top of the food chain.
Researchers took samples of the dead orca's body parts for further analysis
and cut off the head, which can be examined for damage by sonar. Orcas use
their own version of sonar to navigate underwater and to find food.
A Marine Fisheries Service veterinarian will examine the head in the next
few days, and tests will be run on levels of PCBs and other toxins in the
carcass, Gorman said.
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January 6, 2002
Orca Makeover: From 'Killer' to Icon
The Seattle Times
Human fascination with the creature burned bright last week at the drama of two whales beached near Sequim. A dead
female brought tears from onlookers. A stranded male, possibly her offspring, brought bittersweet joy as rescuers towed
him to the wide waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Dave Ellifrit, a researcher for the Center for Whale Research, said much of the good that comes to orcas can help other
creatures as well.
"In order to save the charismatic creatures, you have to save the environment they're in," he said. "Sometimes, it takes
a poster child to hook people before they learn about all the intricacies of the food web."
January 6, 2002
Extraordinary Efforts Save Stranded Whale
Story by Sharon Kivisto, San Juan Islander
Representatives of the State Fish & Wildlife Service aboard an Olympic Coast Marine Sanctuary vessel tow the male past
the entrance to Dungeness Spit and back safely into deeper water.
Wet blankets, zinc oxide and determined whale researchers saved a male orca stranded in Dungeness Spit last week. A
dead female orca was found in the same area. The whales were not members of the three resident pods which are
frequently seen around the San Juans.
Kelley Balcomb-Bartok, a Friday Harbor whale expert and Board Member of Orca Conservancy, heard about the stranding
around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2002. Realizing he couldn't get to the scene before nightfall if he took the ferry,
he called KING 5 News. They picked him up with a helicopter and took him to the beach near Sequim. Having the aerial
perspective came in handy in helping the people on the ground locate the two whales.
The rescue effort for the male orca involved researchers, state wildlife personnel, and volunteers. The whale was fully
out of the water both nights. Wet blankets were placed on top of the marine mammal. Zinc oxide was used to lubricate
the blow hole and dorsal fin. On Thursday five attempts to move the whale out of the shallow spit and into the open
water were unsuccessful. The whale managed to roll out of the sling placed around him. One attempt used an oyster
barge with a crane. "He just about pulled the crane over," said Balcomb-Bartok. Despite appearing lethargic, the whale
was very strong he said.
The whale beached himself again Thursday night and spent another six to seven hours out of the water. His breathing
was labored and his pectoral fin was becoming crushed by the weight. The rescuers worked in shifts and poured buckets
of water over the whale throughout the night.
Measurements were taken. A local hospital tested blood drawn from the whale. The tests showed the animal was healthy
but dehydrated. He had low levels of proteins. Balcomb-Bartok speculated the whales were related and that the younger
male was in mourning and that explained his behaviour.
On Friday, the sixth attempt to lead the whale out to open water was successful. The rescuers retied the ropes and
placed buoys on the whale's tail which seemed to calm him down. State fisheries enforcement officers using a depth
sounder led the way in the first boat. Two miles out, the crews pulled the rope.
"The farther out we got, he became a little shyer and more of a whale," said Balcomb-Bartok. "He literally swam off into
the sunset."
A time/depth recorder (TDR) was placed on the whale during the rescue effort. The device stays on the whale for up to
100 hours. Saturday, Jen Schorr, of Marine Research Consultants, determined the whale had most likely left the strait
since the signals from the transmitter could no longer be picked up. Attempts will be made to locate the bright yellow
TDR using its transmitter. Once it is located, the information will be downloaded onto a computer and analyzed.
The unidentified transient male swimming free in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The animal continued to
head west into the sunset, while the rope visible on his back is believed to be merely pinched by his
pectoral fins and is expected to eventually fall away. Photo: San Juan Islander.
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January 7, 2002
Freed Orca Still Can't Be Located; IDed in 1996
Peninsula Daily News
Scientists say they still don't know where the young male killer whale rescued from the Dungeness Spit's inner bay might
be swimming. A small radio transmitter placed near the dorsal fin didn't work, or fell off, and the orca hasn't been seen
since late Friday.
When last spotted, the five-ton, 22-foot orca was in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, apparently in reasonably good shape,
heading west toward the open Pacific at speeds up to 7 or 8 knots.
Meanwhile, the Southwest Fisheries Science Center and Cascadia Research identified the two orcas by the shape of spots
near their dorsal fins. Both had been seen in a group of 10 whales in Coos Bay off Oregon on Sept. 12, 1996. They were
recorded as CA-188 and CA-189.
Monday, January 7
Orca Detected at the Strait
The Seattle Times
NEAH BAY - A male orca pulled last week from a shallow bay behind Dungeness Spit appears to have made it to the Strait
of Juan de Fuca. Brad Hanson, a biologist with the National Marine Fisheries Service, picked up a signal around 10 p.m.
Sunday from a transmitter affixed to the orca.
The signal, which came from southwest of Neah Bay, was faint but moving, said Brian Gorman, an NMFS spokesman.
Meanwhile, Dave Ellifrit of the Center for Whale Research in Friday Harbor has tentatively identified the whale from
photographs taken of 10 transient orcas seen feeding on porpoises off Coos Bay in 1996.
Also among the group was the female, possibly the male's mother, who was dead near Sequim last week.
January 8, 2002
Orca Detected at the Strait
The Seattle Times
Brad Hanson, a biologist with the National Marine Fisheries Service, picked up a signal around 10 p.m. Sunday from a
transmitter affixed to the orca. The signal, which came from southwest of Neah Bay, was faint but moving, said Brian
Gorman, an NMFS spokesman.
Meanwhile, Dave Ellifrit of the Center for Whale Research in Friday Harbor has tentatively identified the whale from
photographs taken of 10 transient orcas seen feeding on porpoises off Coos Bay in 1996. Also among the group was the
female, possibly the male's mother, who was dead near Sequim last week.
Stranding of Two Transient Orcas at Dungeness Spit
Chronology of Events
What follows is a chronology of the stranding of two transient orcas near Sequim.
Data downloaded from the VHF radio tag on the rescued male transient
On the morning of January 2, 2002, a resident on the bluff overlooking Dungeness Spit discovered an orca in shallow water, moving very
slowly, and notified officials of the Dungeness Recreation Area. Workers from the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge were the first on the
scene. Officials from the National Marine Sanctuary were notified, and they in turn contacted Brent Norberg of National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS). A dead whale was later spotted by a Seattle-based helicopter crew flying over Dungeness Bay.
Within hours the dead orca, a female, was located near Dungeness Spit, while the other, a male, remained almost immobile inside the spit in
shallow water. Teams consisting of NMFS, DFW (Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife), The Center for Whale Research and Cascadia
Research were on the scene by 4 PM. The male orca was helped out to deeper water, but as darkness fell he had returned and was still inside
the spit, swimming slugglishly.
On January 3, a team of scientists arrived on scene in the morning to conduct a necropsy of the dead female orca to determine cause of
death. Meanwhile, rescue crews, some in the water or on the orca's back for hours at a time, attempted to tow the male to deeper water.
The orca repeatedly slipped out of the tow ropes and beached himself. Although he was vocalizing, he seemed disoriented and oblivious to his
surroundings, even colliding with floating driftwood at one point. He remained aground during the night, where volunteers covered him with
blankets to keep him wet. He became dehydrated and blood tests showed signs of stress.
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In the morning of January 4 rescuers were able to once again tow him into deeper water, but were not able to get him outside the hookshaped sandbar of the spit. All through the day the male orca evaded repeated attempts to tow him to deeper water. At midday rescuers
decided to attempt once again to tow the whale out to deeper water before his condition deteriorated further. By 4:30 the rescue team was
finally able to successfully tow the male orca out of Dungeness Bay. As the sun set he was independently swimming west out the Strait of
Juan de Fuca at a steady pace of around 4 knots.
On January 5 Dave Ellifrit of the Center for Whale Research identified the two orcas by the saddle patch below their dorsal fins. Both had been
photographed in a group of 10 whales in Coos Bay, Oregon on Sept. 12, 1996. They were confirmed to be mammal-eating transient orcas,
rather than the fish-eating resident types usually encountered in Washington's inland waters.
Initial results from the gross examination of the dead female identified no clear cause of death. There were no apparent injuries or illness,
and the remains of at least two freshly killed seals were in her stomach.
Around 10 PM on January 7, the male, outfitted with a suction-cup radio tag, was detected by Brad Hanson of NMFS from a hilltop just south
of Neah Bay. The orca was swimming normally a few miles SW of Neah Bay.
On January 29, Seattle Times reported that Joe Barton of Shelton, Mason County, was beachcombing near Ocean Shores the previous week
and chanced upon a time-depth recording tag that had been attached to the male orca in Sequim. Data on the device showed the orca had
been traveling at 2 to 3 mph, regularly diving between 50 and 80 feet, then surfacing for about a dozen breaths before diving again. All of
which suggests he was doing well.
Thanks are due to:
Steve Jeffries, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife was probably the central person coordinating the rescue efforts onsite. Dyanna
Lambourn-Hughes, Monique Lance and Tammy Schmidt of DFW played crucial roles.
Brent Norberg coordinated all activities from NMFS. Brian Gorman, Robyn Angliss, Marilyn Dahlheim and Brad Hanson, all from the NMFS
National Marine Mammal Laboratory, were key in all aspects of the operation.
Ed Bowlby, Andy Palmer, Mary Superkarno and Liam Antrim of the Olympic Coast Marine Sanctuary provided constant support.
Jeff Foster, Jennifer Schorr and Greg Schorr did much of the in-water work with the live whale.
The necropsy on the dead female was conducted by John Calambokidis of Cascadia Research, with Stephanie Norman and Gina Iatelo of
NMFS, David Huff, Steven Raferty, Lance Barrett-Lennard and Brian Sheehan of Vancouver Aquarium, Rich Osborne and Albert Shepard of the
Whale Museum, and Dave Ellifrit of Center for Whale Research, who also ultimately identified the whales from photographs.
Debbie Nelson, of Olympic Medical Center, tested the blood.
Pete Shroeder, Mary Sue Brancato, Mac Peterson, Kelley Balcomb-Bartok and Joe Gaydos were helpful in a variety of ways.
The U.S. Coast Guard did several surveys of the region.
Battelle Marine Science Laboratory Northwest provided equipment and logistics.
Port Townsend Marine Science Center provided volunteers.
The Dungeness Salmon Hatchery provided cold storage.
Farmer Gary Smith allowed his field to be used for the necropsy.
Steve and Mike provided their oyster barge.
Many other nameless citizens from the Sequim community helped out however they could, including the pizza delivery guy.
NOW, ON TO SPRINGER…
What follows is a chronological archive of news reports, dating back to the first reports
of her discovery in Puget Sound, all the way through her rescue, translocation
and successful repatriation back to her natal pod in Johnstone Strait.
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Page 13
OC TIMELINE: FIRST POSSIBLE SIGHTINGS OF SPRINGER
These are the first reports of possible sightings of a mysterious young orca in North Puget Sound – posted on Orca Conservancy’s
network. Coming off the heels of the stranding event of two transient orcas at Dungeness Spit near Port Angeles, WA, many
researchers thought this orca might be the offspring of the female transient that didn’t survive the stranding. Turns out, she was
an orphan, just not related to the deceased transient female. We would learn that this whale actually came from The Northern
Resident Community of orcas of Johnstone Strait, some 250 miles north. No one knows how she got so far south. When asked by
the local media for an explanation, Orca Conservancy’s Michael Harris guessed that her extraordinary journey might be akin to that
of a stray cat or dog who wanders away from home and goes from “backyard food bowl to food bowl, neighborhood to
neighborhood, traveling in one direction, until one day it finds itself a huge distance from where it’s supposed to be.” Another
possible explanation is related to an extremely rare sighting of Northern Resident orcas in Southern Resident territory on
September 8, 2000 (see page 4), with Springer possibly losing her group at that time. In any event, we knew we had both an
extraordinary event and an extraordinary animal in our backyard. But rather than see Springer as some did, as a diseased, failing
whale who may not be worth rescuing, Orca Conservancy saw a survivor. Clearly, she made it this far because she was
resourceful, and that boded well for chances to save her and return her to her family.
< SWINOMISH CHANNEL.
_.
_.
miles south)
Edmonds
Thursday, January 3rd - Jack Sanford:
Yesterday at dusk he saw what he is 90% sure was a small orca swimming in the channel. Subsequent callers reported seeing a small orca in
Swinomish Channel Wednesday, Jan 2 and Thursday Jan 3. Note: We have also received several additional reports of a small "mystery"
orca in Swinomish Channel near LaConner yesterday afternoon, so we are asking anyone in that general area to please look for this animal &
call us if you see it. There is some concern that it could possibly be connected to the strandings in Dungeness Bay, & in any case, it is very
strange behavior for an orca to be in the channel for several days like this. On Friday Shane Agergaard of Island Adventures in Anacortes
searched around Fidalgo Island and down Swinomish Channel to Hole-in-the-Wall but did not find the orca.
Thursday, January 10th - Marilyn Dahlheim, National Marine Fisheries Service:
We got a call at 1:30 a.m. this morning from the Arthur Foss Tug, which was at the Oil Dock at Pt. Wells, south of Edmonds. They reported a
young orca (8-9' in length) swimming back & forth right next to the ship they were getting ready to escort out. They said the orca was
moving slowly, & staying near the surface, & had been there about 45 minutes. The description & behavior sounded very much like the
reports of the whale in Swinomish Channel, & again, the guys on the Foss Tug reported it had a white belly & were very sure it was an orca.
We have reported this to NMFS, & checked again with the crew of the Foss, but their last report was at 2 am when they pulled away from the
dock & the whale was still there.
Monday, January 14 - An update on the orca calf off Vashon Island, from Mark Sears via Marilyn Dahlheim:
The calf is 8 - 10', its skin is grayish & mottled, with some abrasions. It is alone, & its behavior ranged from being lethargic to breaching &
spy-hopping. It was also approaching boats. This could've been the same whale reported previously & thought to be "Foster" the pseudorca at least now we know there IS a small, lone orca out there acting strange, & it's a great relief to have him located & photographed, thanks to
Mark Sears. Ken Balcomb of the Center for Whale Research is on his way to help identify and figure out what's going on with this little critter.
Thanks again to all who have helped to try & locate this whale over the past week or so - & stay tuned for the latest info. on this unfolding
mystery~ *
[2:30 PM] The mystery continues with another sighting of a lone, young orca today, Jan. 14th. Marilyn Dahlheim of NMFS just called to tell us
that Mark Sears of Seattle reported this whale at 2:30 pm off Vashon Island. Mark is out with the whale now, so we will FINALLY get some
photos &/or video footage of this little mystery whale! We'll let you know as soon as we hear anything more - stay tuned…
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A STORY CUSTOM-MADE FOR KIDS…
Throughout the SPRINGER FILE, we’ve decided to also present this amazing story as told and illustrated
by Vi Hughes and Daniel Grenier in the Scholastic Canada children’s book, “A Pod for a Baby Orca.”
Orca Conservancy President Michael Harris worked closely with the
publishers during the creation of this book, providing still images from
video – or “frame grabs” – culled from footage Michael either shot in
Seattle and Johnstone Strait or that he sourced through his friends at
OrcaLab. The author and illustrator referenced those frame grabs to
create their book.
Since that magical summer of 2002, Springer’s story has been recounted
in several children’s books, including the wonderful “Springer’s
Journey” (left), written by Seattle’s Naomi Black and illustrated by
Virginia Hanson – also created with the help of OrcaLab.
Of course, when you’re telling this story to kids, it’s best to keep it as simple as possible. The true story
of Springer’s historic rescue and reintroduction to her family involved equal parts magic and grown-up
greed, treachery and back-door dealing. But both these books do a terrific job capturing the tremendous
spirit and wonder that all of us experienced during the project, despite the hardships. And hopefully
they’ve inspired millions of kids to stick their necks out as we all did to help save whales.
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OC TIMELINE: STRAY ORCA CONFIRMED IN SEATTLE!
Michael Harris, Orca Conservancy
Just as it seemed we were brushing ourselves off from the Dungeness orca rescue, I got an urgent call at my Seattle
production studio from Ken Balcomb, Director of The Center for Whale Research. Ken needed to stop by the edit suite for
a big favor – turns out, he and our friend Mark Sears had just shot some video of a stray orca Mark had discovered alone
in the ferry lanes of Fauntleroy, just south of downtown Seattle… and literally on Mark’s doorstep (he and his family live
at the Colman Pool, on the beach next to the ferry dock). Ken wanted to transfer the video to betacam for a TV story he
was doing with KING 5 News, the local NBC affiliate. When he came by the suite, I got my first look at this little whale
who would ultimately consume a huge chunk of my life in the next year or so.
Ken’s visit also provided us an opportunity to consider the messaging we wanted to advance about this mysterious and
clearly very friendly orca. We decided our first call to the public should be to give this whale space, not to interact with it
at all costs. I was able to discuss with Ken the importance of not immediately disclosing the location of the orca in the
newscast that evening. We proceeded to advance that critical message to people to keep their distance, and by all
means resist any temptation to feed it – that “a fed whale is a dead whale.” We continued that messaging, and to keep
the whale’s location confidential… until a few days later when Howard Garrett began providing real-time reports of the
orca’s whereabouts to paid subscribers over his new “Orca Network.” Soon the cat was out of the bag. Hundreds of
people began flooding the shoreline and taking to the water, hoping to get a close encounter with a wild, social orca.
And our work began to keep this whale safe from human acclimation, and to press the federal agencies to take
immediate action to protect her and get her home… wherever that may be.
January 16, 2002
Young Orca Discovered Alone in Puget Sound
A young whale was seen swimming alone between the Fauntleroy ferry dock and north Vashon Island. The
whale is about 11 feet long and assumed to be about 2.5 years old.
“He's a juvenile, he's past nursing, so he's not dependent on his mother for milk. He's dependent on his
family for social context. I think that's why he's responding now. We give him a little encouragement here
and he checked us out,” said Ken Balcomb, Center for Whale Research.
January 17, 2002
Where Is The Rest Of
His Family?
By Kevin Reece, KOMO 4 News
SEATTLE - Researchers are closer to identifying the young orca swimming
alone between West Seattle and Vashon Island. After watching it for three
days they no longer feel the whale is in any immediate danger.
Whale researchers Mark Sears and Ken Balcomb with the Center for Whale
Research at Friday Harbor have been observing and photographing the whale
since it was first seen alone near the Vashon ferry dock. It's 11 feet long,
about two years old and apparently in good health.
"The whale's looking healthy," Balcomb told KOMO 4 News. "It looks good.
I'd say there's no concern for its health at this time."
But even though the whale appears to be feeding on its own it is highly
unusual for any orca, especially one this young, to be on its own.
"Maybe its mamma told him to stay in one spot until they come home,"
Balcomb surmised. "Or maybe its just that there's food available here and
why go anywhere else."
FIRST ENCOUNTER. Ken Balcomb, Mark Sears and a mysterious, solitary baby orca in the waters off Seattle, WA.
Balcomb admits the other possibility is that its the calf of the transient orca from a California pod that
beached itself the first week of January at Dungeness Spit. An adult male orca that also beached itself was
towed back to open water and was last reported swimming free in the ocean southwest of Neah Bay.
"That's remotely possible but its behaving to me like a resident," said Balcomb.
Page 17
To identify the lone orca near Vashon, Balcomb and other researchers have videotaped and photographed
the whale's distinctive eye patch, its dorsal fin, and saddle. They plan to compare the information and look
for a match in the extensive database of Northwest orca populations.
Balcomb and Sears even got close enough to the lone whale to rub a green pad on its back. They hope to
get enough skin samples to run DNA tests and determine if it does belong to a pod in southern Puget
Sound. That's the first goal.
"The second goal," said Balcomb, "is to try and give it enough sanctuary where it would be able to do its
natural thing and be healthy until its family comes home."
Researchers are also checking with other whale experts to find out if anyone has recorded this "podless"
behavior in this young and orca before.
January 19, 2002
Podless in Seattle - Experts Ask Public to Give Orca Space
ANCHOR: A young orca found alone off West Seattle is baffling local researchers.
Sound-up, Ken Balcomb, The Center for Whale Research: "I've never seen anything like this before!"
ANCHOR: The orca, thought to be about two years old, turned up alone in mid-Puget Sound last week. It
was first thought to be possibly the calf of this transient orca, which washed up dead on Dungeness Spit
earlier this month. But now researcher Ken Balcomb thinks it may be from one of the Pacific Northwest's
resident communities of orcas.
Ken Balcomb: "It's behaving to me a lot like a resident."
ANCHOR: And that behavior is what concerns local environmental groups like Orca Conservancy.
Michael Harris, Orca Conservancy: "This is what we call a 'friendly,' a whale that is solitary, socially
starved and increasingly unafraid of boats."
ANCHOR: And that's not a good thing for an area that loves boats, and loves killer whales.
Michael Harris: "The message we want to get out to boaters
is, no matter how much you want to help this whale, do not
approach it, don't feed it. That could create enormous
problems for any wild animal.
"A fed whale is a dead whale."
February
2002
OC TIMELINE: The critical first step in responding to this event was to determine who the whale is – first, a male or
female (we determined it was a female), then what community she belonged to, Southern or Northern Resident
Community, or from a transient group. Within weeks, Orca Conservancy sent its Board Member (and commercial
photographer) Fred Felleman to take high-resolution photos of the whale, which we rushed north to Dr. Paul Spong and
Helena Symonds at OrcaLab. We helped arrange for our friend Joe Olson from American Cetacean Society/Puget Sound,
an underwater acoustics engineer, to record the calls of the orca, which we also sent to OrcaLab. In short order and
working with DFO Biologist Dr. John Ford, Helena Symonds was able to use Fred’s photographs and Joe’s recordings to
determine that this mystery whale was in fact a Northern Resident whale – a recently orphaned whale IDed as A73. And
as this blog shows below, we were also able to clarify to the public that our visitor from the north didn’t need the media
or ferry workers to give her a name. She already had one – it was Springer, named for the place where she was first
spotted, Springer Pass.
Dr. Paul Spong and Helena Symonds of OrcaLab. ORCA CONSERVANCY – THE SPRINGER FILE
Page 18
WHO IS THIS WHALE? February 1, 2002 Here's an e-‐mail update I received today: "Borca"? "Slough"? "Orphan Annie"? None of the above! Despite all the great affectionate monikers we've mustered up, OrcaLab's Helena Symonds has reminded us "Southern" folks that A73, the wrongway orphan calf making so much news down here in the mid-‐Sound, already has a name, thank you very much. She's "Springer," as in Springer Pass, one of the orca habs up around Johnstone Strait. Her mum was A45, or "Sutlej," and of course she passed away last year. Springer's grandmum is A24, or "Kelsey." Spread the word. And spread the word that the rumors of her demise (or incarceration) have been greatly exaggerated. She's chasing big salmon and seemingly OK for now. We'll find a way to get her home. Cheers, /M. Michael Harris Orca Conservancy March 2002
Keeping this whale from going into a tank…
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.
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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.
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 captivedisplay 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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Friday, March 1, 2002
Feds Consider Helping Orphan Orca Calf
ASSOCIATED PRESS and KIRO 7 EYEWITNESS NEWS
SEATTLE — For weeks now, an orphan killer whale has been hanging around central Puget Sound— about
100 miles south of the state's resident orcas in the San Juan Islands and even farther from her own pod in
Canada. Killer whales are often seen in the south sound through the fall, hunting salmon and herring.
But this time of year there's not much to eat. Both scientists and whale advocates are concerned about
the health of the female calf spotted Jan 14. Last week, the National Marine Fisheries Service convened a
panel of experts to discuss what to do.
Unlike the young whale, the issue is not black and white.
The options: let nature take its course; catch her in a net pen, check her health and try to return her to
her family off British Columbia's Vancouver Island or transport her to a commercial site such as Sea
World, with operations in San Diego and Los Angeles.
Captivity is not a popular option. The Puget Sound orca population has never quite
recovered from the hunts of the 1970s, when 57 were trapped for lives as captive performers, leaving just
70 behind. The population grew to 99 by 1995, but is now back down to 80, according to the Center for
Whale Research at Friday Harbor.
The experts — veterinarians and biologists from state, federal and Canadian agencies and the private
sector — have reached no consensus, NMFS spokesman Brian Gorman said Thursday.
A summary report shows most agreed the calf's health seemed poor. While she generally seems "bright,
alert and responsive," veterinarians noted the smell of ketone— like alcohol — on her breath, which
suggests she is beginning to digest her own blubber.
There were mixed feelings about intervention, which some feared could lead to dependency on humans.
There were doubts about whether her pod — which apparently already left her behind once — would take
her back. Gorman said his agency will likely decide whether to intervene over the next week. He called
the decision "a very thorny one."
If the 10- to 12-foot-long youngster's health is declining — which new tests should help determine —
letting nature take its course "realistically is not an option," he said. "She's in a very public location.
People would want to feed her."
Local advocacy groups have struggled with the issue.
"The last scenario that any of us want ... is putting this whale in a
tank," said Michael Harris of the Orca Conservancy.
And most opposed leaving her to fend for herself if she is confirmed to be in trouble. But "as long as she
appears healthy, we should let her be," said Joe Olson with the Seattle chapter of the American Cetacean
Society.
If she's starving, which he considers unlikely — "she does know how to fish, otherwise she'd be dead by
now" — Olson would support nursing her back to health in a net pen and trying to restore her to her own
pod.
"It's speculation to say she's been abandoned," he said.
Strangely, a solitary orphan male from the San Juan Islands population has been spotted on the west side
of Vancouver Island. A single displaced calf is unusual. Two from different pods is quite bizarre, Harris
said.
The orphan female, born in 2000, is called A73 for her birth order in Canada's A-pod. She was identified
through photographs of her black-and-white pattern and recordings that confirmed she uses the northern
population's dialect.
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According to Canadian researchers, her mother, A45, is dead. The calf was apparently left behind by her
pod, where her only known relative was a grandmother. Last year, she was seen by Canadian researchers
with a female from a different pod, the NMFS summary report said.
Now she's alone—and lonely.
"She's starved for attention," said Fred Felleman of the Orca Conservancy. "This
is highly undesirable. The less contact with people the better if she's to be
returned to the wild."
3/01/2002
Marine Biologists Continue Debate Over Lone Orca in Puget Sound
VASHON ISLAND, Wash. - Researchers are debating whether to take drastic action to try to save a young orca
swimming alone near Vashon Island.
Concern for the young orca began when she was found swimming solo near Vashon Island, somehow orphaned
by her pod far from her home north of Vancouver Island. Experts believe her survival is threatened.
Marine experts are conflicted on how to help this young whale. They can't agree yet on what to do about the
young orca whale, but they know whatever they ultimately decide will set a new precedent on how to handle
orphaned orcas in the future.
The whale is orphaned at a time when there’s just not much found out there in the Puget Sound waters. Now, it’s
a matter of figuring out what the best option may be and how much longer the whale will survive if they leave
her alone.
The young female, known as A73, is supposed to be with her pod, a group that spends several seasons a year on
the northern side of Vancouver Island. Instead, she is here in the Puget Sound alone, eating the wrong kind of
fish, and frankly a little lonely since orcas are social animals.
The National Marine Fisheries Service is asking experts for their opinion on what's best for the whale. Not all
agree on a fast course of action.
Some orca experts are convinced her health is failing. They are trying to figure out what they can and should do
to save her, weighing options that range from putting her in an aquarium or possibly guiding her back to
Canadian waters in an attempt to re-introduce her to her old pod.
"Given her present condition and that she doesn’t have a proper supply of food, she will eventually starve to
death," said Brian Gorman, National Marine Fisheries Services.
The young orca was separated from its pod in Puget Sound. But not all the experts think the situation is so dire.
“I don’t see her as declining. I actually see her as actually somewhat improved from when she first arrived in our
area. And I think she’d kind of maintaining right now,” said Ann Stateler, marine naturalist.
Still, Stateler agrees that the whale needs medical attention. Experts say one option is temporarily penning the
whale with enough food and care for her to regain health and be re-introduced to her pod.
Some believe the whale is almost as healthy now as she was when they first found her in mid-January. Those
experts say it's best to hold off on meddling with Mother Nature as long as possible.
"My opinion, is as long as she is, still seems to be healthy and has some high energy levels then we should leave
her alone until it appears that she actually is beginning to decline in her health," said another marine biologists.
But Fred Felleman of the Orca Conservancy says before anything happens, he'd like to see a clear plan of
action and funding to give the whale what she needs to survive.
"If you care about this whale, you got to leave it alone. And if we’re going to let the
potential for it to be re-established with its natal pod, we have to have as little
interaction with it as possible," said Felleman.
That’s another thing that all of the experts can agree upon. They say for this whale to regain her health, she
needs some amount of privacy. They’re worried about her exposure to the public as well.
For more coverage on the debate over the young orca, tune into NorthWest EXTRA at 7 and 10 p.m. PT Friday
evening on NWCN.
KING 5's Deborah Feldman and Jeff Gradney contributed to this report.
Orphaned Orca May be Caught and Sent to Theme Park
By ROBERT McCLURE
Federal fisheries officials are considering capturing a young, orphaned
killer whale that has been swimming around Vashon Island for several
weeks – possibly for permanent residence at a theme park.
The National Marine Fisheries Service yesterday asked conservationists what
should be done about the female orca, which split off from a group of other
killer whales that spends much of its time around the northern end of
Vancouver Island in Canada.
The orca, born in August 2000 and identified by NMFS as A-73, isn't eating
properly and is showing signs of malnutrition.
A panel of scientists that convened last Friday determined that "the
likelihood for long-term survival is low, and that the animal is unlikely to
reunite with its pod or join a surrogate (mother)," NMFS reported.
Brian Gorman, an NMFS spokesman, said authorities are concerned.
"We have to intervene at some kind of level and do it sooner rather than
later," Gorman said. "We don't have the luxury of time."
NMFS is considering removing the orca to a facility such as Sea World or Six
Flags in California, or moving it to a pen of some kind in the Puget Sound
area, where it could be fed and monitored by veterinarians until healthy.
Scientists have grave doubts about the rehabilitation-and-release option.
"There is no historic, behavioral or genetic evidence for resident calves
leaving a pod and then rejoining it later, or for rejoining a new pod and
thriving," the scientists advised NMFS.
The orca tried to reunite with its pod after its mother died, but was
rejected. Its closest living relative appears to be a grandmother.
Fred Felleman, an activist with Orca Conservancy, said he's concerned that
the orca seems to have become accustomed to people.
He said authorities should keep it isolated from people in a net pen
somewhere in Puget Sound until it recovers.
His group is asking the public to keep away from the whale.
"The animal is unfortunately somewhat socially starved, and interacting with
humans would be the kiss of death for it," Felleman said.
"We really want to discourage people in their efforts to be benevolent to
it. Once it becomes habituated to people, it will be looking for handouts
rather than making a living on its own."
Page 22
Page 23
3/2/02
Young Orca May Possibly be Rehabed at OCA
KGW Television (NBC Portland)
NEWPORT, Ore – The Oregon Coast Aquarium-former rehabilitation facility of Keiko the movie star killer
whale-has responded to federal fisheries officials for the possible placement and rehabilitation of a juvenile
female orca (approximately 11 feet long) currently in the Puget Sound near Vashon Island, Washington.
Whale-rescue and whale research groups in the area have been tracking the lone orca's health and
location the past six weeks, where the juvenile orca has been staying in shallow water and not making any
attempt to swim out to the open sea.
"It's very similar to the situation with Keiko, where we were able to respond to a request for him to come
to our facility," Aquarium President Phyllis Bell explained. "The Oregon Coast Aquarium has formally
responded to the National Marine Fisheries Service and we're waiting their decision on our offer to help
with the whale's care and rehabilitation."
Other killer whales have been stranded in the Puget Sound since January 1. A male orca was successfully
moved last month from shallow water in Dungeness Bay, north of Sequim, Washington, by volunteers who
guided it back to deeper waters of the open Pacific Ocean. An older female was discovered dead on a
sandbar near Jamestown, Washington in early January. Both orcas were identified as transient killer
whales, possibly from California.
The Oregon Coast Aquarium is well-known and respected for its marine animal rehabilitation program.
Keiko, the killer whale star of the movie "Free Willy", was at the Oregon Coast Aquarium from January,
1996 through September, 1998. He was 1,000 pounds underweight upon his arrival due to poor diet and
living in water too warm for him, with skin lesions similar to warts caused by papillomavirus. Keiko also
suffered from poor muscle tone and stamina, and could only hold his breath for three minutes. His dorsal
fin was bent and he had badly worn teeth from chewing on his concrete exhibit when he was at a Mexico
City theme park.
By the time Keiko departed the Aquarium for an open sea pen in Iceland, he had gained over 1,000
pounds, grown eight inches in length and his skin lesions were gone. His muscle tone and stamina were
radically improved so that he could hold his breath under water for over 17 minutes and the improved
condition of his back muscles raised his dorsal fin a foot off his back.
The Aquarium has rehabilitated and released (when possible) injured seabirds, endangered fur seals,
harbor seal pups, tropical sea turtles and other marine animals as facilities allow. Six sea lions, five harbor
seals and three sea otters currently live at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Five of the sea lions and two
harbor seals were captive born; one sea lion and three harbor seals were rescued and rehabilitated after
beach strandings but were not considered releasable. All three Aquarium sea otters were stranded and
recovered, rehabilitated and deemed nonreleasable.
For additional information about the Oregon Coast Aquarium, surf www.aquarium.org
or call 541-867-FISH.
In 1996 Keiko was flown aboard a United Parcel Service plane to a new rehabilitation facility in Newport,
Oregon. There he was returned to health and trained in the skills necessary to be a wild whale. In late
1998, Keiko was flown in a U.S. Air Force jet to a sea-pen in Iceland. In the summer of 2002, Keiko joined
the company of wild whales and swam nearly 1000 miles to the Norwegian coast. Since then, Keiko has
been cared for in a fjord where he was free to come and go by his own choice.
Keiko inspired millions of children to get involved in following his amazing odyssey and helping other
whales. Keiko's journey also inspired a massive educational effort around the world and formed the basis
for several scientific studies. Thousands of people traveled to Norway in the past year to see Keiko,
continuing his legacy as the most famous whale in the world.
Phillips stated: "Keiko was a trailblazer, the first orca whale ever rescued from captivity. There's still a lot
of work to be done to see that captive whales are given a chance to be free. Keiko showed what is
possible if these animals are just given the chance."
Irwin stated: "From the beginning, we did the right thing for Keiko and we intend to continue the fight to
keep whales free."
Page 24
3/4/2002
Debate Continues Over Fate of Orphaned Orca
Reported by Glenn Farley, KING 5
The tug-of-war continued Monday as various groups prepared to meet over what to do about an orphaned
orca cruising between West Seattle and Vashon Island, Wash.
The question on many people’s mind is whether the whale could this whale end up in a zoo.
The government has said that is not their first choice, but they also aren’t very optimistic that the whale
can successfully be re-introduced to her home pod in Canada.
More video of the orphaned whale caught fishing adds to the debate about whether the whale is really in
trouble. Monday morning, a government boat headed out to try and find the young Orphaned Orca and
representatives from some West Coast aquariums were expected to be on board.
She's known as A-73 or "Springer" And late Monday, KING 5 News’ helicopter Sky King captured more
video of her going after big salmon. Over the weekend, whale researcher Mark Sears captured evidence
of the whale feeding.
"She's got it, I saw her with a fish," Sears can be heard saying on video he shot of the whale.
Experts say both are good signs that the whale is eating. But other scientists who've seen the whale in
prior weeks say she is not eating enough and fear she will ultimately starve to death. And the National
Marine Fisheries Service does not want to see that happen.
“I mean, we enforce something called the Marine Mammal Protection Act, not the Marine Mammal
Abandonment act,” said National Marine Fisheries Service spokesman Brian Gorman.
But what should be done to save this whale?
Some environmental groups, including the Orca
Conservancy, think the whale could be ferried in a
moving net pen back to her home in Canadian
Waters to at least try and re-introduce her to her
home pod.
What the group does not want to see is a return to capturing whales for aquarium displays, as it was done in the
1960s and 70s.
“None of us want to open that door again, that's a very, very sensitive
issue,” said Michael Harris, President of Orca Conservancy.
On Monday, the Oregon Coast Aquarium, which played temporary Host to Keiko, says it's willing to house
and rehabilitate A-73 if asked.
A public forum is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday night at to discuss the fate of the whale. The forum will be
at The Hall at Fauntleroy, 9131 California SW, West Seattle.
In 1965, Namu, a large orca, was brought down from Canada in a mobile sea pen, towed over
about two weeks to Seattle. (Courtesy: Orca Conservancy)
Page 25
March 6, 2002
Group May Try to Move Baby Whale
Reported by Glenn Farley, KING 5 News
Everyone has an opinion on what to do about the baby whale. Some say do nothing, but that does not
seem to be an option for this federal protected mammal. And the choices about what to do are tough, and
there are no guarantees.
Now, an organization called Orca Conservancy is proposing a reverse trip. Taking Springer, the
orphaned and lost member of Canada's A-Pod, back to her home waters in a similar fashion.
“To do everything we can to minimize the stress on this animal, to minimize the contact, to do every
option we can to repatriate this animal into its home waters and keep it from being lifted out of the water
and put into a tank,” says Michael Harris of the Orca Conservancy.
Orca Conservancy says it's working with Earth Island Institute, a San Francisco environmental
organization, to put together a well thought out plan to get the young whale back home, providing her live
fish and introducing her back to her home pod, which may or may not accept her.
“There's a chance this whale wouldn't be accepted back into the pod. But it's probably a likelihood
that she would,” says Harris.
The national Marine Fisheries service says it will not allow the nature to take its course, and will not simply
let the animal starve to death hundreds of miles from home.
But the agency is considering a wide variety of options, including putting the animal into an aquarium so
she can be nursed back to health and the agency says a decision on what to do is days, not weeks away.
“Certainly, we're not foreclosing any options. A sea pen of some kind might be some sort of an option or
an interim step. One of the problems we have with the first step, is that we have to get this animal
assessed as far as her health is concerned and back into good shape,” says Brian Gorman of the National
Marine Fisheries Service.
NMFS says this is a lot more complicated that bringing a lost dog home.
But there are fears that even if the whale is taken into temporary captivity, that the whale will ultimately
end up as a permanent part of an aquarium exhibit.
Namu was brought down from Canada in a mobile sea pen in 1965.
3/7/2002
KEIKO'S PALS MAKE A BID TO HELP ORPHANED ORCA
Conservationists Would Try to Reunite it With Pod, Avoid a 'Concrete Box'
By Robert McClure, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Conservation groups — including one that freed the orca popularized in the movie "Free Willy" —
yesterday made a bid to take over care of the sickly, orphaned orca calf that has wandered into central
Puget Sound.
The conservationists said the female orca should be reunited with its family in Canada. But they're afraid
that the National Marine Fisheries Service, because of budget restrictions, will be too willing to turn to an
aquarium or theme park to take care of the animal.
"We're concerned it would be a one-way trip," said David Phillips (left), executive
director of the San Francisco-based Earth Island Institute. "Once the whale gets into
captivity, there are a number of things that will keep it from going back out. It gets
socialized, gets used to people.
"You get the conflict of interest associated with facilities where this (orca) becomes a
huge financial draw. The issue of when it should come back and whether it should go
back becomes more than a scientific discussion."
Page 26
The Earth Island Institute teamed up with Orca Conservancy, after the
NMFS last week asked environmental groups what they thought should be
done. Yesterday they offered a seven-point plan for how to care for the
whale. It entails building a floating pen in Puget Sound where the animal
could be observed and cared for by veterinarians. Later, the pen would be
towed to Canadian waters, with the orca's stress levels carefully monitored.
It would be kept in a pen in Canadian waters until its family returns from its
winter migration in June or July, then set free in hopes that its family would
readopt it. It's an untried option in dealing with such a situation, Phillips
acknowledged. But he said his organization surmounted even tougher
obstacles to transport the orca known as Keiko and featured in "Free Willy"
back to its native Iceland.
"It's an easier course of action for the agency (NMFS) to go with a concrete box," Phillips said. "Its
cleaner, the marine parks have the money; they're ready to go. ... No muss, no fuss."
The activists said they were assessing how they can raise money to care for the whale, although they
stopped short of calling for public donations. NMFS spokesman Brian Gorman, who last week solicited
advice from the environmental groups, said he would not immediately comment "on an over-the-transom
proposal," although he would relay the bid to higher-ups in the agency.
Four facilities already had made bids to care for the orca: Sea World, in San Diego; Six Flags Marine World
in Vallejo, Calif.; the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport; and the Vancouver Aquarium in Canada.
"They're all pretty serious and they all have resources that could do the job to one degree or another,"
Gorman said. "If we end up choosing one of them, I assume it would be for rehab rather than permanent
(residence)."
Gorman said the agency's budget for rescuing stranded marine mammals is half-spent, and now stands at
$6,000. He said cost is not a factor NMFS officials have considered so far but acknowledged, "as we get
closer to making a decision, we're going to have to consider whether we can afford to do A versus B."
Orca families, known as "pods," have been known in the past to reject members and not take them back.
The 18-month-old whale in question, identified as A73, is related to other members of its pod, but her
mother and siblings died. Her grandmother is her closest living relative. Scientists advising NMFS have
been quite skeptical about the chances that this orca would be accepted back into its pod. She also hung
around for some time with another pod, but was rejected by it, too.
A scientific panel assembled by NMFS has said it appears the orca will need human intervention. It
appears to be very hungry, and has a skin condition indicative of poor health. However, orca enthusiasts
who have visited the animal, which has been swimming around between West Seattle and Vashon Island,
say there is no urgent need for human intervention.
"I didn't see a withering animal," said Fred Felleman, a board member of Orca Conservancy who
studied the animals as a graduate student. "I would suggest she's gaining more than she's losing.
Page 27
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 take 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.
Page 28
March 8, 2002
Bringing Springer Home
The Spokane Spokesman-Review
Two whale-protection groups — the local Orca Conservancy and the national
Earth Island Institute – have proposed a plan to reunite an orphaned killer
whale with her extended family in Canada.
The plan – involving a large sea pen towed by tugs to move the whale – has
been submitted to the National Marine Fisheries Service for consideration,
said Michael Harris, president of Orca Conservancy.
Earth Island Institute played a key role in raising $7 million to reintroduce Keiko ("Free Willy") to his home
territory in Iceland.
Nobody knows why a 2-year-old orca swam so far south and remains in Central Puget Sound, where she
has stayed since mid-January. The whale is from a pod that rarely, if ever, comes into Washington waters.
Her mother is believed to be dead.
Harris said the primary benefit of the plan proposed Wednesday is that the calf would remain in the water
while she is given medical attention. The whale would be placed in a floating sea pen, which could be
towed by tugboat from Puget Sound to British Columbian waters. The animal could then be released when
her pod comes near.
Until now, the only proposals that seemed to have sufficient funding involved capturing the whale and
transporting her to one of four commercial aquariums in the region.
Citing time constraints, Brian Gorman, spokesman for the National Marine Fisheries Service, could not say
whether this latest sea-pen idea would be considered by his agency.
"We really don't have a lot of time left," Gorman said. "I suspect we’ll make a decision in days, not
weeks."

———- OC E-Mail
From: "Orcalab"
To: "Michael Harris"
Sent: Monday, March 11, 2002 10:14 AM
Subject: Re: CBC news story
Hi Michael,
Good job on CBC this morning! They ran a news clip from the
interview in the news right after in which you said "Canadian" twice
in one sentence... way to go!
cheers, & THANKS!
Paul & Helena
Help On Way for Orphaned Orca
By The Associated Press -
Conservation groups and aquariums have offered to care for an orphaned killer
whale that has been swimming for weeks in central Puget Sound.
"Nothing's changed," Brian Gorman, a National Marine Fisheries Service spokesman, said yesterday of the
orca's situation. "We're closer to making some kind of an announcement, but we're not there yet. My
sense is we'll probably be sure of what we're going to do and how to intervene maybe early next week.
"We're getting down to the wire."
Some conservationists say the female orca should be reunited with her family, based near Vancouver
Island. They are worried the fisheries service will determine the whale's fate based on budget concerns,
choosing to turn it over to an aquarium because that would be the most economical option.
The Oregon Coast Aquarium is ready to help the whale.
Page 29
Aquarium President Phyllis Bell estimates it would cost $75,000 to transport the orca from Puget Sound to
Newport, Ore., where the aquarium is, and an additional $148,000 for care, should she stay for a year.
The aquarium would pay the bill.
"We're getting commitments now from people willing to donate," Bell said.
The young and malnourished orca would first have its condition assessed and treated in a 26,000-gallon
medical holding tank at the aquarium. Then it would be released into a 850,000-gallon tank, the largest
section of the "Passages of the Deep" exhibit.
"We'd move out the larger sharks," Bell said. "The animal would have plenty of room to swim."
The aquarium gained international fame for its rehabilitation work in behalf of Keiko, the whale star of the
"Free Willy" movie. Keiko lived at the aquarium from January 1996 through September 1998.
Other options being considered by the fisheries service include taking the orca to the Vancouver Aquarium
in British Columbia, Sea World in San Diego or the Six Flags park in Vallejo, Calif.
The Earth Island Institute, along with Orca Conservancy, offered
a seven-point plan Wednesday for how to care for the whale.
It calls for building a floating pen in Puget Sound where the animal could be observed and cared for by
veterinarians. The pen would later be towed to Canadian waters, where the whale would be reunited with
its pod, or family, after the pod returns from its winter migration.
Keeping the orca in the water would put less stress on the animal and limit its
contact with people, Orca Conservancy President Michael Harris said.
"Give us a chance to pool our resources," he said. "We have the components
necessary to keep the animal in the water and attempt to repatriate it."
The whale was discovered Jan. 14. After a month passed, the fisheries service convened a scientific panel
seeking advice on what to do. The panel of biologists, veterinarians and government scientists found that the 1ton orca's condition was poor and deteriorating.
Page 30
An L-Pod whale is rounded up at Penn Cove Capture, August 1970.
OC TIMELINE: THEY TRIED TO MAKE ME GO TO REHAB AND I SAID, NO NO NO…
Back in March 2002, the gold rush was on…
The marine park industry was licking its chops at the thought of acquiring a Northern Resident orca for its rapidly
depleting captive breeding gene pool. Tom them, this was a two- or three-million-dollar animal, and the parks could
snatch her off and look like heroes doing it. There hadn’t been a capture of a Pacific Northwest orca since the mid-1970s,
and here was a young female, seemingly in trouble and amenable to the care of humans. For years the captive display
industry has used medical intervention as a banner to swoop in and haul off marine mammals in the name of
“rehabilitation.” In fact, it’s a lot like rehabilitating people behind bars – in the case of killer whales and dolphins, it’s
prison labor. Conscripted entertainment, like a Chinese child is sent off to serve in the National Circus. But with the help
of our partners at The Free Willy Keiko Foundation (Humane Society of The United States and Earth Island Institute), we
were able to quickly assemble and advance a peer-reviewed and fully funded plan to National Marine Fisheries – the only
one of five that wasn’t submitted by a marine park.
But somehow, the Oregon Coast Aquarium (OCA) in Newport seemed to be the early favorite in the Springer Stakes.
That was Keiko’s temporary home and the community was ready to welcome her with open arms (and wallets). But the
OCA was an open book, at best. Since Keiko’s triumphant move to Iceland, the facility had seen a huge drop in
attendance and revenues. Despite dire warnings from the Keiko people, OCA responded to their financial crisis by
borrowing millions of dollars and refitting Keiko’s state-of-the-art tank into an elaborate $8.8 million shark exhibit –
rather than a far better idea put forth to keep the tank as is and use it as a marine mammal rehabilitation facility,
complete with one-way glass so the animals would never know they were being watched. Seals, sea lions, sea and river
otters, porpoises, even perhaps another orca, would have an extraordinary by-the-sea halfway house, if needed.
But Director Phyllis Bell decided to go with the shark thing.
For Springer, we got word that OCA was negotiating a deal with SeaWorld – that after “one year or more” to rehab the
whale in the tank (a separate, much-smaller temporary tank they would use for her), if she was deemed as not being
ready to reintroduction into the wild, Springer would be shipped San Diego. OCA would get a fee.
The Northern Residents would lose her, again.
Television stations in Portland were reporting that the deal was done. Reporters said NMFS was giving OCA the whale.
To borrow a line from a popular Amy Winehouse song, they wanted Springer to go to OCA rehab and we said, “No no no.”
Turns out, OCA was in arrears with the Free Willy Keiko Foundation for a huge amount of money, from the deal involving
FWKF and Craig McCaw and the Keiko tank. Something was askew with OCA’s finances and, just as prospective parents
would be vetted for a possible adoption, we thought the feds and the public needed to take another look at the Aquarium
and Ms. Bell before shipping the orca south. Quietly, we contacted NMFS and our friends in the media, letting them know
our concerns about OCA’s financial situation and its ability to care for Springer… and suggested that if they did run low on
funds during her stay, it might put pressure on OCA to make a snap decision on her fate – that they might strike a
premature deal with SeaWorld and cash in on the deal.
Our reporter friends responded graciously. Several investigative reports came out on OCA, revealing the shady deals
made to finance the shark exhibit and other suspicious transactions. Within a matter of days, NMFS eliminated OCA as a
candidate for Springer and began looking earnestly at the two in-situ (in-water) rehabilitation plans submitted to them –
from Vancouver Aquarium, and a joint plan submitted by The Free Willy Keiko Foundation and Orca Conservancy. When
VanAq, FWKF and OC agreed – albeit momentarily – to merge our plans, “pool our resources” and work together (as
reported by the Seattle NBC affiliate), NMFS was persuaded to go with us. Even after the official partnership fell apart
(see “THE EVIL DR. NIGHTINGALE”), the three groups continued to work collectively and effectively to keep Springer in
the water as much as possible as we went forward. Blood draws and other medical observations all happened from a
boat. For the most part, the team kept a hands-off approach to rehabilitating the orca. And we prevented the first
capture of a wild killer whale in Puget Sound since 1975.
Orca Conservancy also had a problematic relationship with OCA – our Board Member Kelley Balcomb-Bartok was once
caught sneaking into the Aquarium in the dead of night to visit Keiko the orca and, as he claims, “test the security detail
there.” Ms. Bell decided not to press charges – and of course our organization knew nothing about Kelley’s bizarre
behavior in Newport – but suffice to say after that episode we would’ve found it quite difficult to gain the trust of OCA
staff had Springer been sent there. NMFS’s decision to pass on OCA’s proposal wasn’t just the best thing for Springer; as
far as Orca Conservancy goes, it was a very good development for all of us, too.
Meanwhile, Ms. Bell was fast finding herself in deep water. It was discovered that among other things, she had reported
a nearly $1 million loan as a donation, allegedly to hide construction project cost overruns. The problems of OCA were
now front-page news throughout the Pacific Northwest. On July 4, 2002, Ms. Bell quit her job “for personal reasons.”
A week later, Springer was successfully reintroduced to her family in Johnstone Strait.
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Running SeaWorld Outa Town… Again.
Also during March of 2002, we knew we had to keep an eye on the contingent of SeaWorld personnel now frequenting our
local waters and no doubt sizing up our friend Springer for a possible trip to a concrete tank. Orca Conservancy President
Michael Harris decided to dust off an old piece of paper that might keep everyone honest. He called OC’s Board Member,
five-term Secretary of State Ralph Munro, to see if we could dig up the original 1976 Stipulation of Dismissal in the
famous lawsuit that Sec. Munro and others filed against SeaWorld Inc. and Don Goldsberry that ultimately stopped orca
captures in Puget Sound. The Honorable Ralph found the document with the help of a State Archivist in Olympia and,
sure enough, it specifically restricted SeaWorld from taking part in any action removing an orca from Puget Sound – for
any reason. Not even for a rescue. The document had not seen the light of day for a quarter-century. Together we
rushed that Stipulation of Dismissal to our Congressional delegation, NMFS and SeaWorld, putting SeaWorld on notice
that regardless of its stated good intentions, the citizens of Washington State would not stand idly and
allow the company to engage itself in the response and ultimate disposition of Springer.
The discovery of the Stipulation of Dismissal and its dissemination by Orca Conservancy and Sec. Munro completely
turned back SeaWorld and OCA from what many considered an under-the-radar attempt at the first capture of a wild orca
by the captive-display industry in these waters in a quarter-century.
As we took on The Dark Side – the captive-display industry – as best we could, we soon discovered we were beginning to
get hit on our left flank. People who we thought we had on our side were now trying to turn us back. Seattle orca
advocate Donna Sandstrom had appeared on Q13 News (FOX Seattle-Tacoma) and other media demanding that Orca
Conservancy, Earth Island Institute and other like-minded organizations “quit playing God” and leave Springer in the
busy ferry lanes of Fauntleroy, rather than make any attempt to rescue and return the orca to her family. She
commended NMFS for doing nothing – the first time in any of our memory that an environmental activist was applauding
the government for its inaction. Something fishy was going on between the Fisheries Service and some of the non-profit
organizations in the Northwest. We had never seen such chumminess, and frankly it couldn’t have come at a worse time.
Ms. Sandstrom’s public position at that time was perfectly (and suspiciously) in line with that of the NMFS, the first of
many times Ms. Sandstrom would avail herself to the side of the federal government in this matter.
Also during that time, and in fact the very day it was reported that Orca Conservancy and the Keiko Team had
joined together on a plan to rescue and translocate Springer back to her family, a former Board Member of our
organization, Howard Garrett, was also availing himself in the regional media, taking a very public position against that of
Orca Conservancy and Earth Island. Mr. Garrett, who just months earlier was asked to step down by Sec. Munro as
President of Orca Conservancy, was now pitching a bizarre plan to offer regular human companionship for Springer, to
address her social needs until such time as she went home on her own, rather than direct action to save her. Moreover,
as his column indicates below, Mr. Garrett decided to quote – of all people – SeaWorld vet Jim McBain to support
his argument to not intervene on behalf of Springer.
Mr. Garrett’s column, as well as Ms. Sandstrom’s media appearances, came at a very critical time in our efforts and was
particularly damaging to what otherwise appeared to the public as a growing consensus not to allow such a critical
member of the threatened Northern Resident Community to languish and die in congested Puget Sound. It’s a tactic
we’ve seen in discussions about global warming – the best way to avoid taking action in a crisis is to create the allusion
that there’s no agreement about what should be done. The scientific consensus at the time was clear – Springer was in
big trouble, human acclimation was making the situation worse, and if nothing was done immediately to intervene and
get her out of those ferry lanes and back to her home waters, she would no doubt wash up dead one day on the beach of
one of the most-visited urban parks in the Pacific Northwest.
Mr. Garrett’s “Readers Soapbox” column is below…
March 9, 2002
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/61524_soap9.shtml
Readers Soapbox: Try Social Approach With Orphaned Orca
HOWARD GARRETT, GUEST COLUMNIST
Since at least mid-January a female orphan orca calf has taken up residence in Puget
Sound. Less than 2 years old and hundreds of miles away from home, this 11-foot-long
baby killer whale has been identified by Canadian researchers as A73, aka "Springer," from
the Northern Resident orca community. Locally she's called "Little Orphan Annie." There are indications that her
health may be failing.
Below is a proposal sent Tuesday to the National Marine Fisheries Service to generate support for an approach
that involves empathy and companionship, rather than the suggested emergency room medical treatment plan.
There was a public meeting Monday to find a solution. The overall sentiment was that capture and transport to a
tank are not acceptable options to the public, even if it means that without intervention she might expire right
there in the ferry lane.
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There is widespread skepticism that she would ever be released if sent to an aquarium. As I understand from
NMFS, however, letting the calf die is also not an acceptable option, and the trend of the vets' comments was
toward captivity in a tank for rehab. So there is a stalemate.
Rather than relying on the medical model, look at a social model, and intervene accordingly. That would mean
looking at her social problems, which is that she's a lonely orphan, a member of the most highly social species
known to science.
Her mother died in her first year, all her siblings have died, and she is now at least 400 miles from her family and
unable to keep up with them without her mother or a surrogate to pull her along.
Orca pods have no choice but to move on constantly, because their prey tend to scatter in front of them.
Somehow she wandered down to Puget Sound and found a productive fishing hole, and camped out. She's
starving for company, literally, with a worsening skin condition and, according to the veterinarians, an inadequate
diet.
The vets say she has ketosis, diagnosed by an acetone smell to her breath, indicating she is burning more
calories than she's taking in. She could go downhill and develop terminal pneumonia at any time.
Jim McBain, Sea World head vet, said her persistent rubbing on driftwood is not to scratch her sloughing skin
but because she misses the tactile company of her mother.
She has proven that she is able to catch and eat large salmon, but given her extreme stress factors she may
have a depressed appetite, and in fact may simply be depressed. That would account for symptoms discussed at
the public meeting. She wants company.
When Ken Balcomb, director of the Center for Whale Research, was out with her on Jan 15, she came to him and
biologist Mark Sears, and when Balcomb waved his arms, she obliged by rolling over. She spyhops often and
appears alert, aware, and responsive, though sometimes lethargic.
There's no possibility that she could rejoin her pod at least until summer, but rather than do nothing until then,
or take her to an aquarium to be poked and probed, perhaps certain people could be given authorization from
NMFS to keep her company without fear of arrest. They could go out every day, weather permitting, sometimes
wearing drysuits, to get in the water with her. I expect she would devise all sorts of games to play with them,
and would be thrilled to have the attention of some compassionate beings. Captive orcas tend to bond with
certain trainers, and in fact trainers generally say it's trust and attention, not food, that keeps them performing
and healthy, to a point.
This would provide a way for NMFS to do something to help this unfortunate orphan, and would satisfy the
public's desire for minimal intervention. This option would leave open the possibility, providing she stays healthy
and grows normally for another five months or so, to follow her human companions back up to Johnstone Strait
next summer, where her pod typically shows up about four days a week in July and August.
By avoiding captivity there would be no disease or hand-feeding habituation problems to complicate reunification
with her pod. The cost of the entire operation would be small, maybe a few thousand dollars a week, maybe
much less.
The main hurdle in this proposal is to overcome objections that:
1) she would become too habituated to humans. Keiko was eager to explore the ocean and mingle with wild orcas
even after 23 years of captivity. Unfortunately it appears he didn't come into contact with his immediate family,
as this little orca almost certainly would in B.C. waters.
2) the problem is medical rather than emotional or social. Veterinary advisers are probably more prestigious than
social system interpreters, so the weight of professional opinion presented to NMFS is likely on the side of the
medical model. The services of vets are still very valuable under the social model, but the primary effort would be
to keep her attention and raise her spirits.
This may all sound too mushy and amateurish for many to accept, but a look at the natural history of the species
and the lessons from captivity seem to indicate that the most effective, economical and politically acceptable way
to take care of this lonely orca is the low-key social intervention option.
March 9, 2002
TUG OF WAR OVER ORPHANED ORCA
KING 5 News (NBC Seattle) Anchor Tease, Dennis Bounds: A TUG OF WAR OVER A NORTHWEST ORCA’S FUTURE. THE CONTROVERSY NEXT ON KING 5 NEWS… Anchor Intro, Margaret Larson: A TUG OF WAR TONIGHT OVER AN ORPHANED ORCA… Deborah Feldman: I’M DEBORAH FELDMAN LIVE IN WEST SEATTLE. TONIGHT, EXPERTS AND AMATEURS MET TONIGHT TO DISCUSS THIS WHALE’S FUTURE. I’LL HAVE THE DETAILS NEXT. ORCA CONSERVANCY – THE SPRINGER FILE
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TUG OF WAR OVER ORPHANED ORCA
CONTINUED… Sound Up, Donna Sandstrom, Orca Alliance: IT’S GOING TO BE HEART-‐BREAKING TO WITNESS THE WORST THING HAPPEN, WHICH IS TO SEE HER DIE. Anchor Intro, Margaret Larson: A DILEMMA SWIRLS TONIGHT ABOUT THE ORPHAN SWIMMING IN WEST SEATTLE WATERS. A BATTLE CAME TO A HEAD OVER THE WHALE NAMED SPRINGER BUT NICKNAMED LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE. Anchor intro, Dennis Bounds: WHAT SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT THE ORCA CALF SWIMMING ALONE OFF VASHON ISLAND? KING 5’S DEBORAH FELDMAN IS LIVE FROM WEST SEATTLE WITH THIS DEBATE TONIGHT. DEBORAH… Deborah Feldman: CERTAINLY A TOPIC THAT HAS A LOT OF PEOPLE CONCERNED. TONIGHT MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE GATHERED HERE IN WEST SEATTLE TO HEAR WHAT EXPERTS HAVE OBSERVED WHEN THEY WATCHED THE WHALE THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS AND TO DISCUSS HER FUTURE. VO: FROM SKYKING, THE YOUNG ORCA SPRINGER APPEARS CONTENT, FROLICKING AND SOMETIMES FEEDING IN THE WATERS OFF VASHON ISLAND. BUT MANY ARE CONCERNED THAT LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING. THAT IN FACT, THE WHALE IS NOT CAPABLE OF SURVIVING MUCH LONGER ON HER OWN. TONIGHT, EXPERTS AND AMATEURS ALIKE GATHERED IN WEST SEATTLE TO DISCUSS SPRINGER’S FUTURE. Dr. David Bain, Orca Conservancy Advisory Board Member: I THINK HER FORAGING SKILLS ARE ALMOST UP TO PAR. Deborah Feldman: EXPERTS WHO HAVE SEEN THE WHALE UP CLOSE AGREE THAT SHE’S UNDERWEIGHT AND SUFFERING FROM A BAD SKIN AILMENT COMMON IN ORCAS. BUT WHETHER THOSE ARE INDICATORS OF BIGGER, PERHAPS LETHAL PROBLEMS IS IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL FROM OBSERVATION ALONE. SO THE QUESTION REMAINS WHAT TO DO. SOME STRONGLY BELIEVE SHE SHOULD BE LEFT ALONE. Donna Sandstrom, Orca Alliance: IT’S GOING TO BE HEART-‐BREAKING TO WITNESS THE WORST THING HAPPEN, WHICH IS TO SEE HER DIE. BUT WE WOULD RATHER BEAR THAT HEARTBREAK THAN KNOW THAT SHE’S ENDURING IT BY HERSELF IN A CONCRETE TANK. Deborah Feldman: OTHERS SAY THE ONLY RESPONSIBLE THING IS TO INTERVENE, WHETHER IT’S TO PUT HER IN A SEAPEN OR CONFINING HER TO AN AQUARIUM, PERHAPS LONG-‐TERM. Kelley Balcomb-‐Bartok, Orca Conservancy: THE SEAPEN IS NOT JUST A DEAD-‐END STREET, THE PEN COULD ALSO BE A TRANSPORT TO CANADA. Dr. David Huff, Vancouver Aquarium: YOU EITHER DON’T INTERVENE, OR YOU INTERVENE PROPERLY AND GIVE THAT ANIMAL THE BENEFITS OF EVERYTHING WE KNOW HOW TO DO AND TRY TO REUNITE HER WITH HER POD. Deborah Feldman, Live: WELL, THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT OPINIONS ABOUT WHAT’S BEST FOR HER FUTURE. MOST OF THE EXPERTS TEND TO AGREE ON THE TWO FACTS THAT THIS WHALE DOES SEEM TO BE VERY LONELY AND THAT HER CHANCES FOR SURVIVAL IF SHE’S LEFT ALONE FOR THE LONG TERM ARE NOT GOOD. REPORTING LIVE FROM WEST SEATTLE, DEBORAH FELDMAN, KING 5 NEWS.
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March 10, 2002 “Little Orcan Annie” CNN and CNN International ANCHOR:
Scientists are worried about a baby killer whale that’s on her own off the coast of Seattle.
Lilian Kim has the story of the orphaned orca.
LILIAN KIM:
She’s just a baby. Two years old, 12 feet long and all alone. Somehow within the past couple of months, this orca whale
became separated from her pod and can now be seen hanging out at a ferry dock near Seattle.
BOB JOHNSON, Washington State Ferry Employee:
Well. the other co-workers nickname it, “Orca Annie.”
LILIAN KIM:
Playful and active, the baby orca has attracted quite a following.
Ferry Passengers looking at Springer:
Ahhh…
LILIAN KIM:
But experts are worried that she may not be in the best of health or getting enough to eat.
BRIAN GORMAN, National Marine Fisheries Service:
She’s got some kind of a skin disorder that suggests she’s in stress, so we’re guarded about her, I guess you’d say,
if you were a veterinarian.
LILIAN KIM:
The National Marine Fisheries Service is trying to figure out how it can help.
LILIAN KIM O/C, On Boat With Springer, Off Vashon Island, Washington:
A decision on what to do with the orphaned orca needs to be made in the
next few weeks, before salmon runs slow down and her food supply starts
to dwindle. v/o Some suggest leaving the calf alone, but more likely, the
whale would be rehabilitated, possibly at an aquarium.
Another option put forth by experts is to tow the baby home to Canadian
waters, in hopes of reuniting her with her pod – a plan that would
minimize human contact. MICHAEL HARRIS, Orca Conservancy:
We don’t want this animal to begin to get accustomed to human contact,
or else it’s going to make it a very bad candidate for getting it back into
the wild population.
LILIAN KIM:
There is no simple solution. But experts agree that the common is to find a plan that’s in the best interests
of the baby orca. Lilian Kim, CNN, Vashon Island, Washington.
March 13, 2002
A Whale Of A Dilemma
By Kevin Reece, KOMO 4 News
SEATTLE - The picture shown here is one of the latest underwater images of A73, the
female orca calf Canadian researchers have named "Springer."
Alone now off Vashon Island for several months, she's the focus of a political battle
between researchers who say leave her alone and government officials who say
capturing her may be necessary to save her life.
Now, Fred Felleman with the Orca Conservancy says the latest pictures show a
whale that is doing just fine. Felleman says the still images, taken from video shot
on March 7, indicate to him that capture for an aquarium shouldn't even be
considered right now.
"We think it's absolutely essential that before any heroic activities are taken that we
need to have at least a week's worth of good baseline data," said Felleman.
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And that's exactly what will happen. Researchers tell KOMO 4 News they have agreed with National Marine
Fisheries to monitor the whale together over the next two weeks. The research may include both
observation and medical tests. Researchers say that only then will the decision be made either to
intervene or let A73 and mother nature chart their own course. Researchers will begin this latest round of
observations as early as possible.
"That doesn't mean she's in the right place," said Felleman. "She's a B.C.
whale, she's in U.S. waters, and I don't think she's got a visa," he joked.
What he means is that even if the whale is determined to be healthy an effort
may still be made to return the whale to its pod in Canadian waters.
Orca Conservancy’s Fred Felleman on ABC World News Tonight.
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 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.
Michael Harris got the
call from Keiko Team
Director David Phillips,
who had just got the
green light from VanAq’s
Dr. Lance BarrettLennard 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 “groundbreaking 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?”
Dr. John Nightingale, having a drink on us – champagne to toast Springer, 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
Page 36
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 (a job he later lost, but that’s another story). At any rate, 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 in THE LUNA FILE).
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 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 Steller sea lions to changing toilet paper (see page 143 in THE LUNA FILE). 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.
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, it’s not your money” I added. “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
3/13/02
Dramatic New Rescue Plans for Whale
By Tracy Vedder, KOMO 4 News
PUGET SOUND - There are dramatic new plans to rescue an orphaned orca in Puget Sound. It would keep the orca out of
aquarium tanks and re-unite her with her family pod in Canada.
One of the problems is that no one really knows how well or how poorly the orca is doing. So beginning
Thursday, orca experts will be on the water near Vashon Island where the killer whale hangs out. They'll be
watching her from dawn to dusk, keeping track of her health.
Nicknamed Springer, the orca designated as A-73 has been stuck in Puget Sound nearly two months.
Page 37
Orphaned and unable to keep up with her orca family, experts agree she is not getting enough to eat and belongs
back in Canada. "Whether this is some kind of terrible danger or whether it's just a little indication of a problem,
we don't know for sure," says National Marine Fisheries spokesman Brian Gorman. "But we certainly know that
her diet is insufficient."
Once scientists have a better idea of Springer's health, they'll look at a long-term solution.
A ground-breaking coalition of conservation groups and the Vancouver Aquarium has come up with two options.
The first would take a lesson from Namu, the first killer whale captured back in 1965. A seapen, pulled by a
tugboat, could move Springer back to Canadian waters. The advantage is it keeps human handling to a
minimum. The disadvantage is at two knots an hour, it would take several days.
The other option comes with the help of the Canadian Coast Guard. They've offered the use of a hovercraft to
take the orca home. The advantage is a fast, three-hour trip. The disadvantage is the orca would have to be
captured and carried out of the water.
Either way, the coalition including Orca Conservancy, Earth Island Institute and the Vancouver Aquarium
can act quickly. "We can gear up in a day or two to actually get the animal back up to B.C. where it
ultimately belongs," says Fred Felleman with Orca Conservancy.
Springer has spent a lot of time off the north end of Vashon Island. The killer whale's pod will return around June
to Canadian waters.
Whether the net pen or the hovercraft is used for transport it would likely take the most protected route, hugging
the coastline, to get Springer back to the waters of her birth.
The National Marine Fisheries hasn't decided what to do yet, but these coalition proposals seem to be at the top
of their list. "Our goal is to reunite it with it's pod," says NMFS spokesman Gorman, "and the best way to do that
is to put her in a net pen, maybe treat her and then transport her to Vancouver Island."
The dawn to dusk monitoring begins Thursday and will continue for up to a week until NMFS makes a final
determination on the killer whale's future.
Orca Conservancy’s Fred Felleman and Michael Harris, in Ballard, WA.
3/13/2002
Group Offers to Move Orphaned Orca Back
to Her Home Waters
A hovercraft is the latest option to move orphaned whale A-73 back to
her home waters off Vancouver Island.
The Canadian Coast Guard vessel, which rides on a cushion of air, was
used two years ago to pull a dead orca, J-18, to the beach, where the
carcass could be examined by scientists looking for a cause of death.
One other alternative on the table, use a towed sea-pen to move the
young whale. While the sea pen would not involve taking the whale out
of the water like it would involving the hovercraft, the trip would take
days rather than just a few hours.
“A slower trip at this time of year would have vagaries of weather to potentially
encumber the transit,” says Fred Felleman of the Orca Conservancy.
But before the whale goes anywhere, scientists and veterinarians need to learn more about her condition.
As soon as the weather clears, the National Marine Fisheries Service says it will begin frequent medical checks on
the little whale known as Springer.
“The level of per precarious condition is not well defined. Whales don't give you a lot of means of
analysis,” says Felleman.
One of the observations that have prompted concern among veterinarians is the smell of ketone - much
like alcohol - on the whale's breath. That could mean she is beginning to digest her own blubber.
Page 38
Capturing and measuring the chemical composition of the orca's respiratory gases could give scientists a
better idea of the extent to which the whale is malnourished, NMFS spokesman Brian Gorman said
Wednesday.
The private plan is coming together, but it is still up to the federal government to decide what should be
done with A-73.
The Vancouver Aquarium has offered to temporarily house the whale in a stationary sea-pen to nurse her
back to health, before a release back into the wild.
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Orca Orphan Will Stay Free
Scientists consider ways to transport young killer whale to Canadian waters
Thursday, March 14, 2002 - By ROBERT McCLURE, SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
The orphaned baby orca that showed up off Vashon Island last month and stole Seattle's heart will not be
cooped up in an aquarium or sea park, federal fisheries officials announced yesterday.
Instead, a dawn-to-dusk whale watch is about to get under way to give marine mammal experts a better
picture of the orca's health. And the Canadian government has broached the idea of using a Hovercraft to
ferry the killer whale home to Canadian waters.
The National Marine Fisheries Service recently sought proposals from aquariums and sea parks outlining
how the orca, which at times appears lethargic and may be having trouble catching food, could be cared
for in captivity.
"We're not going to do it," NMFS spokesman Brian Gorman said. "Our thinking early on was that we
needed to have an emergency (capture) plan in place. We don't really have plans for that at this point."
Orca enthusiasts had decried the idea. They started soliciting donors to support their bid to keep the baby
orca free and reunite it with its family, or pod. Backers of that plan included Earth Island Institute, the
San Francisco-based group that bankrolled the release of Keiko, the orca that starred in the movie "Free
Willy."
"Having NMFS committing to do the monitoring program, which is the first thing we
called for, this is only positive," said Fred Felleman, a board member of the
Orca Conservancy. "That was specifically the first part of our plan: Get baseline
data before you go and schlep the animal around."
The 1 1/2-year-old orca, known as A-73, was born to a pod that returns each summer to the waters
around northern Vancouver Island in Canada. But its mother died, and the rest of the pod rejected the
animal. She hung around another pod for a while, but then disappeared until she showed up alone in
central Puget Sound.
She's been there since last month, following the West Seattle-Vashon ferry, rubbing up against logs and
capturing Seattle's affection.
John Ford, head of the marine mammal research at the Canadian government's Pacific Biological Station in
Nanaimo, on Vancouver Island, said the idea of borrowing the Canadian Coast Guard's Hovercraft came up
during a "seemingly endless" series of telephone conference calls among orca experts.
Officials want to see how well the orca is doing physically and determine whether it's up to being captured
for transport back to Canada. If so, it could go by Hovercraft, plane or boat. Or a floating "net pen" could
be set up and towed behind a tugboat to gently nudge the orca home.
"We're so far from determining that kind of thing," Ford said.
Trying to move the whale in a floating pen would take several days and the trip could be interrupted by
bad weather.
Orca activists had hoped the whale could be allowed to swim back to its home waters in a net pen so it
would be less disoriented. But the Hovercraft could return the animal within a few hours, as opposed to a
few days, putting less stress on it, Felleman said.
That would entail capturing the orca – a feat not tried in Washington since the taking of orcas for display
in aquariums and sea parks was banned more than a quarter-century ago.
NMFS plans to field its observation team, composed of marine mammal experts, in a few days, Gorman
said. They will go out each day and carefully watch the animal.
If the team agrees the orca is healthy, it would relieve pressure to move the whale quickly, Gorman said.
The experts will try to get a sample of the orca's breath, which could tell them how much she's been
eating. If she's sick, veterinary care could be arranged.
Page 40
"Field observation... is a very imperfect way of trying to assess the condition of a whale or any wild
animal," Gorman said. "Wild animals are very good at covering up any problems. They don't want to send
any signals that say, 'I'm sick. I'm vulnerable.'"
David Bain, a scientist on a panel organized by NMFS to advise the agency, said that the orca's condition
"seems to be up and down, different days and different times of day."
But he added: "She seems to be holding up better than I expected. We're getting more time to deal with
the situation."
Researchers and orca enthusiasts in small boats have been periodically checking on the orca, but some of
their efforts have been thwarted by high winds.
"You worry that her condition may start going downhill the day you're not out on the water looking for
her," Bain said, "and when you do get a good look at her, you realize it's time to do something."
NMFS is going to round up a bigger boat that will allow researchers unfettered access. It's still not a
foregone conclusion that the orca can be reunited with her pod. The panel advising NMFS expressed
skepticism, saying once an orca is ostracized by a pod, it has never been known to be accepted again.
Ford, of the Canadian research station, said if the orca is returned to Canada, it would be relatively easy
to find a place to keep her while she rebuilds her strength.
Researchers say they want to make sure the orca doesn't get too friendly with people, because that would
make it difficult for her to survive as a wild animal.
But if she remains in Puget Sound, it's clear that she will have more and more contact with people as the
weather warms.
"There's all sorts of places in Canadian waters where she could be kept," Ford said. "There are remote
places where it's quiet and the water quality is good. That is the kind of thing we'd be looking for."
March 25, 2002
Fate of Orphaned Orca Could Be Decided Today
SEATTLE - Scientists were to deliver their recommendations Monday on what to do about a young killer whale
that has been separated from its pod.
The team of observers is reporting to the National Marine Fisheries Service. Members have spent more than a
week monitoring the female orca, which was cut off from its pod and is stranded in Puget Sound.
But while the observers say the orca is "holding her own," the group warns that the young female killer whale still
has some serious health problems.
KOMO 4 News first went out with the group of observers over a week ago to keep tabs on the killer whale named
Springer.
"This girl made a decision, she wants to live," one observer told KOMO 4 News. For the next 11 days, Springer
tried to prove him right.
The observers watched and recorded every move the little orca made: every time she came to the surface, every
time she chased food, and every time she played with a log.
The group includes two biologists from NMFS, a volunteer from The Whale Research
Center, a research biologist from the University of Washington, a frequent whale
watcher from West Seattle, and Kelley Balcomb-Bartok from the Orca
Conservancy.
Balcomb-Bartok says the group has reached this consensus: "We do not consider
ourselves out of the woods, but we do consider this animal stable."
Springer is a juvenile orca, barely 2 years old. She wasn't even weaned when her mother died.
Page 41
When she was first spotted in Puget Sound in January, she had a skin infection, signs of malnutrition and
a serious lung infection.
Without her orca pod, or family, to help take care of her, observers didn't think she'd last.
"She is definitely pushing the odds," says Balcomb-Bartok, "impressing all of us considering her young age
and her situation."
One of the problems continues to be that this whale stays in about a 4-square-mile area between Vashon
Island and West Seattle. That severely restricts her ability to hunt – limiting her to just those salmon that
stay in this small area of water.
But over the past 11 days, observers have seen her catching fish. Signs of the lung infection are gone.
And the skin infection, while serious, is not life-threatening.
But playing with logs isn't normal orca behavior.
"I think all of us agree, completely, that the psychological nature of this animal,
she needs her social pod," said Balcomb-Bartok.
The observers have spent many days aboard a boat owned by Bob Wood, with the American Cetacean
Society and Project Sea Wolf. Orca Conservancy has also had a boat on the water.
They want the National Marine Fisheries Service to extend the observation window, which ended Sunday,
because while Springer isn't in immediate danger, her condition can change rapidly.
They want to keep tabs on the little orca who's determined to survive, until she can be reunited with her
orca family in Canada.
Non-profit organizations including the Orca Conservancy, American Cetacean
Society and Project Sea Wolf are volunteering their services, including the use
of boats, to NMFS to continue watching the young orca's health.
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 NMFSAuthorized 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
Page 42
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
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.
Page 43
4/18/2002
Feds Outline Orca Intervention Plan
KING 5 News
VASHON, Wash. - In a forum Wednesday evening, federal officials decided if they have to intervene in the
case of a young orphaned orca that’s hanging around near the Vashon Island ferry dock, they will make
every effort to return her to the wild.
"We have a net pen ready and available," Joe Scordino, National Marine Fisheries Service
deputy regional administrator, told 150 people at a public hearing Wednesday night. "We
intend to keep the animal in the environment."
At that, the crowd burst into applause.
In a three-step process, the whale, nicknamed Springer, would be captured here, then moved to a pen in
Canadian waters for medical attention from the Vancouver, British Columbia, Aquarium staff. Then she
would be moved closer to the waters off Vancouver Island, where her killer whale family group, which
biologists call A-pod, normally lives from June to September.
"If we go in, there will be a rehabilitation phase," he said, explaining intervention would only occur if the
whale is found to need medical attention. She is eating and active, but a skin ailment, common among
killer whales, is worsening.
Scientists also are concerned about a paint thinner-like odor on her breath, a condition called ketosis. It
can indicate starvation or diabetes, both considered unlikely, or a possibly genetic metabolism problem
that can be serious, said veterinarian Dave Huff of the Vancouver Aquarium.
Huff said the problem doesn't appear to be critical right now.
"Nobody says it doesn't matter," he said. "You can wait until a crisis happens or you can say 'That's not
normal, nothing that's alive should breathe like that' " and intervene.
Marilyn Joyce from Fisheries and Oceans Canada said Canada stands ready to assist.
An advisory committee will be meeting over the next week or two and will be asked to decide whether
action should be taken soon, said Bob Lohn, regional administrator for the fisheries service.
"She is stable, she's feeding, she's growing... but with the symptoms we're seeing, she's not a healthy
whale," Lohn said.
She is eating and active, but a skin ailment is worsening.
First spotted near the Vashon ferry dock in January, the young female orca was identified by her markings
as the whale researchers had dubbed A73 for her birth order in A-pod. Scientists say her mother died
sometime last year and the orphan has been absent from her pod for months.
A-pod never enters Puget Sound, fisheries service spokesman Brian Gorman said earlier. The young
female may have found her way south following salmon runs late last year.
The sole surviving member of A73's immediate family is a grandmother, who is apparently "not that good
a grandma," fisheries service researcher Marilyn Dahlheim said in a recent interview. One orca calf going
it alone for months is unusual, but right now in the Northwest there are two.
The other - a male from the San Juan Islands-based L-pod, dubbed L-98 - was spotted on the west side of
Canada's Vancouver Island last fall. He's apparently getting along OK - catching enough fish to survive,
like his counterpart in Puget Sound.
The Associated Press and KING 5’s Elisa Hahn contributed to this report.
Page 44
April 19, 2002 - 9:29 AM PDT
BABY ORCA BETTER, BUT NOT OUT OF DANGER
CBC News
Vancouver - Scientists say the orphan killer whale in Puget Sound known as "A-73" or
"Springer" is doing better, and they have decided to leave her where
she is for now.
The two-year-old orca was found by herself in January in the waters around Vashon
Island near Seattle.
There were worries at the time that she was dying of starvation, but
observers say she is now eating well.
However, Michael Harris of the Orca Conservancy in Seattle says Springer isn't
out of danger yet.
"They've been able to take some breath tests and she has two forms of what's called
ketosis, which means her breath is indicating that there's something going on with
her, physiologically that's just not quite right," he says.
Speaking with Rick Cluff on CBC Radio's “Early Edition,” Harris
says scientists are continuing to monitor the young whale's progress, and
will make a final decision this summer on whether to move her.
Sunday Sports Section, Seattle-Times/Seattle Post-Intelligencer: April 28, 2002
Let's Leave Little Orphan Orca Alone
By Ron C. Judd
Seattle Times staff columnist
Photo: Fred Felleman, Orca Conservancy
Maybe she just found a warm spot.
You know how it is: You're out swimming in a lake or bay, in typically organ-shrinking cold Northwest waters, when
suddenly, out of the blue, you're enveloped by an inexplicably warm spot of water.
This, we're beginning to speculate, is what's keeping that little orca — known alternately as Springer, Boo, and by
her native name, Dances With Propellers — tooling around in the shipping lanes between Vashon Island and
Fauntleroy.
Alas, if we're right here — and, really, how often have we ever been wrong? — this warm-spot theory might
actually be bad news for the whale. In an alarming example of revisionist history, a friend once informed us that
some of the best "warm spots" we used to enjoy frolicking in along the shores of Hood Canal, for example, were
most likely the result of the business end of a septic tank.
Put that in your goggles and slosh it around.
Nevertheless: The young, apparently orphaned whale, for reasons that may or may not involve water quality, has
double-parked in the ferry lanes between West Seattle and Vashon and refuses to leave.
Page 45
This has stirred up all sorts of media froth, with TV news reporters appearing "live" (as opposed to their usual
state of being) at community forums, which are packed with people in SmartWool Socks who frankly couldn't give
a rip about the neglected kids across the street, but by gosh want to make sure nothing bad happens to that big
black-and-white mammal whose mind they can clearly read from their personal upper-ferry-deck Command Post
for the Known Universe.
At these forums, the orca-philes are informed by Federal Sub-Adult-Whale Behavior Management Specialists that
the beast's behavior is not normal for a whale. Normally at this time of year, the whale, which is Canadian, would
be up north with her pod, quite probably watching the Stanley Cup playoffs.
But this orca, for reasons known only to her and her god, hangs out in Elliott Bay, apparently waiting for
someone to come tell her what to do.
In between all the understandable pangs of love and concern for the creature in the continuing whale-disposition
negotiations, a central question never seems to get asked or answered: So what?
It's a whale, people. Whales, like Courtney Love and other finned species with sharp teeth and bad breath, are
wild. In the wild, mothers die, and their children sometimes follow suit. Maybe we should, having tried everything
else over the years, just leave the thing alone and let nature take its course.
So far, whale experts have decided to let her be, but their Zodiac boats are ready to leap into action, potentially
capturing and moving the whale, if she appears troubled.
Which is fine, assuming that man (and by this we refer to all three sexes: male, female and infomercial
professional bodybuilder) knows what the whale wants and knows how best to accomplish that.
Being fresh out of people who speak orca, we're left to speculate. Fortunately, that's right up our alley.
Deciding to join the other 2.5 million orca experts in this area, we took a drive the other day over to Alki, where
our founding fathers and mothers stepped ashore and promptly established the first Starbucks.
Just as they must have so long ago, we stood on the shore, sipped a half-caf, 2 percent caramel macchiato,
gazed through the floating chunks of Styrofoam flotsam, and scanned the horizon for the great whale.
Didn't see her.
We did, however, feel a vibe. Moments later, as we dined on some of the misguided whale's saltwater second
cousins at Sunfish, a list of explanations for her puzzling behavior spewed forth with the urgent ferocity of a
tartar-sauce pump at lunch hour:
• Personal protest: She goes when Paul Abbott goes and not a moment before.
• Fashion statement: The whale is demanding an apology from King County Sheriff Dave Reichert — not for
anything he's ever done, but for that cheeseball brown-and-yellow uniform.
• Finally tired of the annoying personal questions from Canadian Customs agents in Blaine.
• Is responding to Internet traffic-cam report of a visiting Makah canoe jackknifed in Admiralty Inlet.
• Standing guard to protect rich Vashon dwellers against invading hordes of gravel-pit developers and organiclavender ranchers.
• Unable to swim since being stunned by the news that rich people bought big waterfront houses along Rich
Passage, sued the state when waves landed on their beach — and won.
• Thinks she has, at long last, located the watery grave of the Paul Schell administration.
• Still has not heard from Oprah.
Anything's possible. But there's only one truly likely explanation.
Like most of the rest of us, the whale simply cannot decipher that blasted ferry schedule for Fauntleroy-VashonSouthworth, the Bermuda Triangle of arrivals and departures.
Count on it: Soon as she figures out why they load half the cars on the boats backward, she'll be outta here.
Page 46
May 2002
5/2/2002
Experts Say Orphan Orca Should Be Captured
Feds Not Convinced
The Associated Press
SEATTLE - A scientific panel says an orphaned killer whale playing in nearby waters should be captured at
least long enough to get a blood sample, but federal fisheries officials say they're not convinced that's the
best thing to do.
"There's enough evidence that this animal is not normal and its chances are not real good," said Jim
McBain, an advisory panel member and senior veterinarian for the corporation that runs the Sea World
attractions. "If you're ever going to deal with something that is unhealthy, the best time to do it is now."
The orca turned up in the waters between Vashon and West Seattle in January. The scientists advising the
National Marine Fisheries Service have recommended that the agency move now to assess the orca's
condition and leave time for veterinarians to treat her before her Canadian pod returns to its summer
home off Vancouver Island and any reunion is attempted.
But Fisheries Service spokesman Brian Gorman countered that the whale appears "fairly healthy," and
federal officials are concerned that moving her from the waters off Vashon Island might cause stress that
could harm her health.
"We have to balance the current risk of leaving her alone with the potential risk of intervening, capturing
her, putting her in a net pan and then moving her," Gorman said. "Those risks are considerable." Gorman
added: "They had an opinion that if we're going to intervene, we should do it sooner rather than later, but
they didn't come up with any standard that would determine if we need to act immediately."
Known as A73, for her birth order in her pod, the orca turned up in the waters between Vashon and West
Seattle in January.
Scientists know her mother is dead but don't know the circumstances that separated her from her pod.
Early last month, results of a breath sample confirmed scientists' suspicions that the orca is suffering from
ketosis - a condition that can occur when a large amount of fat is burned due to a shortage of food.
A73 also suffers from a skin condition that has been getting worse and could lead to infection of her
blowhole. She is also experiencing respiratory problems and is underweight.
"She's far enough gone that if you wait for things to get worse, there's not much you can do for her,"
McBain said.
The 12-member panel of scientists and advocates for orcas want the whale reunited with her pod when
the other orcas return in early summer.
But questions remain about whether A73, even if nursed back to health, would be accepted by her pod.
Scientists say they are unaware of any orcas that were welcomed back into a pod after a sustained
absence.
Meanwhile, boating season opens on Saturday, and the Fisheries Service wants boaters to keep their
distance from the young whale.
The Soundwatch program out of The Whale Museum in Friday Harbor
has been patrolling Puget Sound, along with Orca Conservancy and
Project SeaWolf, warning passing boaters not to get closer than 400
yards from the orca.
"We've not had a problem to date," Gorman said. "That may change as the weather warms up, but I think people
are aware this is a special killer whale."
Page 47
OC Web Release 5/14/02
History of A73, or "Springer"
From OC Advisory Board Member Helena Symonds of OrcaLab
A73 belongs to the A24 matriline of the A4 pod which is part of the Northern Resident Community of orcas
of the Pacific Northwest, primarily frequenting the waters of the "inside passage" of British Columbia. Their
range has been known to include the southern waters of Alaska.
A73 was first seen in the Johnstone Strait area in July 2000. Her mother, A45 ("Sutlej") was born in 1983.
A45 had one previously known calf, A68 born in 1997. A68 did not survive beyond the 1997 season. A45
and A73 were not seen during the 2001 season although their pod was present for a total of 57 days from
early July until November.
A73's grandmother, A24 ("Kelsey") was born in 1967 and was still alive as of November, 2001. She has
had seven offspring: two of these; A64,"Schooner", b. 1995 and A71, "Magin", b. 1999), were alive as of
November, 2001.
There was some noticible "separation" between A45 and A24 during the 2000 season. When in the
Johnstone Strait area together, A45 tended to associate with the A35s. A35 has 3 offspring of her own and
she belongs to the A11 matriline of the A4 pod. This preference was first noticed in 1999, the season
before the birth of A73. The pairing of A45 and A35 was noteworthy as both these two young mums
seemed to "prefer" each other's company over that of their respective mothers. They even left the area
together for periods of time, leaving their mums entirely.
In 2001, the A24s were the first A4s to arrive, on July 7th. Even though A45 was not present there was no
immediate concern, given the previous season's events. A11 and two of her offspring finally arrived on
July 21st and when the A35s arrived the next day, without any sign of A45, we became very concerned
that A45 and her young calf had died. All the A4s, once in the area, joined up and associated closely for
most of the rest of the season. They were last seen on November 17, 2001.
A73 was most likely seen further north of the Johnstone Strait area, nearer to Port Hardy, in September
2001. Graeme Ellis of the Pacific Biological station in Nanaimo had several encounters with G50 (of the
G17 pod) who was accompanied by a young calf. Given the close proximity of the calf to G50 Graeme
believed the calf must be G50's own calf. The G17s, to whom G50 belongs, have not been seen regularly
over the last few years and Graeme thought, as the calf was already larger than what would be expected
of a year old calf, that she must have been simply missed between encounters. Although, the G17s are
part of the northern resident community they belong to G clan which has a separate acoustic tradition
from A clan, to which A73 belongs. Social interactions between matrilines of clans is fairly common within
the community.
Adoptions within the community are little understood and there have not been many (if any) clear cases.
But the following instances show that orcas do adapt sometimes to life when left without a mother.
*In the "ID book" the possibility is mentioned that I04 and I41 are not twins after all but that one of them
may have been adopted after its mother's death.
*A51 and A61, in 1997 after the death of their mum A25, came in on the "coat tails" of the A8s who were
(and are) very closely associated with the A12s. Each year following the physical gap between them and
the other whales became smaller, until in 2001 A51 and A61 were often in tight with the A8s and A12s.
The A43s joined these other groups in 2001, which is also interesting as they recently lost A23 and A27.
There may be a tendency for A51/61 and the A43s to be developing a closer association in the years to
come. In 2001 they came in together and left together after spending the summer in the company of the
A12s and A8s. This might suggest two things: that A51/61 have gained confidence; and as the A12/A8
group with all these add-ons is getting so big (the A4s were there most of the time too) that for ease the
group is dividing up a bit - but we will see what happens next season.
*A5 and A26 did not immediately go with there own group after the death of A9 (1990) They hung around
the Johnstone Strait "core area" for a while afterwards in January 1991, then left. In the next season
summer 1991) they did not "turn up" with the A8s (their supposed sister's group) but came in
independently. When the A8s left, A5 and A26 stayed in the area with the A36s (a completely different
pod). For a long time before these two "groups" actually merged and began to swim together, they
paralleled each other, most often swimming on opposite sides of the Strait. When the A5s turned up a few
weeks later the two brothers finally went off with their own pod. It was almost a year after A9's death.
Page 48
So, "adoption" or re-integration might be a quick or slow process depending on the circumstances. There
was certainly a separation happening between A24 and A45 so perhaps A73 may find the A35s a better fit.
She may be "acting" as her own (i.e., A45's) matriline independent of A24. Her ability to survive this far is
a good indication of her own innate strengths. Giving A73 a chance to associate with other close relatives
and the larger northern resident community seems a reasonable course to follow & may lead to her
integration with them. Getting her back to the Johnstone Strait area by late June or early July could
accomplish this.
Re: the yearly arrival dates; seasonal length of stay in the Johnstone Strait/Blackfish Sound area; the
description of which of the matrilines (of A4 pod) to arrive in the area first; and the departure.
As you will see both matrilines of the A4s have come in to this area together for the majority of the years.
There had been some separation between the two matrilines in the 1980s but this gradually changed in
the '90s. However, that being said the A11 matriline has shown signs that it is changing with A35 and her
offspring becoming more independent of her mother, A11. So it has not been unusual to see A11 and her
son A13 and youngest daughter, A56 on their own from time to time after arrival. Complicating this scene
A45 (A73's mother) in the last two years started to spend less time near her mother, A24, choosing
instead to swim with A35 and her offspring.
Much of A73's time in the Johnstone Strait area during her first summer was in the company of A35's
group and not with her grandmother. It is possible that if A73's grandmother (A24) does not accept her
that there may be a place for her in the A35's. We have seen two other orphans work their way into a
closely but not directly related group. The process of acceptance took at least a whole season.
The A4s have the habit of coming in during the first part of the season, staying quite a while but then
taking off mid August and then returning later in the season. They are often here in the late Fall but of
course, conditions are not very good after October. This is why the urgency to get her back to JS asap.
The A4s have been spotted on the central coast before they drop down to this area but I don't believe
there is confidence in the regularity of these events, rather hit and miss. Also, the logistics of rehab on the
central coast would be difficult to pull off. There is already a lot of local support for A73 that will greatly
help the Vancouver Aquarium/DFO plans and the coverage of this area is so extensive now it will not be as
hard to keep track of her (for a while at least). We will be able to track the movements of her pod, while
they are here, both day and night, throughout much of the "core" area.
From Dr. David Bain, Orca Conservancy Advisory Board Member...
A10, A73's great-grandmother had a son and two daughters. A4, the son, was the whale A73's pod was
named for. A11 was a daughter whose offspring and grand-offspring have fared well. A24, the other
daughter, was Springer's grandmother. A10 had her last offspring in 1983. A10 and at least one other
whale in Springer's pod were shot that summer. A10 and her last offspring both died over the winter after
the shooting. A13, A11's son, survived being shot.
A24 has had seven offspring, but only two are still alive. Her first offspring was born in 1981, but died
shortly after birth. A45, Springer's mother, was born in 1983. A24's low success at rearing calves has
parallels with females the same age in the Southern Resident Community. In Southern Residents, high
levels of PCBs and DDTs may be affecting reproduction.
A45, like her mother, lost her first calf shortly after birth. A73, A45's second calf was born prior to the
summer of 2000. They were seen together many times that summer in Johnstone Strait, so that is where
we plan to return A73 to the wild. She and her mother were last seen together in September 2000, by
Marilyn Dahlheim of the National Marine Fisheries Service near Ketchikan, Alaska.
In 2001, A4 pod returned to Johnstone Strait without Springer and her mother. Both were feared dead.
However, an unidentified calf was seen traveling with an adolescent female in one of the G pods
(adolescent females are frequently seen babysitting in the Northern Resident Community). The calf was
later identified as A73.
In a Southern record for the pod, some Gs were sighted by NMFS off Oregon in the fall of 2001. It is not
known whether Springer or her babysitter were with that group.
In early January, there were reports of a baby whale near Sequim, Washington, where two transients
stranded (a live adult male and dead adult female). While rescue efforts were underway for the male at
Sequim, there were reports of a baby orca in Swinomish Channel. A series of sightings of a baby whale
were received between there and Vashon Island over the next two weeks.
Page 49
Mark Sears reported Springer's arrival at Vashon Island (across Puget Sound from Seattle) on January 14.
Ken Balcomb attempted to identify her, but concluded she was not any of the Southern Residents he
knew. It made sense to associate her with the transients that had recently stranded, but she did not look
like a transient. Due to the poor condition of her skin, it was not possible to photoidentify her.
Joe Olson of ACS then obtained some sounds from her. One call obtained was characteristic of A clan
whales (the three A Pods, B, C, D, H and some of the I pods), but since several pods used that call, that
was only enough to conclude that she was a stray Northern Resident, hundreds of miles away from where
she belonged. As the condition of her saddle improved a little, a tentative match with the G Pod calf was
made. At the time, there was no explanation for why a G Pod calf would be making A clan calls.
Fred Felleman later obtained a good photograph of A73. David Bain obtained calls that were clearly from
A4 Pod. Helena Symonds pointed out that A73 was the only whale in A4 Pod that was the right size to be
the Vashon Island orca. The next morning, Fred's photograph was matched with Marilyn Dahlheim's
photographs of A45 and A73 from Southeast Alaska, and her identity was finally known.
Marilyn Dahlheim sent copies of her photos to Graeme Ellis. Graeme confirmed that the young whale he
had seen with the G's was A73, not a new G calf as originally thought. Graeme also confirmed that A45
had not been seen since 2000, so A73 was an orphan.
Planning to return A73 to her natal community started immediately. A4's had been seen in Northern
British Columbia in the spring, but large day ranges at that time of year made it unlikely that A73 could
keep up with her pod. The optimal time for her return was found to be in early July. At that time of year,
salmon are plentiful. A73's pod passes by the same place a few days a week on average, so if it took time
for her to get used to her pod again, she'd get several chances to reaffiliate with them. In addition, most,
or sometimes all, of the Northern Resident Community passes through Johnstone Strait in July or August
each year. This would give A73 the chance to be adopted by another pod as happened in 2001.
However, by September, fish abundance drops off sharply. A4 Pod leaves Johnstone Strait, and
sometimes travels as far away as Southeast Alaska. That is, there is only a brief window of time during
which A73 is likely to be successfully reintegrated with the Northern Resident Community.
Rather than rush into the rescue effort, NMFS looked for evidence that the rescue was likely to be
successful. A major concern was that A73's ketosis reflected a genetic defect that would lead to an early
death without ongoing treatment, because so many of her aunts and uncles, her sibling and her mother
died at an early age.
As A73 became more tame, it became possible to do blood tests on her. The blood tests showed no signs
of genetic defects, so NMFS authorized the rescue effort. Now, we can only hope that all her medical
problems (the ketosis (a symptom of which is the smell of nail polish remover or paint thinner in her
breath), an infestation of parasitic worms, anemia, her skin condition, a respiratory problem, low body
weight, and poor overall physical condition due to inactivity) respond to treatment quickly enough that she
can rejoin her natal community before the window of opportunity closes.
Page 50
Thursday, May 16, 2002
B.C. Gives More Time on Orca
Aquarium Warns U.S., "We Need to Get Cracking" to Reunite Her with Family
By ROBERT MCCLURE
As federal authorities waited yesterday for blood-test results on the orphaned baby orca in Puget Sound, a B.C.
aquarium softened its deadline for withdrawing from an effort to reunite the whale with her family in Canada.
The Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre had told the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service that if a
decision were not made to capture the orca by yesterday, the aquarium would no longer be poised to raise
money to help the effort.
"If we're going to have her reunited with her family in mid-July, we need to get cracking," said aquarium spokesman
Angela Nielsen. "There's a lot of work that needs to be done."
Aquarium President John Nightingale warned that unless the whale is captured and her medical problems
remedied, "It's going to die, day by day, on the evening news."
But the fisheries service said it is waiting for blood-test results to reveal whether the orca, known as A-73 as well
as its official nickname, Springer, has an incurable genetic disorder. The results could take until early next week.
"Once the whale is captured, if it is subsequently discovered that the whale has a chronic, untreatable health
problem that would preclude her from being reunited, then we would be faced with ... a choice between two
equally repugnant alternatives: Put her in an aquarium for permanent treatment, or at least permanent capture;
or somehow return her to Puget Sound, where she's been all along," said Brian Gorman, the fisheries service
spokesman in Seattle.
The whale appeared in Puget Sound in mid-January. Scientists identified her as coming from an orca family, or
pod, that returns early each summer to Johnstone Strait, by Vancouver Island. The pod migrates away in
September or early October. The whale, which is 1 1/2 to 2 years old, is suffering from something that causes its
breath to carry an odor like chemicals known as ketones. Usually that's a sign of starvation, but the whale is
eating.
Scientists now suspect is it indicative of an inherited metabolic disorder, meaning something is wrong with her
digestive system. A blood test taken last week showed she does not have diabetes or a certain kind of virus.
Results on a test for the metabolic disorder should be ready today, the aquarium's Nielsen said.
The aquarium, responding to a request by the fisheries service, first proposed on March 1 to capture the orca and
reunite her with her family. Two weeks ago, a scientific panel assembled by the fisheries service advised the
agency to capture the whale. But the agency wants to know more about her condition. Nightingale, the aquarium
president, wrote to the fisheries service last Thursday, saying "our plan cannot be implemented unless the plan is
approved by Wednesday, May 15."
If not, he wrote, "we are willing to reopen the possibility of our involvement but will not undertake a major fundraising drive."
The whale must be reunited with its pod by about mid-July so scientists can watch her until the weather turns
bad in mid-September, the aquarium says. In the past, baby orcas in similar situations have been rejected by
their pods. Aquarium veterinarian David Huff said if the orca turns out to have an incurable disease, she should
be captured and studied anyway to learn about the inherited malady. Seven of the last eight calves born to her
immediate family have died.
Nightingale and Nielsen said that yesterday's deadline could be pushed back a few days.
"It's being portrayed in the press as us holding a gun to NMFS' head, but that's not true," Nightingale said.
Said Nielsen: "I think we would give them a day or two's grace. But if we're talking about a week or two, the
deadline has passed."
But some local orca advocates say withdrawal of the aquarium from the
fund-raising effort may not be a huge deal.
The Seattle-based Orca Conservancy, working with the Earth Island Institute of
San Francisco, remains confident the public will donate to a reunification effort,
said Orca Conservancy President Michael Harris.
Page 51
Friday, May 17, 2002
No Genetic Disorder Detected in Orca, Raising Hopes of Pod Reunion
By ROBERT McCLURE
The orphaned baby orca of Puget Sound doesn't have a genetic disorder that dooms her to an early death,
blood tests showed yesterday, buoying orca advocates who want to reunite the killer whale with her family
in Canada.
"This is really, really good news. God, I am so happy for that whale,"
said Michael Harris, president of the Seattle-based Orca Conservancy.
"I think we've got a whale going north."
Not so fast, said the National Marine Fisheries Service and Canadian authorities.
The fisheries service, which must approve any intervention to help the orca, has taken the position that
she should be left alone to fend for herself in Puget Sound. But yesterday's finding could change that,
agency spokeswoman Janet Sears said.
"Yes, it certainly does open the options," Sears said. "We need to go back and reassess."
The agency will reconvene a panel of scientific experts Monday to ask their opinion, Sears said. The
scientists two weeks ago unanimously advised the agency to capture the orca, officially designated A-73
and nicknamed "Springer." Capturing the 1 1/2- to 2-year-old, 11-foot-long whale would allow
veterinarians to more fully assess her health, the scientists reasoned.
The fisheries service has resisted that suggestion, citing the possibility that an inherited genetic disorder
could doom the creature. If that were the case, the agency said, it would face two unpalatable choices:
putting the orca in an aquarium, which is highly unpopular with the public, or capturing her only to release
her again in the same waters.
Paul Spong, a Canadian whale researcher and advisory panel member, said the blood-test result is
significant. "You pretty much now have a situation where the major concerns have probably been dealt
with in terms of health issues," Spong said. "Perhaps NMFS will feel more open to intervention."
The orca, which weighs an estimated 1,500 pounds, first showed up in the waters between Vashon Island
and West Seattle in mid-January. Scientists schooled in orcas' vocal patterns traced her to a family, or
pod, of orcas that returns each summer to Johnstone Strait, by Vancouver Island. Her mother died, and
she was somehow separated from her pod at a stage of development akin to that of a human toddler.
Somehow, she has managed to learn on her own how to catch fish. But she has a skin condition and may
have other health problems. An odor on her breath could be from eating too little, scientists say, and she
sometimes acts strangely lethargic.
In Canada, officials said they would need more information before agreeing to have the orca returned. And
serious questions remain about whether the orca's family would accept her; other young orcas in similar
situations have been rejected.
The blood test result "certainly does take off the list one of the biggest concerns," said Marilyn Joyce,
marine mammal coordinator for the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
However, Joyce added, until a full picture of the orca's health emerges, the Canadian government will
reserve judgment on whether A-73 should be brought back to Canada. Authorities there are concerned
that the whale might carry a contagious disease that would spread to orcas there.
"Our responsibility is the management of all marine mammals," Joyce said. "Our primary concern is that
we don't do something that might be harmful to the northern (orcas.)"
The news about the blood test came shortly after U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., called on the
fisheries service to act quickly.
"The time has come for NMFS to develop a definitive action plan and commit to a timetable for making a
decision on how to proceed," Cantwell wrote in a letter to Regional Director Bob Lohn.
Page 52
5/20/2002
Decision to Move Orca Getting Closer
SEATTLE – A decision on what to do about the orphaned orca appears close. Monday, the Scientific Advisory
Committee, which is guiding the National Marine Fisheries Service to a decision, is recommending that the whale
be captured and moved to her home waters in Canada.
The committee was at odds with the National Marine Fisheries Service several weeks ago when it recommended
that there should be human Intervention. Now it appears that NMFS is more willing to go along.
The orca they call Springer, or A73, has been the subject of debate for months now – from leaving her alone to
possibly die in the waters of Puget Sound to trying to reunite her with her home pod in the waters in Canadian
waters.
Even those who said something should be done could not always agree on exactly what.
Monday, both U.S. and Canadian members of the Scientific Review Committee met on the phone and made the
following recommendation:
“It would be to capture, to do more tests to diagnosis what illness she’s got and then there was the
recommendation to move her up to Johnstone straight, where her pod originally came from,” said Janet Sears,
NMFS.
Blood tests performed last week found no serious, untreatable medical conditions, but scientists do want more
tests to determine the cause of a problem known as ketosis, a paint-thinner smell on her breath.
But even if further testing still can find no serious problems, the government says there are risks and a decision
on what to do has not been made.
“We do have to balance all of these different issues of the risk to the animal, if we go to capture her, because
that’s very stressful to the animal, particularly if she's not well, versus the kinds of things we might be able to do
for her,” said Sears.
The original plan approved by the Canadian government called for her to be moved to an inlet near Vancouver,
B.C., where veterinarians could better monitor her rehabilitation.
But there always was the option of moving her directly to a cordoned-off bay in a remote wilderness off northern
Vancouver Island, and under the watchful eye if Dr. Paul Spong. This is good news for one of the organizations
pushing to have the orca returned to her native pod, which is expected to arrive there in July.
“I think it's a great thing that we get her straight up there. And if we can minimize
the amount of time she needs to spend in the net pen, that would also be
preferable,” said Fred Felleman, Orca Conservancy.
Just how soon this could all happen is not yet known. The Vancouver Aquarium had called for the whale to be
moved or captured as soon as Tuesday. That clearly will not happen.
The NMFS says the decision on their part is much closer today.
Friday, May 24, 2002
NMFS Decides to Capture Orphan Orca
By ELIZABETH MURTAUGH
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
Scientists will try to capture an ailing orphan orca that's been languishing in Puget Sound for several months and
return her to her native pod in Canada, the National Marine Fisheries Service said Friday.
Officials of the service said that while it would be a high-risk operation, it would be best to remove the young
female killer whale from the busy waters off Vashon Island as soon as possible. After a few weeks of
rehabilitation in a pen, the whale would be relocated to Johnstone Strait off Canada's Vancouver Island, the
summer home of her pod.
"I want to emphasize this is a first. It has never been done before," Bob Lohn regional administrator for NMFS,
told a news conference. "We don't know what the prospects are, but we think it is worth doing."
Page 53
Lohn said a team of scientists was being assembled to determine the best way to capture, treat, transport and
prepare the young female whale for return to her pod. Although whales have been captured in the wild and
placed in captivity, no one has yet captured a wild whale and reintroduced it into a pod.
No schedule has been set, he said, but officials hope to capture the whale in two or three weeks, spend another
two weeks giving it medical tests and treatment, then transport it to the strait in a day if possible. The whale
then would be kept in a netted-off section of a bay for about two weeks or until her native pod arrives on its
annual migration south, approximately mid- to late July.
Lohn had no cost estimate for the operation, but said it could easily be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
He said NMFS may apply for federal grants to help pay the cost.
Lohn repeatedly emphasized the risk of the capture and relocation, but said it was better than leaving the whale,
whose health appears to be deteriorating, where it is. The whale lately has been approaching boats and lingers
near the busy Vashon Island ferry terminal, about three miles west of Seattle.
"We don't want this whale to substitute boats for fellow orcas," he said.
A panel of U.S. and Canadian researchers, activist observers, and staff from the Vancouver, British Columbia,
Aquarium recommended earlier this month that the whale be captured and treated.
But the fisheries service held off, citing concerns that moving her might cause stress that could harm her health.
"We're really proceeding on very unknown ground," Lohn said.
A73 - her name, based on her pod and birth order - was first spotted near the Vashon Island ferry dock in midJanuary. According to Canadian researchers, her mother, A-45, is dead. The 1- to 2-year-old calf apparently was
left behind by her pod, where her only known relative was a grandmother.
The whale has two apparent health problems. She has a skin ailment that has led to discoloration and sloughed
skin over much of her body, now nearing sensitive areas around her blowhole and eyes.
She also has ketosis, a condition that makes breath smell like paint thinner. In humans, ketosis can be a
symptom of starvation, diabetes or metabolic problems - all problems ruled out in the orca's case by observation
and blood-test results.
Also known as "Boo," and "Springer," A73 spends her days catching steelhead, loafing near the surface, and
sometimes spending hours rubbing against sticks or logs, possibly because she craves the physical contact she
would have if she were with her family group.
Some activists insist the whale should be left alone, arguing that intervention could result in a lifetime in
captivity.
It's unclear whether A73, even if nursed back to health, would be accepted by her pod, which usually spends
June through September near Vancouver Island. Scientists say they are unaware of any orcas that have been
welcomed back into a pod after a sustained absence.
While solo juvenile orcas are rare, scientists are aware of two in the region this year - A73 and L-98, a male from
L-pod based near Washington's San Juan Islands who has been living on the west side of Vancouver Island since
last fall.
Activists are seeking endangered-species protection for the 78 killer whales in three San Juan Island pods, which
are struggling with pollution and dwindling populations of salmon, their primary food.
Killer whales, actually a kind of dolphin, are found in all the world's oceans.
5/24/2002
Orca to be Captured, Returned to Canada
SEATTLE - The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) decided Friday to capture an ailing orphan orca
that's been languishing in the Puget Sound for several months and return her to the Canadian waters of
her native pod.
Officials of the service said that while it would be a high-risk operation, it would be best to remove her
from the busy waters off Vashon Island as soon as possible. After a few weeks of rehabilitation, the whale
would be relocated to Canada's Johnstone Strait, the summer home of her pod.
Page 54
Springer's pod, the "A" pod, lives at the north end of Vancouver Island in Canada.
Bob Lohn of the NMFS told a news conference that a capture team was being put together.
"We want to emphasize, this is a first. It has never been done before, we don't know what the prospects
are, but we think it's worth the risk to do it," said Bob Lohn, NMSF.
In two to three weeks, they will have a team together to capture the whale, and hold her in a netpen for
two weeks in order to treat a variety of medical ailments, ranging from a bad case of intestinal worms to a
skin condition known as whale pox.
After that, the Canadian coast guard will move her in one day aboard a fast hovercraft to her home waters
at the north tip of Vancouver Island.
In the end, when her pod returns, assuming all goes well, she would be released to rejoin them.
A panel of U.S. and Canadian researchers from the public and private sector, activist observers and staff
from the Vancouver, British Columbia, Aquarium recommended earlier this month that the young killer
whale be captured and treated.
But the fisheries service held off, citing concerns that moving her might cause stress that could harm her
health.
The Fisheries service says there are big risks involving capture, stress and whether she will be accepted
back by her pod. But the risks of living in a ferry lane, as pleasure boating season gets into full swing,
may be worse.
"For example, just yesterday there was an incident of people from the ferry throwing her food. This is the
last thing we want to have happen. We don't want the whale to look at boats and ferries as a source for
food," said Lohn.
A73 - her name, based on her pod and birth order - was first spotted near the Vashon Island ferry dock
about 3 miles west of Seattle in mid-January. According to Canadian researchers, her mother, A45, is
dead. The 1-1/2- to 2-year-old calf apparently was left behind by her pod, where her only known relative
was a grandmother.
The whale has two apparent health problems. One is a skin ailment that has led to discoloration and
sloughed skin over much of her body, now nearing sensitive areas around her blowhole and eyes.
She also has ketosis, a condition that makes breath smell like paint thinner. In humans ketosis can be a
symptom of mean starvation, diabetes or a complicated metabolic problem - all problems ruled out in the
orca's case by observation and blood-test results.
Also known as "Springer," A73 spends her days catching steelhead, loafing near the surface, and
sometimes spending hours rubbing against sticks or logs, possibly because she craves physical contact
that would be occurring if she were with her family group.
Some activists insist the whale should be left alone, arguing that
intervention could result in a lifetime in captivity.
It's unclear whether A73, even if nursed back to health, would be accepted by her pod - which usually
spends June through September near Vancouver Island. Scientists say they are unaware of any orcas that
have been welcomed back into a pod after a sustained absence.
Bob Lohn of the National Marine Fisheries Service explains the decision.
While solo juvenile orcas are rare, scientists are aware of two in the region this year - A73 and L-98, a
male from L-pod based near Washington's San Juan Islands who has been living on the west side of
Canada's Vancouver Island since last fall.
Activists are seeking endangered-species protection for the 78 killer whales in three San Juan Island pods,
which are struggling with pollution and dwindling populations of salmon, their primary food.
Page 55
Lots of details to work out - particularly funding. There is emergency money
available in the federal budget to move marine mammals. Private organizations,
such as Orca Conservancy, say they do not expect it would be difficult to raise the
money to do this privately.
The costs are not nailed down, but the fisheries service says it could run into the hundreds of
thousands of dollars.
Killer whales are not whales but the largest kind of dolphin, found in all the world's oceans.
Saturday, May 25, 2002
Risky Rescue of Ailing Orca 'Worth Doing'
The orphaned orca, which has a skin condition, was first seen off
Vashon Island in January
By Eric Sorensen, Seattle Times Science Reporter
After months of deliberation and anxiety, federal officials yesterday said they plan to capture an orphaned
orca in Puget Sound and attempt to reunite it with its native pod of Canadian killer whales.
The risky rescue itself could take place in two to three weeks. The female orca's odyssey could take
months, cover 300 miles and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, all with no certain outcome.
"We want to emphasize that this is a first — it has never been done before," said Bob Lohn, regional
administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), which will lead the effort. "We don't know
what the prospects are but we think that it's worth doing. I also want to emphasize that it's a very highrisk situation."
Word of the decision by the fisheries service was welcomed by Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., who last
week pushed for a decision, as well as orca groups and at least one member of an advisory panel that
urged the service weeks ago to act quickly to rescue the ailing animal.
"I wish it had been sooner but I'm not going to complain about the fact that they finally have something
planned," said Jim McBain, an advisory panel member and vice president of veterinary services for Busch
Entertainment, which operates three SeaWorld facilities.
"My general feeling is it might be too late," said John Nightingale, president of the Vancouver Aquarium
Marine Science Centre. The aquarium was scheduled to do the rescue operation but earlier this week told
the fisheries service that it soon would have too many other commitments to handle capture, handling and
treatment south of the Canadian border.
Since the 2-year-old female was first seen off Vashon Island in January, the fisheries service has
alternated between wanting to rescue her immediately to looking for clear signs that she needed rescuing.
Lohn yesterday said the fisheries service now decided to rescue her because she is indeed sick — but not
too sick.
Recent blood tests show she does not have a genetic defect that would have jeopardized her survival in
the wild. She also does not appear to have any viruses that would threaten the general orca population.
More tests would still be needed, he said, "but so far we have reason for hope."
Risk of getting used to people
Meanwhile, the orca, known scientifically as A73 and either Springer or Boo by fans, risks getting
increasingly accustomed to boats and people as the weather warms, Lohn said. Earlier this week,
passengers on the Fauntleroy-Vashon ferry were seen throwing French fries to the orca.
"We don't want this whale to substitute boats for fellow orcas," said Lohn, who worried about collisions
between the two.
Page 56
The fisheries service rescue plan would run in three phases:
• The Rescue: The orca would be lured into a net pen. If she can't be lured, she will be caught with a sling
or other device.
• The Rehabilitation: A73 would spend at least two weeks in the pen somewhere in Puget Sound while
being evaluated and treated. Veterinarians are already well aware that she has a skin condition, worms
and an acetonelike breath that typically suggests a metabolism problem but has so far defied analysis.
Some observers say they've seen her skin condition creeping into her blowhole lately, risking a hard-totreat system infection if it reaches her lungs.
If the fisheries service and Canadian authorities feel A73 can be released without harming her native A
pod, she then will be transported to Johnstone Strait, roughly halfway up the northeast side of Vancouver
Island.
NMFS wants to do this quickly and may place the orca in a tank aboard a high-speed hovercraft owned by
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, NMFS' north-of-the-border equivalent.
Lohn said he had no set answer on what would happen if A73 could not be returned to her pod.
• The Reintroduction: A73 would be kept in an enclosed bay or lagoon until late July. Then the A pod
should return in a midsummer festival of squeaks, squeals, fluke-slapping, spy-hopping and leaping.
"If there ever is a point in which we think that A73 would say, 'Hey, those are my kind and I want to be
with them,' we think that's the best point," Lohn said.
Orcas in the past may have been briefly captured and reunited with their pods, but A73 could be the first
to be brought so far after so long for a reintroduction.
Pete Schroeder, a former veterinarian for SeaWorld San Diego, successfully helped reintroduce a gray
whale in the early '70s after its manure became too much for its aquarium tank-filtration system. The
effort involved a seven-ship Navy flotilla.
"It would probably be easier to do with a toothed whale like an orca," said Schroeder, now a consultant
living in Sequim. "They seem to be more adaptable creatures."
Marilyn Joyce, marine-mammal coordinator for Fisheries and Oceans Canada, declined to give odds on the
orca's reintroduction.
"Until we get a medical assessment, a thorough assessment, I don't think we can predict."
Lack of money
The National Marine Fisheries Service has almost no money for the operation, but Lohn said a good chunk
could come from emergency federal grants. The fisheries service also was in a conference call with
nonprofit groups yesterday morning and they now plan to formally launch a fund-raising campaign next
week at a University of Washington-based Orca Recovery Conference (co-sponsored and coordinated by
Orca Conservancy).
"We're going to finally roll out the bake sale," said Fred Felleman of the Orca Conservancy.
Saturday, May 25, 2002
Plan to Relocate Orca Called 'High-Risk' –
Stress, Illness Could Foil Visions of Happy Reunion With her Pod
By ROBERT McCLURE, SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
The killer whale family cruises silently past the northern tip of Vancouver Island. When they reach
Johnstone Strait, the orcas splash around and break out in chirps, squeals and squeaks, happy to return
to their summer home.
Just then, their long-lost cousin is released, setting the stage for a joyful pod reunion.
That's the vision federal fisheries officials outlined yesterday for the orphaned orca of Puget Sound after
weeks of entreaties from scientists and orca advocates.
Page 57
In a few weeks, the young orca will be captured, held for medical treatment at a floating pen in Puget
Sound, then whisked up to Canada to await the reunion, the National Marines Fisheries Service
announced.
"This is a first; this has never been done," said Bob Lohn, the agency's regional administrator. "We don't
know what the prospects are, but we would like to give it a try."
The orca, officially known as A73 and nicknamed Springer, could die of stress while being captured. She
might prove too sick to be allowed back into her home waters in Canada. There's also a fair likelihood that
her old pod won't welcome her back.
"We recognize the possibility that this could ultimately cause the orca to go into a stress situation and no
longer live," Lohn said. "This is a high-risk enterprise."
Likewise, the agency's regional marine mammal coordinator, Brent Norberg, said he has mixed feelings
about the decision. A team of orca-capture experts will be assembled and may try to lure the whale into a
pen, but might also resort to some form of net, he said.
Lohn said the agency decided to capture and rehabilitate the orca because blood tests ruled out a genetic
disorder, a scientific panel unanimously recommended the course of action, and the summer boating
season is imminent.
Authorities fear A73, which has been known to approach boats, will grow too accustomed to humans to be
reintroduced into the wild.
While boaters have heeded NMFS' pleas to stay away from the orca, "we're not able to ask the orca to
stay away from boats," Lohn said. "In the end, she might bond to that situation and no longer seek the
company of other orcas."
U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., called the decision "great news."
"NMFS' decision to intervene and develop a plan for A73 now, ultimately increases its chances for longterm survival," Cantwell said. "I hope everyone will work together to give this orca the opportunity to
thrive."
Conservationists pledged to help raise money needed to rehabilitate and return the creature to the wild.
"We hope we can take this outpouring of concern for this animal and redirect it to
the whole orca population," said Fred Felleman of the Orca Conservancy, one of
the groups helping raise funds. "We need to make sure that people understand that
the reason for taking these heroics is because of the dire straits of the overall
population."
The orca is one of about 300 known to return each year to Puget Sound or to Johnstone Strait in Canada.
Because they return each summer and live here for some time, they are known as "resident" whales.
But they and other killer whales in this part of the world are struggling to survive. A big factor is thought to be
the increasingly high concentrations of industrial chemicals being measured in them. Polychlorinated biphenyls,
or PCBs, are present in levels known to inhibit reproduction and interfere with the immune response of other
marine mammals.
A73 was first spotted near the Vashon Island ferry dock in mid-January. Canadian researchers say her
mother, A-45, is dead. The 1 1/2- to 2-year-old apparently was left behind by her pod, where her only
known relative was a grandmother.
The whale has several apparent health problems, including worms and "whale pox" – a skin ailment that has
caused much of her skin to discolor and slough off. She also has ketosis, a condition that makes breath smell like
paint thinner because proteins are not being metabolized properly. In humans, ketosis can be a symptom of
starvation, diabetes or metabolic problems, but those problems have been ruled out in the orca's case.
The whale will need at least two weeks of care before the transplant can be attempted, according to Lohn.
The cost of the operation would be "well into the hundreds of thousands of dollars," Lohn said, but that
$200,000 should be available from federal grants.
"We're pleased they have decided to move forward and we're pleased to enter into a partnership to help
raise funds," Felleman said. "But we don't feel we have to wait until we have money in the bank to get
started."
Orca captures were halted here in the 1970s. NMFS likely will go outside the country to find the expertise
needed to successfully capture the orca, Lohn said.
Page 58
And before the whale can be taken back into Canada, authorities there will have to give the OK. They have
said in the past that their first priority is making sure A73 doesn't introduce any disease into the alreadystrapped orca population there.
"We support the plan," said Marilyn Joyce, marine-mammal coordinator for Canada's Department of
Fisheries and Oceans. "Once the whale comes into Canadian waters, the goal is to oversee its transfer and
reintroduction."
"We hope it's not too late," said John Nightingale, president of the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science
Centre, which also has been involved in the relocation strategy. "We think it's long overdue."
With the whale's health continuing to decline, everyone is hoping to speed up the process, he said.
"There's going to be a lot of fast planning over the weekend."
When A73's family returns to Johnstone Strait in late July, they typically cruise in silently, then break out
into a celebration like the one NMFS envisions, Lohn said.
If that doesn't work, they could try again in late September or early October, when the pod leaves
Johnstone Strait, he said.
"If there is a point that A73 would say, 'Those are my kind and I want to be with them,' that's it," Lohn
said. "We want to make sure she is in good physical shape when that happens."
Felleman said many details need to be worked out. What will happen, for example, if the whale is judged
too sick to return to Canada, or she is rejected by her pod?
"Have a committed exit strategy, and know when to give up," Felleman said.
Page 59
June 2002
Showtime…
Senator Maria Cantwell at Orca Conservancy’s
Orca Recovery Conference at The University of Washington.
June 3, 2002
Groups Trying To Help Feds Pay For Orca Relocation
KOMO 4 News Staff
SEATTLE - Advocacy groups are working on plans to help the government pay for the rescue and
relocation of an orphaned orca that's been hanging out near the Vashon Island ferry dock for the last
several months. They're not yet sure how much money they'll need to raise, but at the final day of the
Orca Recovery Conference in Seattle, they said they want to do whatever they can to help the
National Marine Fisheries Service cover the cost of trying to reunite A73 with her pod off British
Columbia's Vancouver Island.
“It's not a matter of if, because we can raise a bunch of money," said Orca
Conservancy President Michael Harris. "It's a matter of who's on board."
The National Marine Fisheries Service decided late last month that the ailing whale's health warranted a
high-risk mission to capture her, transport her to Johnstone Strait off Vancouver Island and try to reunite
her with her pod, which spends its summers there. It's unclear how much that will cost, but Bob Lohn, the
fisheries service's regional director, said it's likely to reach into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. No
schedule has been set, he said, but officials hope to capture the whale by mid-June, spend another two
weeks treating her and running more medical tests, then transport her to the strait as quickly as possible.
The whale - named A73 because of her pod and birth order - then would be kept in a netted-off section of
a bay for about two weeks or until her native pod arrives on its annual migration south, approximately
mid- to late July. Lohn said the fisheries service likely will be eligible for two $100,000 federal grants - one
for the capture and treatment of the whale, the other for the transport and release.
Fisheries service spokesman Brian Gorman said a funding plan and more detailed outline of how the
operation is expected to take place could be in place as early as mid-week. While welcoming the
involvement of the numerous nonprofit groups that have offered to help out financially and logistically,
Gorman said, "It's hard to pull together so many disparate groups, some of whom have money, some of
whom don't, some of whom want to go in one direction, some of whom want to go in another direction."
Ultimately, the cost and layout of the rescue, relocation and release will depend on the whale's health.
A73 - also known as "Boo" and "Springer" - was first spotted near the Vashon Island ferry dock in midJanuary. Canadian researchers say her mother, A-45, is dead. The 1 1/2- to 2-year-old calf apparently
was left behind by her pod, where her only known relative was a grandmother. The whale has several
apparent health problems, including anemia, worms and "whale pox" - a skin ailment that has caused
much of her skin to discolor and slough off. The whale pox is creeping close to sensitive areas around her
blowhole and eyes. She also has ketosis, a condition that makes breath smell like paint thinner because
proteins are not being metabolized properly. In humans, ketosis can be a symptom of starvation, diabetes
or metabolic problems, but those problems have been ruled out in the orca's case by observation and
blood tests. It's unclear whether A73's pod will take her back. Scientists say they are unaware of any
orcas that have been welcomed back into a pod after a sustained absence.
"We're keeping our fingers crossed," said Paul Spong, director of OrcaLab, a research institute on
Hanson Island off the northern end of Vancouver Island. "We're actually quite hopeful about this."
Solo juvenile orcas are rare, since killer whales are highly intelligent and social animals. But this year there are
two in the region - A73 and L-98, a male from L-pod based near Washington's San Juan Islands, who has been
living on the west side of Canada's Vancouver Island since last fall. Killer whales, actually a kind of dolphin, are
found in all the world's oceans. Activists are seeking endangered-species protection for orcas in three San Juan
Island pods, which are struggling with pollution and dwindling populations of salmon, their primary food.
Page 60
6/7/2002
Orca Orphan's Capture Planned for Next Week
The Seattle Times
SEATTLE – Five months after a young female killer whale was spotted near the Vashon Island ferry dock, the
federal government says it will try to capture her next week for eventual relocation to her native waters in
Canada. The young orca will be captured and immobilized – in a net or by securing her tail – and then placed on
a barge for a quick trip to a net pen at Manchester on the Kitsap Peninsula, said spokesman Brian Gorman with
the National Marine Fisheries Service.
The government is hiring a private contractor to head the capture team, probably a local man with
experience in the multimillion-dollar effort to reunite Keiko with his birth pod off Greenland, Gorman said.
The young female is to stay in the pen 10 to 14 days for treatment of a skin ailment, worms and other
apparently minor health problems, Gorman said. She'll also undergo a series of tests and effectively be in
quarantine to ensure she doesn't take any serious health problems back to her pod.
6/7/2002
NMFS Plans to Try to Capture Orphan Orca Next Week
SEATTLE - The federal government says it has set next week as the time when it plans to try to capture a
young female killer whale that has been swimming near Vashon Island in Puget Sound, west of Seattle.
The young orca was spotted in the area about five months ago. She apparently got separated from her
pod - or family group - which is normally in Canadian waters off British Columbia. The plan is to capture
the whale and then place her on a barge for a quick trip to a net pen in Kitsap County, west of Seattle.
A spokesman with the National Marine Fisheries Service - Brian Gorman - says the young female is to stay
in the pen 10 to 14 days for treatment of some health problems and for tests to make sure she doesn't
carry any serious health problems back when scientists try to reunite her with her pod.
Gorman says plans for the move to Canada are still being developed, but the initial plan is to keep her in
an inlet that has been netted off "so she can swim freely and maintain muscle tone and wait for her pod to
appear."
And You Thought All That Orca Whale Coverage Was Just a Fluke
Friday, June 7, 2002
By JOHN LEVESQUE
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER TELEVISION CRITIC
IT’S BEEN TWO years since we basked in the aura of Dr. T.V. Skreen,
celebrated consultant to the broadcast industry and part-time base-running
coach for the Seattle Mariners.
We caught up with him at a fund-raiser for the Rampant Fescue Project, which
is working to restore prairie grass to my back yard and other sensitive
ecosystems. Skreen was the guest speaker, and after his illuminating talk –
“An Orca in Every Newscast” – he was gracious enough to sit down for a few
minutes and talk TV with me.
Here is an excerpt of that conversation.
TV GUY: Love your necktie, Dr. Skreen. Is that a “Free Willy” motif?
DR. SKREEN: Thanks. Yes, it is. Thought it would be appropriate to the topic
of my remarks today.
TV GUY: Indeed. But I was surprised to hear you say it’s more important for
TV news organizations to cover homeless whales than, say, homeless people.
DR. SKREEN: What’s so surprising? Everyone knows homeless people don’t
photograph well. A lot of them dress badly. But whales are extremely
telegenic, even the ones with bad skin and bad breath. The camera loves them
almost as much as it loves the first snowfall, the high-speed chase, the
aerial shot of ...
TV GUY: I see where you're going.
DR. SKREEN: Don't interrupt me. Who do you think you are? Charlie Rose?
TV GUY: Sorry. It's just that sometimes we see the same story about the same
whale day after day.
DR. SKREEN: What's your point?
TV GUY: Well, it seems the story really isn't being advanced, that stations
keep doing whale stories because other stations keep doing whale stories and
they all seem to think it's what the public wants.
DR. SKREEN: That is what the public wants.
TV GUY: How do you know?
Breaching news: It seems local TV news organizations have never met a
blowhole they didn't like.
DR. SKREEN: The local stations get their research from focus groups, even
the ones we don't do any consulting for.
TV GUY: And the people who take part in these focus groups say they want
more whale coverage?
DR. SKREEN: It's number three on the list, right after "more scary weather
forecasts that don't pan out" and "more lame tie-ins to network
programming."
TV GUY: Fascinating. Where do you find these people?
DR. SKREEN: Beats me. We just tell the station to find 10 people to fill up
a room. It's not up to me to round 'em up.
TV GUY: And exactly how are the questions phrased?
DR. SKREEN: We usually give them a choice, such as, "Would you rather see
coverage of whales or coverage of Alan Greenspan?" The whales win every
time.
TV GUY: But has it ever occurred to you that news organizations aren't
supposed to pander to their patrons' desires?
DR. SKREEN: Why not? Pandas get better ratings than whales. And if you can
work a panda and a whale into the same story, boffo!
TV GUY: What I meant to say is that stations should be holding themselves to
higher journalistic standards.
DR. SKREEN: What does journalism have to do with it? I'm in the marketing
business.
TV GUY: Beg your pardon?
DR. SKREEN: Marketing. We're trying to sell a product here. And whales help
move the product, especially among younger viewers. You wouldn't believe how
many kids have been watching the news since that orphaned orca showed up in
Puget Sound.
TV GUY: What happens if she is returned to her pod in Canada?
DR. SKREEN: Well, I'm sure the local stations will still do the occasional
whale story, but they'll have to be careful about spending too much on
travel.
TV GUY: So they might turn to stories of a more pressing nature?
DR. SKREEN: Possibly. Number four on the focus-group list is "more coverage
of tearful crime victims." And number five is "more coverage of stories that
make us afraid to go out at night."
TV GUY: Now that I think about it, that whale coverage doesn't seem so
repetitious after all.IT'S BEEN TWO years since we basked in the aura of Dr.
T.V. Skreen, celebrated consultant to the broadcast industry and part-time
base-running coach for the Seattle Mariners. We caught up with him at a
fund-raiser for the Rampant Fescue Project, which is working to restore
prairie grass to my back yard and other sensitive ecosystems. Skreen was the
guest speaker, and after his illuminating talk – “An Orca in Every
Newscast" – he was gracious enough to sit down for a few minutes and talk
TV with me.
Here is an excerpt of that conversation.
TV GUY: Love your necktie, Dr. Skreen. Is that a "Free Willy" motif?
Page 61
Page 62
DR. SKREEN: Thanks. Yes, it is. Thought it would be appropriate to the topic
of my remarks today.
TV GUY: Indeed. But I was surprised to hear you say it's more important for
TV news organizations to cover homeless whales than, say, homeless people.
DR. SKREEN: What's so surprising? Everyone knows homeless people don't
photograph well. A lot of them dress badly. But whales are extremely
telegenic, even the ones with bad skin and all.
6/8/02
Deadline Set for Orphaned Orca
SEATTLE, WA - The federal government says it has set next week as the time when it plans to try to capture a
young female killer whale that has been swimming near Vashon Island in Puget Sound, west of Seattle.
The young orca was spotted in the area about five months ago. She apparently got separated from her pod — or
family group – which is normally in Canadian waters off British Columbia.
Biologists had considered bringing the whale to the Oregon coast aquarium in Newport. Now, the plan is to
capture the whale and then place her on a barge for a quick trip to a net pen in Kitsap County west of Seattle.
A spokesman with the National Marine Fisheries Service – Brian Gorman – says the young female is to stay in the
pen 10 to 14 days for treatment of some health problems and for tests to make sure she doesn't carry any
serious health problems back when scientists try to reunite her with her pod in Canada.
6/11/2002
Baby Orca Going Home
by Elisa Hahn, KING 5 News
SEATTLE – Big changes are in store for the orphaned orca that has been living on her own in near Vashon Island
since January.
The young orca, named Springer, has begun to brush up against pleasure boats on Puget Sound. It's a dangerous
turn of events that highlights the need for a killer whale rescue. The National Marine Fisheries Service plans to
capture her later this week. She'll be held in a pen for medical treatment then moved to Canada in hope of
reuniting with her pod.
In the past, Springer has shown an affinity for Washington State ferries. Now, the orphaned orca is getting even
closer to humans – and in harm's way. Those trying to save the whale are in a race against the boating season.
Each day, as the weather gets warmer and more boats go out on the water, the dangers increase for the
orphaned orca. So everyone is hoping the big rescue planned for this week doesn't come too late.
A family enjoying a day out on the water got a close encounter they never expected. For more than a hour,
Springer rubbed up against their boat, using it as a big back scratcher. The family kept the boat's propeller
turned off the whole time to avoid harming the whale.
"It's fairly new and it's really spooky,” said Bob McLaughlin, Project Seawolf. Experts say her behavior
demonstrates she's becoming too accustomed to boats and humans, and needs to be moved – now.
"The problem is a lot of people out there won't give her a fair shake. If they get tired of this after half an hour of
the whale scratching up against them and they want to get to dinner, they may say, ‘The heck with it, I'll try to
outrun it,’ and all of a sudden they're up and over a whale,” said McLaughlin.
So this week, the National Marine Fisheries will try to rescue the orca. The whale will be plucked from the waters
off the West Seattle ferry dock, placed on a barge, and moved to the NOAA fisheries laboratory in Manchester on
the Olympic Peninsula.
Wednesday they'll conduct a mock capture, hoping for the actual whale rescue on Thursday or Friday, but it may
be pushed into the weekend. In the meantime experts worry about Springer's new affinity for pleasure boats.
After an hour, the whale still wouldn't leave this the family’s boat, so the Project Seawolf boat, powered by jets,
towed the family's boat away to keep them from turning on their propeller.
But Springer gave chase, putting on a playful show along the way.
Page 63
Experts emphasize over and over to stay away from whale. They say, if she does approach the vessel, don't feed
her, and turn off the motor and try to be patient until she leaves.
Page 64
6/11/02
Capture Plan On For Orphaned Orca
Associated Press
Manchester, Washington-AP — After a "wet run" tomorrow, whale experts say they'll be ready to capture
an orphaned orca who's been living alone in Puget Sound.
The National Marine Fisheries Service plans to capture the two-year-old called "Springer" on Thursday,
and put her in a 40-foot pen at Manchester, Washington.
The orca, or "killer whale," will be treated for worms and a skin condition. In a couple of weeks, she'll be
taken to Canadian waters off Vancouver Island, where her rescuers hope she'll be reunited with her pod.
It won't be easy to catch the one-ton whale. The capture team hopes to slip a loop around her tail, then
ease her into a sling. Then a crane will hoist her onto a barge for the five-mile trip to Manchester.
The stress could kill the whale, but officials don't believe she can continue to live alone in Puget Sound,
where she was first spotted in January. In addition to her ailments, Springer has been getting too close to
ferries and other boats.
June 11, 2002
Rescuers to Capture Sick Whale
MANCHESTER, Washington (Reuters) — Marine mammal experts will capture a sick, orphaned young killer
whale near Seattle Thursday in an unprecedented and daring attempt to reunite the one-ton mammal with
its family in Canada.
Emaciated, covered with skin lesions and sporting foul breath hinting at digestive problems, the blackand-white female orca has captivated local residents by sidling up to ferries and other boats in the busy
shipping lanes of Puget Sound.
Ironically, the whale's preference for people drove scientists' decision to snare her, treat her ailments in
an aquatic cage and then transfer her to British Columbia's Johnstone Strait before she gets hit by a boat
or starves to death.
"Restoration of a juvenile orca back to its community has never been tried in this form before and we
don't know if it will work," said Bob Lohn, Regional Administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS).
"We are sufficiently convinced that where she is now is not a safe place for her in the long term and that
there is no likelihood that she can remain a successful wild whale if she remains where she is," Lohn told
reporters at a NMFS station.
If all goes well the orca, known as A73, would spend at least two weeks in a floating pen munching
live salmon while doctors assess her ability to make the risky boat ride to rich summer feeding
grounds some 250 miles to the north.
From there the orca would be largely on her own and at the mercy of the dozens of whales in her native
pod that may have rejected her when she first got sick or refused to wait for her when she lingered behind
as her mother died of unknown causes.
"We know that she speaks the same dialect as that pod," said Jeff Foster, a NMFS mammal rescue expert
who helped return Keiko, an adult orca who starred in the "Free Willy" movies, to his home waters off
Iceland.
Keiko has been reluctant to join other whales, but researchers had no idea what pod, or family, he
belonged to. A73's pod, headed by her grandmother, is well-known.
"I'm very optimistic on how things are going to go," Foster said.
Page 65
Foster outlined several options for snaring the powerful animal using tethers, nets and stretchers and an
array of transport options, including a speedy hovercraft from Canada's coast guard, a barge or other
large ships.
The rescue operation could cost several hundred thousand dollars, some of which will come from the
federal government while private fund-raisers aim to raise the rest.
Various people have offered free food and equipment to help rescue the orca, which first appeared off the
Seattle coast last winter. Many of the rescue workers are volunteers.
The dwindling local orca population suffers from shrinking salmon runs in waters polluted by toxic
chemicals and many residents have rallied to defend the embattled regional icon.
"There is no guarantee that she will be healthy enough to make the trip," said David Huff, a veterinarian
from the Vancouver Aquarium assisting in the rescue. "I just can't wait to find out, because I think she's
got a chance.
Wed, Jun. 12, 2002
Unprecedented Orca Rescue Bid Draws Near
BY CHRIS STETKIEWICZ, Reuters
MANCHESTER, Wash. - (Reuters) - Marine mammal experts will capture a sick, orphaned young killer
whale near Seattle on Thursday in an unprecedented and daring attempt to reunite the one-ton mammal
with its family in Canada.
Emaciated, covered with skin lesions and sporting foul breath hinting at digestive problems, the blackand-white female orca has captivated local residents by sidling up to ferries and other boats in the busy
shipping lanes of Puget Sound.
Ironically, the whale's preference for people drove scientists' decision to snare her, treat her ailments in
an aquatic cage and then transfer her to British Columbia's Johnstone Strait before she gets hit by a boat
or starves to death.
"Restoration of a juvenile orca back to its community has never been tried in this form before and we
don't know if it will work," said Bob Lohn, Regional Administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS).
"We are sufficiently convinced that where she is now is not a safe place for her in the long term and that
there is no likelihood that she can remain a successful wild whale if she remains where she is," Lohn told
reporters at a NMFS station.
If all goes well the orca, known as A73, would spend at least two weeks in a floating pen munching live
salmon while doctors assess her ability to make the risky boat ride to rich summer feeding grounds some
250 miles to the north.
From there the orca would be largely on her own and at the mercy of the dozens of whales in her native
pod that may have rejected her when she first got sick or refused to wait for her when she lingered behind
as her mother died of unknown causes.
"We know that she speaks the same dialect as that pod," said Jeff Foster, a NMFS mammal rescue expert
who helped return Keiko, an adult orca who starred in the "Free Willy" movies, to his home waters off
Iceland.
Keiko has been reluctant to join other whales, but researchers had no idea what pod, or family, he
belonged to. A73's pod, headed by her grandmother, is well-known.
"I'm very optimistic on how things are going to go," Foster said.
Page 66
Foster outlined several options for snaring the powerful animal using tethers, nets and stretchers and an
array of transport options, including a speedy hovercraft from Canada's coast guard, a barge or other
large ships.
The rescue operation could cost several hundred thousand dollars, some of which will come from the
federal government while private fund-raisers aim to raise the rest.
Various people have offered free food and equipment to help rescue the orca, which first appeared off the
Seattle coast last winter. Many of the rescue workers are volunteers.
The dwindling local orca population suffers from shrinking salmon runs in waters polluted by toxic
chemicals and many residents have rallied to defend the embattled regional icon.
"There is no guarantee that she will be healthy enough to make the trip," said David Huff, a veterinarian
from the Vancouver Aquarium assisting in the rescue. "I just can't wait to find out, because I think she's
got a chance.
6/12/2002
Researchers Still Hope to Capture Orphaned Orca
AP and KING 5 News
If weather and a young killer whale cooperate, the government hopes to capture Puget Sound's orphaned
orca orphan Thursday or Friday for treatment before efforts are made to reunite her with her family in
Canada.
On Wednesday, whale researchers pushed a portable net pen to the north end of Vashon Island, Wash.
where the orphaned Orca, called Springer by researchers, has been residing. Researchers conducted a
practice run of Springer's capture, coaxing her into the pen.
The "wet run" proved successful Wednesday afternoon when researchers, petting and scratching her on
her side, successfully coaxed Springer 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, who will attempt to
lure Spring again back into the pen Thursday. Except next time with the net.
It all comes 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. 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 midJanuary, 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.
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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.
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 announced 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.
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 currently. The government is to decide this
summer whether to list them as an endangered species.
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OC TIMELINE: THE ORPHAN ORCA FUND
In March of 2002, Orca Conservancy, Earth Island Institute/Free Willy Keiko Foundation and The Vancouver Aquarium entered into a verbal
agreement to combine our submitted plans to NMFS and “pool our resources” toward the rescue and translocation of Springer. The resources
OC and EII/FWKF brought to the table included an angel – a wealthy individual willing to write the check for the whole operation. When Dr.
John Nightingale from the Aquarium walked away from that partnership, he also walked away from the money. We lost our angel.
But we weren’t going to walk away from Springer. Once NMFS had publicly committed to an in-situ rehabilitation and a direct trip to
Johnstone Strait, we knew we couldn’t let financial concerns kill the momentum. Our Board Member Fred Felleman brought a unique idea to
the table – the Prescott Marine Mammal Stranding Grant. It was a new federal fund, with special language written into it in 2000 to give
“special consideration to gray whale and orca strandings in the Pacific Northwest.” How did that unusual language get into the Prescott?
In large part, because of Fred.
Just a couple years earlier, the Puget Sound region was getting a high numbers of gray whales washing up dead along our shorelines. One of
those beaches happened to be the Whidbey Island home of U.S. Congressman Jack Metcalf. Much to the dismay of the Congressman’s
family, the feds didn’t have a budget to remove these massive carcasses. As time dragged on, the dead whale in front of Rep. Metcalf’s
house was particularly putrid. In that stink, Fred saw an opportunity. He offered to work with the offices of Rep. Metcalf and Sen. Patty
Murray on including this special consideration language in the Prescott.
With this language, Fred knew the funds could be expedited. We would soon go after two $100,000 grants, each requiring a matching
contribution of 1/3 – in other words, we needed to raise $66,666 to trigger another $200,000. From our calculations, that would be all that
was needed to get Springer home.
We helped found a coalition of five non-profit organizations called “The Orphan Orca Fund” to raise the matching funds. Orca Conservancy
later extended an invitation to Earth Island Institute/Free Willy-Keiko Foundation – the only NGO ever to translocate an orca – and Friends of
the San Juans, the biggest non-profit in the Islands and whose wonderful and talented Executive Director was also one of our Board Members,
Stephanie Buffum. These seven groups went on not just to successfully meet the match requirements for the Prescott, but also to assert
remarkable leadership in directly contracting the Namgis First
Nations to catch wild salmon for Springer when she returned to
Johnstone Strait. That decision (made against the strong objections
of Orca Alliance’s Donna Sandstrom and the NMFS representatives
at the meeting) ultimately thwarted Dr. John Nightingale’s
inconceivably arrogant plan to introduce Atlantic farmed salmon at
the Hanson Island seapen site – First Nations fishermen, and the
Namgis in particular, are ardent opponents of aquaculture in BC
waters.
Namgis fishermen appearing on KING 5 News and NBC Nightly News catching wild local salmon for Springer, under contract from the Orphaned Orca Fund and an out-ofseason DFO permit obtained with the assistant of OrcaLab.
Many of us knew the perils of coalitions going into this, but The Orphan Orca Fund – or OOF, as we knew it – still provided us new lessons in
the foibles of men. At times, it was high comedy. Other times it was just annoying. Two OOFers who fought bitterly against the Namgis
contract would a few years later invite themselves up to Namgis territory to receive the thanks of the band. Another OOF group, Project
SeaWolf, abruptly quit our coalition after we wrote into our Operating Agreement a clause stipulating that none of the public funds we raised
would be used to remove the whale to an aquarium. SeaWolf would re-emerge shortly after as a newly formed NGO called “Global Research
and Rescue,” the lead group working with Nightingale and the Vancouver Aquarium (and indirectly with Marineland Ontario) on both the
Springer and later the ill-fated Luna project. We had the Dark Side among us! But looking back at those OOF days, it wasn’t all bad. It was
wonderful working with positive people like Joe Olson and Uko Gorter of American Cetacean Society/Puget Sound, Stephanie Buffum and her
staff at Friends of the San Juans, Will Anderson and Earth Island, Dr. Rich Osborne and Kari Koski at The Whale Museum, even some of the
feds – Lynne Barre, Brent Norberg and Joe Scordino, particularly. Only in the Pacific Northwest could you be suing an agency AND working
closely with them on something else – in fact, as the Springer project was full steam ahead, NMFS had a press conference announcing they
were rejecting our Petition to get the Southern Resident Community of orcas federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. Orca
Conservancy and four other groups were forced to sue, ultimately winning a year later in District Court (see last article in this archive). Still,
lawsuits and all, we had good relationships with the feds here. Of course as we went higher up the food chain, we started hitting the stink of
the Bush Administration, but down in the trenches, we found our Regional NMFS people to be decent and helpful folk. And again, despite our
differences, together we found a way to get that little whale home.
(below) A PLAQUE FOR THE EFFORT… NMFS thanks Orca Conservancy and the Orphan Orca Fund for its critical assistance during the Springer project.
June 12, 2002
Orca Coalition Sees Hope For Ecosystem
SEATTLE - The pending rescue and relocation of Puget Sound's orphaned orca has become a source of
hope for improving the plight of the area's marine ecosystem, a coalition of whale advocates said
Wednesday.
"A73 is kind of the poster child in making sure we always have orcas out there," said Sally Hodson,
executive director of the Whale Museum in Friday Harbor, during a news conference at Cove Park in West
Seattle, near where the whale hangs out.
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The museum is just one of seven conservation groups joining to form the Orphan Orca Fund and help the
government pay for rescue of the killer whale - designated A73 because of her pod and birth order - that
has stayed near the Vashon Island ferry dock since mid-January.
Donations will go to a central location at Islanders Bank in Friday Harbor,
said Orca Conservancy President Michael Harris.
Cost of the rescue, including medical treatment and reunion with her pod
off Vancouver Island, is estimated at about $500,000, Hodson said. The
group isn't sure how much money it will need to raise.
The National Marine Fisheries Service, the federal agency leading the
rescue effort, is likely eligible for two $100,000 federal grants - one for
capture and treatment of the orca, the other for transport and release.
The remaining funding will have to come from money and materials donated from the community, Hodson
said.
Already, the fund is receiving buckets, foam pads and medical supplies - all necessary for the whale's
transport.
The groups, which also include the American Cetacean Society's Puget Sound Chapter, Earth Island
Institute, and Friends for the San Juans, remain adamant that their goal is to have the whale returned to
the wild. No money collected through the fund will be used to place her in captivity, Harris said.
"This is a Canadian whale, it doesn't belong in an American tank,"
Harris said.
The young orca's successful release would be significant in improving conditions of the southern resident
population in Puget Sound, which has dwindled from 98 in 1995 to 78 today, said Kathy Fletcher,
executive director of coalition member People For Puget Sound. Pollution and boat traffic have hurt the
orca population.
"It's amazing how the public has become so interested, really captivated by this whale," Fletcher said.
"This little whale, because she's alive and in front of people, has brought the problem to people's
attention."
The fisheries service decided late last month that the ailing whale's health warranted this week's high-risk
mission to capture the orca - also known as "Boo" and "Springer" - and transport her to Johnstone Strait
off Vancouver Island.
On Wednesday, a team worked to prepare her for capture Thursday or Friday.
Since determining that the 1 1/2- to 2-year-old calf was left behind by her pod, where her only known
relative was a grandmother, scientists have found she has several obvious health problems, including
anemia, worms and a skin ailment that has caused much of her skin to discolor and slough off.
If capture is successful, officials hope to spend another two weeks treating her and running more medical
tests, then transport her to the strait as quickly as possible.
The plan is to keep her in a netted-off section of a bay near Manchester, Wash., for about two weeks or
until her native pod arrives on its annual migration south, approximately mid- to late July.
For More Information:
Orca Conservancy – www.orcaconservancy.org
The Whale Museum – www.whalemuseum.com
National Marine Fisheries Service – www.nwr.noaa.gov
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Orca's Fate Hinges on Rescue Try This Week
Help: If capture works, experts will nurse whale to health
Susan Gordon, The Tacoma News Tribune
The world's first attempt to rescue a sick killer whale, restore her to health and return her to the wild
begins Thursday morning in Puget Sound.
At stake is the future of A73, a 1,500-pound, 11-foot-long orca that hangs out along the Washington state
ferry route between Vashon Island and West Seattle.
The whale, also known as "Springer" or "Boo," has attracted international attention because of her
multiple ailments and isolation from other whales in her pod, or family.
Since January, when onlookers first spotted A73, concern about her fate has mounted, prompting a joint
U.S.-Canadian effort to save the orphan orca and return her to the Canadian waters where experts believe
she was born about two years ago.
On Tuesday, Bob Lohn, Seattle-based regional administrator of the National Marine Fisheries Service, the
agency coordinating the rescue and relocation effort, and other experts outlined how they plan to
accomplish the feat.
A coalition of whale advocacy groups has mounted a private, fundraising effort to support the move, which Lohn estimated will cost more
than $200,000.
"Restoration of a juvenile whale has never been done before. We don't know whether it will work,"
admitted the administrator, who nevertheless insisted that the whale needs expert help.
"There is no likelihood she can remain a successful wild whale if she remains where she is," Lohn said.
"Human hazards with the orca continue to grow."
For example, on Tuesday morning, Lohn said he and other state ferry riders watched A73 rub up against
the boat, using it as a scratching post to relieve itching from a skin disorder that causes her skin to peel.
"At the end of this, the goal is to have a whale that bonds to her pod" instead of people and boats, Lohn
said.
The rescue effort begins Thursday morning when a joint U.S.-Canadian team of whale experts will try to
capture A73, then temporarily quarantine her in a fisheries service lab near Manchester, Kitsap County.
"We just need to get our hands on her and do a thorough and complete medical examination. Hopefully,
we'll get a complete picture within three days," said Janet Whaley, the agency's top marine mammal
veterinarian.
Medical testing - blood draws, skin scrapings and blow-hole cultures - will begin as soon as the whale is
captured, Whaley said. Experts do not plan to sedate the whale, which will be hoisted into a donated
landing craft for the trip to the lab.
"The goal is to keep her out of the water as little as possible," said Jeff Foster, the whale expert upon
whose expertise the capture depends. "The best thing to do is to keep her moist and keep her quiet." To
relieve the whale's skin irritation, Foster said, team members will apply A&D ointment, the same
medication many parents use to alleviate diaper rash.
During the quarantine of a minimum of two weeks, whale experts must make sure the whale does not
harbor any communicable diseases that she might transfer to other whales in Canada.
Although the details of transport haven't been worked out, the goal is to return A73 to Johnstone Strait on
the north end of Vancouver Island, where members of her birth pod return each summer and celebrate
what Lohn described as a "joyous reunion."
"We want to place A73 within earshot of this event," Lohn said, describing it as a noisy revel of hopping,
fluke-waving whales.
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But before the move to Canada, Whaley and others will try to cure the whale's problems. Besides the skin
disorder, A73 suffers from internal parasites, which probably will respond to deworming medication.
The malady that most confounds experts is ketosis, which makes A73's breath smell like paint thinner. It
could be linked to starvation, a hereditary disease or diabetes, but without testing, veterinarians won't
know for sure.
To capture the whale, the fisheries service will rely on Foster, an Auburn
man Lohn called the "world's expert in drawing close to marine mammals
and bringing them under control."
Until last September, Foster worked with the orca Keiko, trying to coax the "Free Willy" star to return to
the wild off the coast of Iceland, after being held captive for 20 years.
Foster said the team plans to bag A73 by looping a thick rope around her tail. Then divers will wrap the
whale in a sling, which will be hoisted into a landing craft for the trip to a secure, temporary holding pen
at the Manchester lab.
Cypress Island Inc., which farms Atlantic salmon in floating net pens, has donated the use of the landing
craft, its 12-ton crane and tons of fish that A73 will consume during captivity.
"Everybody's pretty excited about it," said Cypress Island manager Rob Miller. "It's a unique opportunity."
SIDEBAR: Donations to pay for the orphan orca's return to the wild are being collected by The Whale
Museum in Friday Harbor. Donations may be sent to Orphan Orca Fund, c/o Juanita Johns, Islanders
Bank, P.O. Box 909, Friday Harbor, WA 98250.
6/11/2002
Orphaned Orca to be Moved Thursday
KING 5 News
SEATTLE - The orphaned killer whale that has taken up residence in the Puget Sound will be moved
Thursday, according to whale researchers.
An advocate for the move said Monday that the procedure was risky, but the whale was at risk if she
stayed in the area.
The young orca dubbed Springer was spotted in the area around Vashon Island, Wash., about five months
ago. She apparently got separated from her pod, which is normally in Canadian waters off British
Columbia.
Biologists had considered bringing the whale to the Oregon coast aquarium in Newport. Now, the plan is to
capture the whale and then place her on a barge for a quick trip to a net pen in Kitsap County west of
Seattle.
Brian Gorman, a spokesman with the National Marine Fisheries Service, says the young female is to stay
in the pen 10 to 14 days for treatment of some health problems and for tests to make sure she doesn't
carry any serious health problems when scientists try to reunite her with her pod in Canada.
Researchers say lately Springer has taken much more of a shining to boats in Puget Sound, even playing
and nudging a small pleasure craft. People on Washington State Ferries have been feeding her, and as the
summer gets going there is even more concern about what could happen to the whale.
Orca Conservancy spokesman Fred Felleman told NWCN that researchers
have told him they will slip what they call a soft loop around the whale's tail
fluke and then lift her onto a padded research platform before transporting
her to the Navy facility at Manchester, Wash.
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“There is a chance that the stress or pressure or unforeseen events may result in the loss of life for this
orca. Nonetheless, we are sufficiently convinced that where she is now is not a safe place for her in the
long term and that there is no likelihood she could remain a successful, wild whale if she remains where
she is,” said Bob Lohn, National Marine Fisheries Service.
In two weeks, Springer will be taken up to the northern tip of Vancouver Island, where her home pod is
expected to arrive some time in early July.
How to help
Contributions to The Orphan 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, Washington. Donations can be sent to:
The Orphan Orca Fund, c/o Juanita Johns, Islanders Bank, PO Box 909, Friday Harbor, WA 98250.
6/12/02
Rescue of Baby Orca to Take Place Thursday
BY ERIC SORENSEN, The Seattle Times 6/12/02
SEATTLE - (KRT) - It's a delicate task, part art, part science, this moving of a minor leviathan from Puget
Sound to Canada. At almost a ton, the orphaned orca is extremely strong. One wrong move and her tail is
in your ear, or worse, her teeth are being used for more than chomping salmon.
"They can be a little nippy," said Jeff Foster, who has swum with the likes of Keiko and a transient orca
near Sequim, Wash., in January and finally was rescued.
Foster and federal marine officials outlined how they plan to round up the orphaned orca off Vashon Island
in the first tangible step toward moving her back to her community of fellow killer whales east of
Vancouver Island.
Wednesday, they did a "wet run," approaching the 2-year-old female and even brushing her with the soft,
1 1/2-inch-thick rope they plan to use as a lasso. Starting Thursday, they will do the rescue for real –
weather, tides and orca permitting.
They emphasized that the process is risky and encouraged would-be spectators to watch, if they must,
from the Fauntleroy-Vashon ferry.
"They have good viewing and a very reasonable fare," said Bob Lohn, regional administrator for the
National Marine Fisheries Service, which is leading the stateside recovery effort.
More importantly, Lohn cautioned that the orca, named A73 for its pod and birth order, is becoming
dangerously accustomed to boats and people just as the hour of her capture approaches.
"This is not only high risk for whales but high risk for people," Lohn said.
"You're dealing with an animal that's roughly a ton in weight, about the weight of a small car, that's in her
native habitat, who is extremely strong, and thus we'll only gain control of her if she chooses to come into
that control. We need the help of the boating community to simply stay away and allow us to have the
best chance to effect a good rescue."
People such as Foster, the capture-team leader, are experienced but have no manual when it comes to
rescuing orcas.
"We're dealing with a wild animal," said Foster, who was involved in the Puget Sound captures that were
halted in 1976.
"There's a lot of unknowns. So we have to be kind of free-flowing as we develop techniques that we're
going to use to restrain her."
Two capture options are luring her into a salmon pen and raising the gate or trapping her in a salmon
seine.
Page 73
But the first and likely method of capture will be to approach the orca and manipulate her in such a way
that she raises her tail fluke, letting someone throw the thick loop around her tail. Foster said she will
probably try to throw off the line but then calm down after realizing that she can't.
"We expect to see some splashing but it's just her response. It should not be stressful for her. Maybe
initially she's going to be confused, but these guys adapt very, very readily, especially at her age," Foster
said.
After the loop, workers will put a belly strap around the whale, then bring up a stretcher custom fitted
down to the two holes for her pectoral fins.
A 12-ton crane will hoist the orca onto the Elsie Em, a 65-foot landing craft owned by Cypress Island Inc.,
operator of several Puget Sound fish farms. While veterinarians gather blood, blowhole cultures and skin
scrapes, workers will keep the orca moist and cool for the 30- to 45-minute cruise to a fisheries-service
laboratory in Manchester, Wash. She will then go into a 40- by 40-foot pen, where she will be fed salmon
donated by Cypress.
Foster said A73 will get between 60 and 80 pounds of food a day. That's enough to help her gain weight
but not so much that she stops eating; veterinarians will need to smuggle medications into the orca by
slipping them into her food.
Veterinarians should have lab results for A73 in three days, some within hours, but she will be held in
Manchester for at least two weeks while she is nursed back to health. She has a skin pox, worms and a
possible metabolic problem, and the capture will be the first chance for her to get a proper examination,
said David Huff, veterinarian for the Vancouver Aquarium Science Centre and a consultant to Janet
Whaley, a fisheries-service veterinarian out from Silver Spring, Md., outside Washington, D.C.
If the orca appears up for the move and has no contagious diseases, the fisheries service will transport
her to Johnstone Strait on the east coast of Vancouver Island, where her pod should return in July and
begin a period of heavy vocalizing.
But Lohn acknowledged that the fisheries service is working so incrementally that it has yet to decide just
how she would be transported to Canada and it does not have a clear idea of how much this effort will
cost. Much of it is being done with volunteer expertise, in-kind donations and help from the public.
6/13/2002
ORPHAN ORCA FUND
Coalition Raising Money for Whale Rescue
Chris Dunagin, Bremerton Sun
SEATTLE (AP) — The pending rescue and relocation of Puget Sound's orphaned orca has become a source
of hope for improving the plight of the area's marine ecosystem, a coalition of whale advocates said
Wednesday.
"A73 is kind of the poster child in making sure we always have orcas out there," said Sally Hodson,
executive director of the Whale Museum in Friday Harbor, during a news conference at Cove Park in West
Seattle, near where the whale hangs out.
The museum is just one of seven conservation groups joining to form the Orphan Orca Fund and help the
government pay for rescue of the killer whale, designated A73 because of her pod and birth order.
Donations will be deposited at Islanders Bank in Friday Harbor, said Orca Conservancy
President Michael Harris.
Cost of the rescue, including medical treatment and reunion with her pod off Vancouver Island, is
estimated at about $500,000, Hodson said. The group isn't sure how much money it will need to raise.
The National Marine Fisheries Service, the federal agency leading the rescue effort, is likely eligible for two
$100,000 federal grants — one for capture and treatment of the orca, the other for transport and release.
The remaining funding will have to come from donations, Hodson said.
Already, the fund is receiving buckets, foam pads and medical supplies — all necessary for the whale's
transport.
Page 74
The groups, which also include the American Cetacean Society's Puget Sound
Chapter, Earth Island Institute and Friends for the San Juans, remain
adamant that their goal is to have the whale returned to the wild.
No money collected through the fund will be used to place her in
captivity, Harris said.
Wednesday, June 12, 2002
Fisheries Service Hopes to Keep Gawkers at Bay While
Capturing Orca
By ROBERT McCLURE
MANCHESTER – Authorities preparing to capture the orphaned baby orca in Puget Sound appealed to the
public yesterday to keep its distance from the creature, saying she has become overly friendly toward
humans in recent days.
Meanwhile, private conservation groups appealed to the public to contribute money, groceries and other
goods to support the effort to rescue the orca and reunite her with her family in Canada.
The capture of the orca is planned for tomorrow morning, but it could be delayed until the afternoon or
even until Friday, said officials of the National Marine Fisheries Service. In the meantime, they said, the
best way to see the orca is to ride a ferry between West Seattle and Vashon Island.
"She seems to be rapidly losing her fear of humans," said Bob Lohn, NMFS regional administrator, at his
agency's research facility here on the Kitsap Peninsula. "While that may be helpful in the short run (for the
capture)... those traits need ultimately to be modified."
If the orca becomes too habituated to humans, it likely would decrease chances she could be successfully
reunited with her pod, officials said. Authorities will keep would-be sightseers at least 400 yards from the
capture – far enough that little, if any, of the operation will be visible, they said.
"We want to have as little contact as possible with her," said Jeff Foster, leader of the capture team. "Her
pattern has really changed in the past few days. She's really interacting with boats."
In the 1970s, Foster participated in some of Washington's last captures of orcas for display in aquariums
and theme parks. He later served as director of operations for the group that sought to free Keiko, the
captive killer whale that starred in the movie "Free Willy."
"We believe we have some of the best and most competent people in the world" to do this job, Lohn said.
"We think this whale will get the best possible medical care."
The orca turned up in the waters between Vashon Island and West Seattle in mid-January. Scientists were
able to trace her to her whale family, or pod, by studying her squeals, squeaks and other vocalizations.
She became separated from her pod after her mother died. But the pod returns each summer to the
waters off northern Vancouver Island. NMFS and its Canadian counterpart, the Department of Fisheries
and Oceans, hope to reunite her with the pod when it returns next month.
But the orca, officially known as A73 and nicknamed "Springer," is clearly in ill health. A blood test
indicated she does not have a genetic defect that would doom her to an early death, but that result will be
double-checked, said Janet Whaley, a NMFS veterinarian.
The whale, which is almost 2 years old, also has worms, a skin condition that causes itchiness, and
perhaps other maladies, say orca experts who have observed her.
"We don't know all the problems she is facing right now," Whaley said.
Immediately after the capture, as the whale is taken by barge to a pen beside the NMFS research facility
here, researchers plan to take samples of her skin and blood for further testing.
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On the boat, water and ointment will keep the whale's skin wet, and she will be iced down to prevent
overheating.
The orca will stay in the 40- foot-by-40-foot net pen at Manchester for at least two weeks as veterinarians
assess her health, then be moved to a larger net pen nearby. There, she will be given medicine and
enough fresh salmon – donated by the Cypress Island Fish Farm – to put on some weight.
"She's so young that I think she's going to adapt pretty readily" to the pen, Foster said.
In July, NMFS hopes to transport the orca to a pen on northeastern Vancouver Island to await the return
of her pod.
NMFS expects to get government grants worth $200,000 to help defray costs of the operation, but likely
that will not be enough.
Seven conservation organizations – Orca Conservancy, People for Puget Sound, American Cetacean
Society, Orca Alliance, Whale Museum, Friends of the San Juans and Earth Island Institute – plan an
appeal to the public today for funds. Checks can be sent to Orphan Orca Fund, c/o Juanita Johns,
Islanders Bank, P.O. Box 909, Friday Harbor, WA 98250.
In addition, the groups are talking with local businesses about what sort of aid they can provide. Those
interested can call 206- 382-7007.
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 10 a.m. 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 midJanuary, 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.
Page 76
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 longcaptive 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.
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 4to 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.
Page 77
June 13, 2002
Crews Capture Orca
By KOMO Staff & Seattle P-I
PUGET SOUND - Divers on Thursday captured an orphaned
female orca whose growing coziness with humans had raised
fears she could injure herself or capsize a small boat.
The 2-year-old, 2,000-pound killer whale approached
capture boats uncoaxed, and crew members acclimated her
to their presence by scratching and petting her for at least
half an hour.
Finally, one crew member looped a rope around her tail and she was guided by divers into a sling between
two boats, then hoisted by crane onto a 65-foot barge. She appeared to offer no resistance
"It went very smoothly,'' Lynne Barre, an observer and fisheries biologist for the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. "We saw very little splashing. She seemed
to be under control very quickly.'' The whale, originally from a pod in Canada, has been hanging out by
herself since January off the north end of this island southwest of Seattle in Puget Sound.
The barge crew had laid a thick foam pad on deck for the 11-foot-long orca and brought ice to keep her
cool as temperatures neared 90 degrees, unusually hot for the Seattle area in June.
Because winds were high enough and the current strong enough to make use of a floating net pen
difficult, capture team leader Jeff Foster said workers used a lasso to capture the killer whale by its tail.
That's an option that some old-timers who captured whales in the 1970s, as well as some orca
conservationists, described as potentially lethal for the whale and dangerous for the capture team.
But the afternoon capture attempt went smoothly.
Officials had said it was likely the orca would resist the capture and splash around a lot. And she did, but
two men jumped into the water beside her and appeared to calm her.
"She's never been restrained before. That's her natural reaction," Lohn said.
Authorities extended the zone closed to boat traffic around the northeastern corner of Vashon Island from
400 yards to 1,000 yards, saying the orca was made skittish during a practice run yesterday by the
presence of spectator boats. The orca, known by its scientific name of A73 as well as its nickname,
Springer, appeared in Puget Sound in mid-January.
Scientists used her vocal patterns to deduce that she came from a whale family, or pod, that spends its
summers in the waters off northern Vancouver Island in Canada. She was somehow separated from the
pod after her mother died.
NMFS hopes to reunite the orca with her pod, which includes her grandmother and cousins, late next
month. First, though, she is to be nursed to better health. She currently suffers from a pesky skin
irritation, parasites and perhaps other medical problems. Post-capture tests should paint a clearer picture
of her overall condition.
"What we're doing we're confident is in the best interest of her long-term health," said Bob Lohn, regional
administrator of the National Marine Fisheries Service.
Once the whale is put into a small net pen in nearby Manchester, she will be monitored by scuba divers for
48 hours, then human contact will be minimized, officials said.
They want the whale to unlearn her growing tendency to bond with humans, so that the attempt at
reuniting her with her pod is more likely to work.
"We want to keep this as natural as possible," Foster said. "We want to give her every chance to succeed
up north."
Page 78
Thursday, June 13, 2002
Orphaned Orca Captured off Vashon Island
By Peggy Andersen
Associated Press
Divers captured a 1,200-pound orphaned orca in Puget Sound near Vashon Island today, beginning a
weekslong effort to reunite the young whale with her family.
The lost killer whale, originally from a pod in Canada, has been alone since January off the north end of
this island, southwest of Seattle. Her eagerness for company had convinced scientists that she could not
safely remain in Puget Sound, where she could be injured by a propeller or inadvertently damage a small
boat.
The 11-foot-long orca was guided by snorkelers and rescue boats into a sling and then hoisted by crane
onto a 65-foot boat. A thick foam pad was placed on the boat’s deck for the whale and ice was on hand to
keep her cool as temperatures neared 90 degrees. After a little splashing, she offered little resistance.
"It went very smoothly," said Lynne Barre, an observer and fisheries biologist for the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration. "We saw very little splashing. She seemed to be under control very quickly."
The effort was overseen by the
National Marine Fisheries Service,
which planned to temporarily hold
the orca in a 1,000-square-foot
pen at its Kitsap Peninsula
research station west of Seattle.
The orca will be treated — she is
known to have worms and an
itchy skin condition — before
being taken north for release near
Canada’s Vancouver Island.
There, she was to be held in a
netted-off cove until her family,
known as A-pod, returns in late
June or early July. The whale,
estimated to be about two years
old, apparently became separated
from them after her mother died
last year. The young whale’s
plight has captured the
imagination of residents in Puget Sound, where the orca has long been a cherished icon. Local newspapers
and TV stations have showered her with front-page attention. NMFS Regional Administrator Bob Lohn said
the reunion effort is expected to cost at least $200,000. Animal rights activists announced a fund-raising
campaign yesterday, saying the rescue could cost up to $500,000.
Orcas, often called killer whales, are a species of dolphin. The number of whales in Washington state’s three
resident pods has dropped from 98 in 1995 to 78 today. The government is to decide this summer whether to list
the orcas as an endangered species.
Springer out of water and under wraps; cartwheeling in her Manchester seapen.
Page 79
June 13, 2002
NBC Nightly News With Tom Brokaw
“Whale of a Tale”
Tease #1
Tom Brokaw: Later, the big human effort to help a lost baby killer whale.
Tease #2
Tom Brokaw: Up next, a lost baby whale and hopes for an emotional rescue.
Package:
Tom Brokaw: In the Pacific Northwest tonight, where the see and all the
creatures in it are so much a part of every day life, a rescue story to
remember. A stray who drifted down from the north was in danger of perishing
if she was not treated reoriented before long. Who was she? Here’s NBC’s
Roger O’Neil…
Roger O’Neil: This is one whale of a fish story. About a little lost whale with bad breath. A story about
Springer. A life and death struggle of an orphan killer whale, stuck for six months in Puget Sound near
Seattle, 300 miles from her home.
Michael Harris, Orca Conservancy: She took a left turn where she should have
taken a right turn and got lost.
Roger O’Neil: She is Canadian, abandoned by the family pod after her
mother died.
Sound-Up, Ken Balcomb, Center for Whale Research: I’ve never seen this before (laughter)…
Roger O’Neil: A-73, as she’s formally known has delighted marine scientists.
Sound-Up, Ferry Captain: We are now arriving at Vashon Island.
Roger O’Neil: And thousands of commuter who take ferry between Seattle and Vashon Island. The 11
foot long whale has adopted a 300 ft long ferry boat as it’s surrogate mother.
Not only has the orca made this the most interesting commute in the country she’s changed the whole
social fabric of the ferry boat passengers
Ferry Passenger: Suddenly your coffee’s interrupted by people pointing out the window and everybody
rushing over to where you’re sitting.
Roger O’Neil: The orca likes to chase salmon almost as much as eat them. But scientists say in Puget
Sound there is too much pollution boat traffic and people for a baby orca to survive.
Bob Lohn, National Marine Fisheries Service: There is no likely hood she could remain a successful
wild whale if she remains where she is.
Roger O’Neil: A-73 is also sick. Her bad breath a problem with metabolism. She has worms and a
worsening skin rash which quite frankly makes her itch. But she’s no dummy. Springer has figured out
how to scratch those itches with logs, boats, and hands really feel good.
This afternoon Springer was hauled in by marine cowboys, lassoed on live TV. She’s on her way now to a
floating marine hospital for treatment. In two weeks she’ll be returned to Johnstone Strait off Vancouver
Island, Canada, and hopefully the orcas family will take her back.
Tomorrow the ferry ride without Springer will just be a ride to work.
Roger O’Neil, NBC News, Seattle.
Page 80
Old Friends, Tlingits Bid Farewell to Orphaned Orca
By LISA STIFFLER
ABOARD THE EVERGREEN STATE – Booming drums and undulating chants briefly
drowned out the TV news copter hovering nearby.
Red-and-black cloaks bejeweled with abalone shell-buttons and geometric
renderings of whales shielded from view the half-dozen boats that buzzed
around the little orca – a rehearsal for today's attempted capture.
Yesterday, more than a dozen members of Alaska's Tlingit Tribe gathered on
the deck of the Evergreen State – the ferry that plies the waters between
West Seattle and Vashon Island and has become the killer whale's favorite
motorized companion. They wished "Springer" well and said their goodbyes.
"She comes up and sees us all the time," said Floyd Fulmer, a ferry worker
and a Tlingit who came up with the idea of honoring the whale with a song
and dance.
"It's the right thing to do."
With the deck as their stage, the tribal dance group performed a song from
the Tlingit's Killer Whale Clan. Traditionally, it was chanted when canoeing
among the orcas — an attempt to communicate with the marine mammals. It was
also a calling card of sorts, announcing a visiting clan's arrival to others.
Four women spanning three generations were
among the dancers during the afternoon ceremony.
Linda Green was joined by her two teenage daughters and 78-year-old
mother. All wore black-suede hoods topped with a wooden dorsal fin.
Across the backs of their handmade robes were images of arched,
swimming orcas.
"We feel related (to the orca)," Green said.
Some performers wore deer-hoof ankle bracelets that tinkled as they pivoted
and lunged through the dances. Soft white ermine pelts swung from headpieces
worn by some. Others had hats of woven cedar.
Orcas are sacred to the tribe, one dancer, Jack Strong, said afterward.
That's because the Creator helped the Tlingits conjure a killer whale to
rescue a captive Tlingit. He had been kidnapped by the sea lion people.
"Ever since then the killer whale has been friends to the man, and the man
friends of the killer whale," Strong said.
Tlingit Jack Strong sings a traditional song during the ceremony on the
Evergreen State on yesterday's Vashon Island run.
The Tlingit Tribe is from southeast Alaska and British Columbia. Performers
yesterday were mostly Seattle-area residents; members of the Kuteeya Tlingit
dance group.
The orphaned orca "is displaced, just like a lot of natives from Alaska
are," said Fred Fulmer, Floyd's brother, referring to the orca's separation
from her family.
There were mixed emotions over the planned return of the whale to her pod in Canada.
"I hate to see her go, but I realize that she's sick," said Floyd Fulmer. As
an engine room-maintenance worker, he would hear the orca chirping and
squeaking when the engines were cut.
Many of the ferry workers have developed an affection for Springer, who
hangs around the Vashon Island docks. Some disapprove of her capture and
export to Canada. They watched as the tribe performed their sendoff.
"It almost made me cry," said Kellie Shillington, who directs traffic on the
Vashon dock. "It's going to be so sad to see her go."
Page 81
Friday, June 14, 2002
Capture of Orca Goes Smoothly
A Lasso, a Sling and a Barge Used to Move Orca to Pen
'Everything Went as if the Animal Knew What to Do'
By ROBERT McCLURE
MANCHESTER, Kitsap County — After months of concern and indecision and preparation, it took just 15
seconds to lasso Puget Sound's orphaned baby orca and get her calm enough to be placed in an
underwater sling.
The flawless capture was led by orca expert Jeff Foster, who looped a soft rope around the whale's tail
before leaping into the waters off Vashon Island yesterday afternoon.
The 2-year-old female, nicknamed Springer, thrashed a few times and tried to dive, churning up white
water. Other team members jumped in to help control the 1,240-pound, 11-foot-long creature.
"This is a very dangerous time," Lynne Barre, a National Marine Fisheries Service biologist told reporters.
"They need to be extremely careful right now, with the people in the water, and the boats and the whale."
But a few seconds later, the white water smoothed to blue-green and the whale stopped struggling as
Foster pulled his knees up under the whale's head and held her head soothingly in his hands.
"Everything went as if the animal knew what to do," said Jim McBain, a Sea World veterinarian who
assisted the team. "She handled it well. She was very cooperative."
Within 15 minutes, Springer was being lifted out of the water on the specially built sling. She became the
first of her kind to be captured in Puget Sound in 26 years.
Just over an hour later, the adventure ended about five miles away. Removed from the 65-foot transport
barge with a crane, the playful whale was turned loose in a net pen outside the federal agency's research
facility here on Kitsap Island, along the Sound's western shore.
"Everything happened just as we hoped it would," a sunburned, sweat-soaked Bob Lohn, NMFS regional
administrator, said afterward. "We are just thrilled. The rescue phase is over and now the rehabilitation
can begin."
The dramatic capture sets the stage for the sickly whale to be nursed back to health for several weeks and
returned to her whale family in Canada. But whether that joyous reunion will occur remains far from
certain.
Brad Hanson, the fisheries service biologist who has had the most contact with Springer, attributed the
successful capture early yesterday afternoon to efforts to get the whale comfortable around her handlers.
Several weeks ago, he and others began scratching the animal's skin with a knobby, 3-foot piece of
driftwood. This seemed to satisfy her need for social contact and to soothe itchy places on her skin
created by a condition known as whalepox.
Later, Hanson, Foster and others taught the whale to slow down when they held their hands on her. All of
that was in preparation for the capture. Teaching the whale "was kind of an evolutionary process," Hanson
said.
That bonding paid off yesterday. As soon as the team's boats approached shortly after 1 p.m., the orca
came alongside Hanson's boat without being coaxed.
"They've got the stick in the water," Barre reported a minute later, referring to the driftwood backscratcher.
Conservationists familiar with orca behavior watched the capture
anxiously. The 15 seconds "felt like 15 years," said Michael Harris,
president of the Orca Conservancy.
Page 82
"It was a very tense moment when they had to get the rope around her," Harris said. "There were so many
things that could have gone wrong, and nothing went wrong. It was like delivering a baby."
Spectators gathered at the Vashon ferry dock, and some shed tears, knowing it would likely be the last time they
saw the whale.
As the capture unfolded, passengers aboard a state ferry bound for West Seattle craned to catch a glimpse.
Sally Hough, 37, squinted into the distance as four boats closed in on the snared whale.
"Did they get her? Do they have her?" the California native asked. "I borrowed someone's binoculars while I was
waiting for the ferry, but, honestly, I couldn't see much then either."
"Why are they catching her?" asked Bruce Hearns, 42, looking through binoculars. The Seattle hairdresser had
heard of Springer, but he had no idea that the rescue mission was under way. And he wasn't entirely convinced
she needed rescuing.
"If she's healthy enough to splash around," he said, "why not just leave her alone?"
When will Springer be sprung?
She will stay in her 40-by-40-by-15-foot pen here for two weeks. Then she may be moved to a somewhat larger
pen nearby. If she receives a clean bill of health, she could be transported back to Canada for a midsummer
reunion with her long-lost whale family, or pod.
But that chain of events is far from certain.
Canadian officials have said they will not allow the whale to be returned to their waters unless they are convinced
A73 is free of communicable diseases. If they are not convinced, or if the whale's health declines, the National
Marine Fisheries Service would have to decide what to do. Such a situation is unprecedented, and Lohn refused to
speculate on how it might be resolved.
"We'll wait until we have information before making a decision," he said. "We're not looking for an animal in
absolutely flawless health. We're looking for an animal that has a reasonable chance of surviving," and early
indications are A73 can be nursed to that state of health.
Orca conservation organizations are picking up part of the tab for the rescue effort — federal grants are expected
to cover just $200,000 of the cost, and the final tab is not yet known — and they have vowed to fight any move
to place the orca in an aquarium. In fact, they will oppose anything but turning her loose with her kind.
The whale first appeared in the waters between West Seattle and Vashon Island in mid-January. Using recordings
of her squeaks, squeals and other vocalizations, scientists traced her to a whale pod that returns each summer to
the waters off Vancouver Island, B.C.
She became separated from the pod about the time her mother died, but the family group still includes her
grandmothers and cousins. Though no young orcas have been known to rejoin their pods after leaving, it is
unclear whether one has ever been separated from its pod under these circumstances.
"To me, this is a big question now — is she going to know she's a killer whale and go with those animals?" said
McBain, the vet.
McBain said much remains to be learned about the orca's health. For instance, he said, she may still have some
sort of metabolic disorder, something akin to anorexia. The first order of business is to get her eating again, he
said.
Fisheries service officials hope to fatten her up with a diet of live salmon provided through a long tube, so she
won't get the idea that people equal food. And they want to see the results of medical tests, including those on
her blood, urine and skin.
They also want to solve one of the biggest mysteries about the whale: Why does her breath have a paint thinner
odor? This is a sign of ketosis, which can signify a serious underlying medical problem.
"It's not like everybody can cheer," McBain said. "It's like running a hurdle race. We're past this hurdle and now
we're on to another."
Page 83
VETERINARY REPORT
From Jim McBain, DVM - 6/15/2002
Situation: A73 was collected from the wild on 6/13/2002. Visual observation of the whale immediately prior to
collection demonstrated that she was very aware of her surroundings, responsive to external stimuli and active. I
personally observed nearly 15 minutes of feeding/hunting behavior the previous day while I was a passenger on
the Fauntleroy to Southworth ferry.
The collection of the whale was relatively uneventful and resulted in no apparent physical trauma. A73 showed
little distress during the collection and transport to the Manchester holding facility. During the transport, a blood
sample was taken for health assessment approximately 45 minutes after the capture procedure. Blowhole swab
samples and a urine sample were also collected during the transport to Manchester. Identical samples, consisting
of serum, whole blood in EDTA, and whole blood in citrate, were sent to the Central Lab for Veterinarians in
Langley, B.C., Canada and the SeaWorld Animal Care Laboratory in San Diego, California. A fecal sample had
been sent to the SeaWorld laboratory at an earlier date. Both laboratories performed a similar array of
hematology and chemistry tests on the morning of 6/13/2002. In addition, the blowhole culture swabs were sent
to the SeaWorld San Diego laboratory for bacterial and fungal identification and sensitivity. Results from both
laboratories were received on 6/14/2002.
Executive summary of A73 visual examination and laboratory test findings: The laboratory findings reveal a mild
inflammatory condition. The elevated plasma fibrinogen, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and white cell count are
all consistent with low-grade inflammation. The very low alkaline phosphatase level is most likely the result of
persistent inadequate food intake, but inflammatory disease may also contribute to the very low levels. A73 has a
generalized chronic dermatitis contributing to her unthrifty appearance. This condition may well be responsible
for the indications of inflammatory disease seen in the laboratory test data. Dermatitis with this appearance is
generally thought to be the result of poxvirus and is not uncommon in young wild killer whales. The virus is likely
a common asymptomatic inhabitant of adult killer whale skin. The disease does not seem to be life threatening
and generally has little if any effect other than the unsightly appearance. A73 is also infested with GI parasites
based on the observation of microscopic nematode ova in her fecal sample and the occasional observation of
adult nematodes in her stools. These parasites may in a small way also contribute to the inflammatory markers
noted in her laboratory tests. The less than robust body condition of A73 is most likely the result of inadequate
food intake, as previously stated. The skin condition and intestinal parasites are probably minor contributors to
the apparent undernourished state.
It seems apparent that the most important challenge for the immediate future is to establish consistent adequate
caloric intake. Treatment of the nematode infestation should be accomplished as soon as A73's food consumption
becomes dependable. A short, 1 week, course of antibiotic therapy is suggested to combat any bacterial infection
associated with her skin lesions. Treatment of the parasites and possible bacterial opportunists should allow A73
to dedicate more of her bodily resources to growth and less to combating infection.
Conclusion: None of the health problems affecting A73 appear life threatening. Long-term rehabilitation should
not be required nor is it desirable to prepare her for reintroduction. If the desired circumstances present
themselves, her current health challenges should not be considered a reason to delay. However, during the time
that A73 is waiting for reintroduction, every effort should be made to improve her health status.
Following is a bullet point synopsis of my conclusions from the clinical lab reports of the Central Lab for
Veterinarians and the SeaWorld San Diego Animal Care Laboratory.
Ø Central Lab for Veterinarians
Ø Red cell parameters are within acceptable limits.
Ø No reticulocyte count done
Ø Platelet numbers are very high but the mean platelet volume is normal. I cannot attach any clinical significance
to the elevated platelet number.
Ø Total white cell count is in the normal range
Ø Differential cell count is typical of a mild stress leukogram
Ø No ESR performed
Ø No fibrinogen performed
Ø Electrolyte values cannot be interpreted as they were run on citrate plasma.
Ø Glucose, BUN, creatinine, total bilirubin, total protein, albumin, calcium, phosphorus, and gamma GT were
within normal limits.
Page 84
Ø AST, and CPK were slightly elevated. Elevation of these enzymes can occur as a result of strenuous muscle
activity probably associated with the collection procedure. It should be reiterated that these test values were only
slightly out of the normal high range.
Ø Alkaline phosphatase is very low for a young killer whale. This is compatible with inflammatory disease and
with chronic low food intake
Ø Cholesterol, triglycerides, ALT, LDH, and serum iron were not run
I recommend that the Central Lab for Veterinarians utilize serum for electrolyte analysis, and add serum iron,
ALT, and LDH to their chemistry profiles. I also recommend that plasma fibrinogen determined by photo optical
instrument be included in the Canadian test profiles. I also recommend that reticulocyte count be made a
standard component of the hematology testing on A73. Cholesterol and triglyceride are less important but may
prove valuable as corroborative tests on future health profiles.
h SeaWorld San Diego Animal Care Laboratory
Ø Red cell parameters are within acceptable limits.
Ø Reticulocyte count is within normal range. This test result is usually below normal when the animal is suffering
chronic infection.
Ø Platelet numbers are very high but the mean platelet volume is normal. I cannot attach any clinical significance
to the elevated platelet number.
Ø Total white cell count is slightly elevated which is likely associated with a mild inflammatory response.
Ø The relative differential count is within normal limits while the absolute differential count reveals an elevation
of neutrophils. Increased production or release of neutrophils results from an inflammatory stimulus. The band
cell count is "0" which indicates that there may be an increased production of neutrophils, but a minimal
consumption. This could arise from the dermatitis which has afflicted this animal for some time and/or could be
the result of low-grade stress associate with the collection and transport.
Ø The ESR is slightly elevated, typical of a low-grade inflammatory response which could be attributed to the
dermatitis and/or the GI nematodes which we have identified in her stool samples.
Ø Fibrinogen is elevated. This is nearly always associated with an inflammatory response. This elevation may be
the result of the dermatitis and/or the GI nematodes but could be associated with any inflammation.
Ø Glucose, BUN, creatinine, total bilirubin, cholesterol, triglyceride, total protein, albumin, calcium, phosphorus,
gamma GT, and electrolyte values are within normal limits.
Ø LDH, AST, and CPK were slightly elevated. Elevation of these enzymes can occur as a result of strenuous
muscle activity probably associated with the collection procedure. It should be reiterated that these test values
were only slightly out of the normal high range. If these values remain elevated, LDH isoenzyme electrophoresis
may help to clarify the origin of the elevation.
Ø Alkaline phosphatase is very low for a young killer whale. This is compatible with inflammatory disease and
chronic low food intake.
Ø Serum iron is normal. This value will decline rapidly with bacterial infection.
Ø Serum globulin is slightly elevated and serum protein electrophoresis confirms that there is a mild polyclonal
antibody response. This finding is typical of animals that are managing low-grade chronic infection.
Ø Fecal sample revealed the presence of Contracaecum sp. ova, a GI nematode.
Jim McBain, DVM
6/15/2002
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Orca May Teach Us Vital Lessons
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER EDITORIAL BOARD
"There were so many things that could've gone wrong, and nothing went wrong." - Orca Conservancy President Michael Harris. The capture of A73, better known as Springer, went remarkably well. There was heated debate about the
wisdom of the operation, but those on both sides seemed to agree that things could have gone much worse for
humans and for orca.
If nothing else, the uneventful capture June 13 calmed the most emotional elements in that debate and
turned everyone's attention to the health and care of the orphaned orca.
But yet another lightweight argument has developed, this one over the propriety of spending the money
necessary to pull off the operation – perhaps $500,000 or more – in the face of so many pressing human
needs.
Why spend a half-million dollars nursing a single orca back to health when there are thousands of humans
without health care? Why spend that much in hopes of reuniting Springer with her pod when there are
plenty of torn human families in need of mending?
It's a sure measure of the tight times that some are aroused to such either/or arguments. Some of the
money for the orca project is federal, which would require some fantastic feat of budget alchemy to shift
from a marine biology budget to social services. And, yes, the individuals and organizations moved to
contribute money to the operation could dramatically alter their charitable orientation and send the money
instead to human relief efforts. But the reality is that the money has been budgeted and donated for this
purpose, and to date would seem well spent.
There are no guarantees of success.
Perhaps Springer will be rehabilitated, reunited with and accepted by her family pod and they will all swim
off into the sunset together. But this story need not have a Hollywood ending to be worthwhile.
Orcas are our neighbors. They share with us a close-knit biosphere. They are migratory animals that live
in saltwater but also breathe air. The orca likely is an indicator species. If that species' health is at risk,
maybe it means ours is, too.
If scientists and veterinarians can find out what's wrong with Springer, maybe they can save her and
return her to the wild. But even if they can't, they may learn ways to prevent or lessen a problem for baby
orcas in the future. They may uncover a more serious, universal health problem directly related to the
environment orcas and humans share.
We know less than we should about the world beneath the waves at our doorstep and about the creatures
that live there. Springer may be able to teach us more.
On the Net:
Orca Conservancy: www.orcaconservancy.org
The Whale Museum: www.whalemuseum.com
National Marine Fisheries Service: www.nwr.noaa.gov
Vancouver Aquarium: www.vanaqua.org
Veterinary
Page 86
OC TIMELINE: HANDS OFF SPRINGER
This report is one that got us into some hot water… but it was a point that had to be made, even if it offended the feds
and handlers. Despite strong scientific opinions on the need to completely de-acclimate Springer to human contact, the
Vancouver Aquarium its team chose to offer the whale toys to “stave off boredom.” Jeff Foster had been criticized
frequently for such tactics with Keiko, to which many attributed that whale’s slow progress toward reintroduction in
Iceland (Foster and his crew later lost their contract with the Free Willy Keiko Foundation in large part because FWKF felt
they were being too hands-on with Keiko). We didn’t want the same mistakes to be made here with Springer, especially
with Marineland Ontario so eagerly waiting for the effort to fail. We had no choice but to speak out publicly.
June 21, 2002
Springer Could Be Moved To Canada In 2 Weeks
KITSAP COUNTY - Some encouraging news about Springer, the orphaned orca. She's looking healthy
enough her rescuers say she could be back in her native Canadian waters in as little as two weeks.
Springer is adapting well to life in her temporary pen.
That's both good and bad.
Good because she's beginning to eat well and acts alert. "She's responsive, she's bright, she's alert, she's
sensitive to a lot of things in her environment," says Dr. Pete Schroeder, a marine mammal veterinarian
working with Springer.
Part of that is because of what's in the pen with her — logs suspended on a rope, blocks of ice — they're
items handlers put in the pen to stave off boredom.
"Our task is to keep juggling these things," says Dr. Schroeder, "so she keeps interested, keeps alert,
keeps responding to them."
But Springer needs to stay as wild as possible to increase her chances of a
successful re-introduction to her Canadian killer whale family. So the blocks
of ice and logs on a rope are red flags for some of the groups raising money
to get Springer back home.
"When we saw a lowered log into the water as reinforcement for eating
a fish," says Michael Harris of the Orca Conservancy, "that gives
some concern because we realize that the deprogramming process has
to start right away."
Springer's handlers also put her back in the stretcher used during her capture to give the orca calf some
de-worming medicine. They inserted a half-inch stomach tube down her throat and poured six liters of
water in with the medicine.
Two hours later, Springer ate 10 fish – about 50 pounds of salmon. "So we surmise from that," says Dr.
Schroeder, "that the treatment didn't create too much distress."
But the good news is that Springer has a virtual clean bill of health – her skin condition is improving, and
she has no genetic disorder. If the next test results come back clean, she'll be on her way to Canada.
"Our intent is to move the animal as soon as we have a green light from Canada," says National Marine
Fisheries deputy administrator Joe Scordino. That could happen in two to three weeks.
To date, the NMFS estimates it's spent nearly $50,000 "out of pocket" on Springer's rescue. But adds that
volunteers and donations of supplies add up to much more spent on the orphaned orca.
June 25, 2002 at 2:16 PM EST
Hoping Springer's Call Is Music To Pod's Ears
HANSON ISLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA - One killer whale is
defying the odds.
Springer, the orphaned orca calf, is proving she is a survivor.
KOMO 4 News has obtained videotape of Springer as a newborn orca, showing
her swimming with her mother in Johnstone Strait two years ago.
(Footage Courtesy of Orca Conservancy and OrcaLab.)
Springer's rescuers hope to return her to those pristine waters.
"This little bay here would have a net stretched across it," says Dr. Paul
Spong, from the aerial vantage point of Air 4.
He's talking about a small inlet called Dongchong Bay on Hanson Island off
the northern tip of Vancouver Island. The plan is to put Springer in a small
pen inside the bay, to wait for her orca family to arrive next month and
then let her loose.
"The hope of course is that she would join up with the other whales pretty
quickly," says Dr. Spong, "but I'm not personally expecting that necessarily
to happen, it may take some time."
Time for both Springer and her orca pod to bond.
One of the curious things about the Springer mystery was trying to figure
out where she belonged.
'It Just Triggered Something'
OrcaLab, a private research facility on Hanson Island, has been recording
the sounds and the dialects of the northern resident orca community for
decades. They were the ones that actually provided the piece of the puzzle
to figure out just who she is.
"That's a very distinctive call right there," acoustics researcher Helena
Symonds refers to a whale call displayed on a computer acoustics program.
They are the sounds of Springer, recorded in Puget Sound last winter. When
Symonds first heard the recorded calls, "It just triggered something."
Symonds began sifting through the thousands of recorded orca sounds to find
one bit of tape — a whale call recorded in 1988.
And Symonds knew right away. Played back to back, even an untrained ear can
hear the similarity. It's Springer and her mother, each recorded 14 years
apart.
Like a fingerprint or DNA, in the orca world the sounds are definitive
evidence of a connection, "because the acoustic traditions are passed on
from the mother to the offspring," adds Symonds.
In addition to solving the mystery of who she is, that acoustic tradition
will also be key to Springer's reunion. The hope is that she and her
extended orca family will each recognize their common calls, and they will
accept the orphaned orca back home.
Springer is eating eight to 10 fish a day and adapting well to her temporary
pen off the Kitsap Peninsula. She could be moved to Canada in as little as
two to three weeks. Page 87
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Meanwhile, from the Bush Administration…
It was late May 2003, just weeks away from the long-awaited and
highly publicized rescue of the orphaned orca A73, or Springer, a
project that Orca Conservancy initiated and helped source the funds to
make happen. For months, it seemed all of the Pacific Northwest was
standing shoulder to shoulder. But we’d soon get a bucket of cold
water tossed in our faces – our Petition to National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS) to list the Southern Resident orcas of Puget Sound as
“Endangered” under the ESA was rejected. As the feds were busy
saving one orca, they were turning their backs on an entire population.
Clearly, the moratorium the Bush Administration had on new ESA
listings was holding firm. Some groups were eager to take advantage
of the rejection, applying for NMFS grants under its alternative means
of protecting the Southern Residents – listing them as a “depleted
stock” under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The Southern
Resident orcas, in the opinion of the Bush Administration, “were not significant.” If the Southerns went extinct, they argued,
another population would simply move in and take their place. They employed a 17th-century taxonomy – done by a botanist, no
less – that said that killer whales, although found in every ocean of the world and distinct in every location, represent only
ONE SPECIES. Things looked very bleak for the whales. All but four of our original Petitioning groups dropped out (and in fact,
TWO of the remaining plaintiff organizations were actually directed by members of our OC Board). We were up against the world,
but Orca Conservancy fought on. Our talented and irrepressible attorneys at The Center for Biological Diversity (Brent Plater) and
EarthJustice (Patti Goldman) filed suit on our behalf against the Administration and NMFS, challenging their flimsy arguments
made against the listing. And a year later, VICTORY! In an historic ruling, the U.S. District Court judge found in our favor,
sending NMFS back to the drawing board, remanding them to use “the best available science,” and giving them 12 months to come
back with another decision. In December 2004, NMFS announced they would indeed list the orcas, as “Threatened.” A year later,
they did one better – the Southern Residents would in fact be listed as “Endangered.” They now had their first-ever federal
protection under the ESA, and the best the U.S. could drum up. It was the biggest day for our local orcas since SeaWorld was run
out of town in 1976. Not surprisingly, the Bushies fought back – Big Agriculture and the Building Industry Association of
Washington sued to reverse the listing. A half-year later, their case was soundly dismissed. They had no standing.
With that threat asunder, the rest of us rejoined the feds to put some teeth in the listing. Now the work begins.
June 25, 2002
Local Orcas Left Off Endangered Species List
SEATTLE - The National Marine Fisheries Service will not
list Puget Sound orcas for protection under the Endangered Species Act,
despite years of decline and a chance the killer whales could vanish over the next century.
But the agency said it will take other steps to increase federal protection
for the "southern resident" pods of killer whales, which summer in Puget Sound.
"We are taking the decline of these killer whales seriously and we will work
to sustain and support this population," said Bob Lohn, head of the fisheries service's regional office.
By the end of last year, only 78 killer whales remained in the three pods –
down from 98 in 1995, a 20 percent drop in six years. The population is
believed to have peaked at around 120 whales in the early 1960s, when dozens
were captured for marine aquariums across the country – a practice that stopped in the 1970s.
"They're not quite dead enough yet for the National Marine Fisheries Service
to act," said Fred Felleman of the Orca Conservancy and Ocean Advocates, two
of 10 groups that petitioned last year for the endangered-species listing.
An 11-member team of biologists reviewed the case and determined that the
southern residents, while in danger of extinction, do not qualify as a
geographically and genetically distinct subpopulation of orcas - one
requirement for protection under the Endangered Species Act.
No one is sure exactly what is causing the decline, but Lohn said stress
from pollution, parasites and vessel traffic including whale-watching boats
are all possible factors, as well as declining salmon runs. While most
killer whales feed on fish and seals, the southern residents - and their
northern counterparts in Canada's inland waters - feed on fish alone.
"The bottom line on causes is we don't know the answer," Lohn said.
The agency plans to begin the process of having the orcas designated as
"depleted" under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which would allow allow
increased attention to the population, Lohn said.
"It allows more focused attention and certainly means we will write a
conservancy plan, which is the equivalent of a recovery plan under an ESA
listing," NMFS spokesman Brian Gorman said. "And we will list in pretty
clear terms what we think the problems with the population are, and the
things that we think would lead to a solution."
Page 89
He said he did not know whether the agency had funds on hand for more
focused killer-whale work. "I think it's a little too early to tell."
The agency will solicit public comment about other ways to help the
population and, in conjunction with Canadian authorities, improve
whale-watching guidelines, Lohn said. Brent Plater, attorney for the Berkeley,
Calif.-based Center for Biological Diversity and the petition's lead author,
contended the southern residents are a distinct population and said the findings are
inconsistent with determinations on other populations.
"Today's decision is a new low in the annals of the fisheries service,"
Plater said. "They've completely abdicated their responsibilities to protect this population."
Lohn said he took the advice of some of the world's top scientists,
and "I'll stand by that." The whales' status will be reviewed again in four years, he said.
"If they wait another four years it is just to suggest they think the status
quo is acceptable," Felleman said. "To wait four more years is a recipe for disaster."
Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., issued a statement saying NMFS "should account
for its decision by providing all available information to the public and
local experts in order to allow a thoughtful examination of the merits." And
she noted that the "depleted" designation "allows us to take advantage of
additional research and recovery resources."
"The call to action has been sounded and our regional leaders must act now
to preserve this icon of our Northwest waters," she said.
Tuesday's decision came in response to a petition brought by several
conservation groups. They argued that the Marine Mammal Protection Act only
prevents direct harming of orcas, while an endangered-species listing would
also protect their environment.
Wednesday, June 26, 2002
Orcas Denied Endangered Status
Agency gives them less extensive protection
By LISA STIFFLER AND ROBERT McCLURE
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTERS
Puget Sound's orcas could be extinct within the next century but do not
qualify for protection under the Endangered Species Act, officials with the
National Marine Fisheries Service announced yesterday.
Instead, the agency is seeking protection for the killer whales under the
less powerful Marine Mammal Protection Act. Since 1996 the population has
declined almost 20 percent, from 97 to 79 orcas.
"The Marine Mammal Protection Act appears adequate for the moment," said Bob
Lohn, regional administrator of the agency. He said the agency will order
more research into the cause of the whales' decline and take a close look at
the effect of boats, including whale watchers and shipping vessels.
But environmental groups said without the protection of the Endangered
Species Act, the outlook is bleak for the orcas that return each summer to
Puget Sound and nearby waters.
While the Marine Mammal Protection Act governs the harassment, capture or
killing of marine mammals, the Endangered Species Act would have provided
much stronger protections. For example, it would have given strong
ammunition to environmentalists challenging government-sanctioned dumping of
pollutants, and required the government to set forth a detailed plan for
rebuilding the orca population.
The decision announced yesterday is "a death knell for the population," said
Brent Plater, a Berkeley, Calif., lawyer with the non-profit Center for
Biological Diversity. "We know that the threats facing the (orcas) cannot be
addressed by the Marine Mammal Protection Act."
Lohn said the federal fisheries agency will consider the stronger protection
measures in four years.
But Plater called that promise "absurd," noting that the number of killer
whales would drop another 15 percent by then if current trends continue.
Orca advocates and scientists also have been alarmed by a recent spate of
deaths of female orcas in their prime reproductive years. Plater said his
organization will likely challenge the decision in federal court.
The orcas in question are known as the "southern resident" orcas. They
return from the Pacific Ocean each summer, spending much of their time
around the San Juan Islands, Puget Sound and southern Vancouver Island. They
speak to each other in a unique set of vocalizations.
Another group of orcas, the so-called "northern resident" population,
inhabits the northern half of Vancouver Island and extends up the coast of
British Columbia. They have received protection under Canada's equivalent of
the Endangered Species Act.
But an 11-member science team reviewing the southern resident whales' status
could not agree on whether the orcas were a "distinct population segment,"
as required by the law, according to Lohn.
To meet that standard, the orcas must live in an environment unique for the
species, or be "markedly" different genetically from other populations, or
represent the last hope that the species would continue to populate the area
in question.
Some members of the review team said the environment used by the northern
and southern populations is similar. They argued that if the southern
residents died off, their cousins to the north could repopulate the area.
And while the two populations are genetically distinguishable, scientists
disagree about whether they are "markedly" different.
"We're not free to invoke the Endangered Species Act just because we really
care about a population," Lohn said.
But environmental groups take issue with these explanations.
"The northern residents are in trouble too, so what are they thinking?"
asked Kathy Fletcher, executive director of People for Puget Sound.
Environmentalists said the stronger protections could be given to the Puget
Sound orcas because they speak a different whale language than the northern
orcas, and have their own social structure and established behaviors. When
the pods reunite at the beginning of the summer they have been observed
lining up in an apparent greeting.
Lohn said that by deciding to declare the orcas "depleted" under the Marine
Mammal Protection Act, he hopes to draw national attention to their plight.
A conservation plan will be created, he said.
"It sets an agenda for recovery," he said.
Agency officials said they hope that Endangered Species Act protections
given to Puget Sound chinook salmon will benefit the orcas as well.
The chief suspected causes of the orcas' decline, scientists say, are the
accumulation of toxic substances that impair their reproductive and immune
systems; the decline of salmon runs, which provide the orcas' favorite food,
and possibly disturbance by whale watchers. Other, less-understood factors
may also be at play, scientists say.
Lohn said the impact of these factors remains unclear and needs further
investigation.
"We don't know the answer," he said. "Our knowledge at this time isn't
enough to speculate."
Others disagree.
"We know plenty," said Fletcher, the environmentalist. She worries that
Lohn's call for additional research instead of stronger action means "we'll
have a lot of dead whales but we won't have a cleaned up Sound."
Ken Balcomb, the longest-serving observer of the orcas, said the decision
shows that the federal fisheries agency will do little to save the
creatures. Echoing many scientists, Balcomb said helping orcas would mean
removing dams to open up big swaths of salmon breeding grounds, and dealing
with the accumulation of pollutants known as polychlorinated biphenyls once
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Page 91
used as lubricants in electrical equipment.
"NMFS (the federal agency) is in the Department of Commerce, and commerce is
the name of the game in America – all the dams, all the industrial
lubricants, all the development we've done in the past that has contributed
to this. That's all something NMFS doesn't want to address," Balcomb said.
Like many, he predicted that the agency would seek to make whale-watching
boats into scapegoats for the larger problems.
"It's cheaper to just, 'Let's get the public thinking about this whale
watching, and we can hire some enforcement officers and have them wave their
badges,'" Balcomb said.
Brian Gorman, a federal fisheries spokesman, said the agency has previously
issued guidelines advising whale-watching boats to stay at least 100 yards
away from the whales. He said the agency is considering increasing that
buffer to 400 yards, but that the guidelines would still be advisory.
That 400-yard buffer was immediately rejected by Bill Wright, vice president
of the Whale Watch Operators Association Northwest. He said the
whale-watching industry has worked with orca scientists since the early
1990s to develop a detailed series of guidelines that are emulated worldwide
by whale-watchers.
"The idea of 400 yards is just way off the charts. We wouldn't have a
business," said Wright, owner of San Juan Safaris. "There wouldn't be any
science to back that up. There hasn't been any precedent like that
around the world."
Some scientists have wondered whether the boats' engine noise might be
interfering with the whales' sophisticated, sonar-like system for finding
food, known as echolocation.
Because of that concern, Wright said, the boat operators took scientists'
advice and agreed among themselves to slow their boats substantially
whenever they are within a half mile of the orcas.
"The whales themselves come up to us in a lot of cases," Wright said. That's
exactly what happened yesterday to several boats near the San Juan Islands,
said Jim Maya, the proprietor at Maya's Whale Watch Charters.
"We just had about 40 orcas come from about 200 yards away, come right to
the boats, roll over on their sides and look at the people. We were dead in
the water," Maya said by cell phone from his 22-foot Arima.
"I think we're part of the solution, not part of the problem. These people
who are on my boat today will go home with a better appreciation of orcas."
TWO LAWS
MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT - Makes it illegal, with certain exceptions, to
"harass, hunt, capture or kill" orcas and other marine mammals. If a species
falls to 60 percent of its original size, it is considered "depleted;" a
conservation plan is drawn up to encourage research and guide government
decisions. The goal is to restore the population to its "optimum sustainable
population." Governs National Marine Fisheries Service; provisions are
non-binding.
ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT - Empowers the government to take strong actions to
save an animal or plant in danger of extinction. In the orcas' case, it
might have bolstered environmentalists' arguments against dumping of toxins
in Puget Sound. The government also would be obliged to set numerical
recovery goals, a schedule by which to reach them, and to outline specific
steps to reach the goals. Citizens can sue to enforce the plans, which
govern actions by all federal agencies.
See the last entry in THE SPRINGER FILE for the happy ending to this ESA story –
“Orcas Will Be Protected as Endangered.”
Page 92
July 2002
.
Springer Goes Home…
July 2, 2002
Springer Ready To Go Home
SEATTLE - An orphaned female orca has passed all medical tests and is ready to be reunited with her family in Canadian waters, a
spokesman for the National Marine Fisheries Service said Tuesday.
"It is time for her to go home," Brian Gorman said. "She's got a ticket, her bags are packed and we're just waiting for word from
the Canadians."
Gorman said U.S. researchers gave results of the orca's final battery of medical tests to their Canadian counterparts over
the weekend. She was found to have no communicable diseases, and an itchy skin condition and internal condition that
made her breath smell like paint thinner have cleared up.
"She's behaving like a healthy, active young whale," Gorman said.
Spokeswoman Michelle McCombs with Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans did not immediately return a
Tuesday call for comment on her agency's stance in the matter.
Gorman said Canadian researchers probably got their first look at the latest test results Tuesday, since Monday was the
Canada Day holiday.
He said the NMFS and Canadian officials had been in daily discussions about options for moving the 2-year-old, 1,240pound killer whale north. Authorities hope she will rejoin her family, or pod, when they make their annual summer visit to
waters east of Vancouver Island.
She was captured by an NMFS team June 13, and has been under close watch since in a 40-by-40-foot holding pen in
Clam Bay near Manchester, on the Kitsap Peninsula across Puget Sound from Seattle.
The agency decided to capture her in part because of concerns about her health, and also because she had become
extremely friendly with small boats off Vashon Island - raising concerns about both her safety and that of boaters.
The whale, dubbed A73 by researchers for her order in her birth pod, was first spotted near the Vashon ferry dock in midJanuary. Researchers believe her pod left her behind after her mother died, and she found her way into Puget Sound.
Whale activists are helping raise money to cover capture and relocation costs, which could reach $500,000.
The whale has adjusted well to captivity, Gorman said. Since her first few days in the pen, when she ate only one or two
5-pound salmon, she has increased her intake to a steady 40-50 pounds of fish and significantly more some days.
Canadian officials have said they would not allow A73 into their waters if there was any sign she could have
communicable diseases. However, Gorman said the U.S. team has conducted an array of tests for diseases including the
dangerous morbillivirus.
"It's a bad virus," he said. "It would have been a disqualifier. But we had run a test in May, one again after she was taken
out of the Sound, and again last Tuesday, and she was negative all three times."
Canadian experts will oversee the effort to reunite A73 with her home pod in Johnstone Strait, off the northeast coast of
Vancouver Island. Plans call for her to be held in a penned-off cove to allow the her and the pod to become accustomed
to each other.
Orcas, actually a kind of dolphin, are found in all the world's oceans.
The population of Washington state's three resident pods has dropped from 98 in 1995 to 78 today. NMFS considered
listing the mammals for protection under the federal Endangered Species Act but said last month the pods did not qualify
as a distinct subspecies. Other efforts are planned.
Orca Fund
The orca advocates have set up a fund to help pay for Springer's rescue. It's the "Orphan Orca Fund" set up at Islanders
Bank in Friday Harbor.
The address is P.O. Box 909, Friday Harbor, Washington, 98250.
Page 93
July 4, 2002
Bell's Departure Clouds Future for Oregon Coast Aquarium
DIANE DIETZ, The Register-Guard
NEWPORT - Phyllis Bell, the Oregon Coast Aquarium executive director who oversaw the conversion of a Yaquina Bay
shoreline into an internationally known tourist attraction, has resigned her post with little explanation.
Members of the aquarium's nonprofit governing board had little to say about Bell's decision to quit late Tuesday after
more than a decade at the aquarium's helm. President Al Gleason would not say if Bell's departure was related to the
financial problems the aquarium was facing earlier this year when it ran out of cash and had to restructure its debt.
"You need to ask her," Gleason said. "She told us she wanted to resign for personal reasons.
We accepted that in good faith."
Bell submitted her resignation during a meeting with aquarium board members. She hadn't been at the aquarium since
June 24, when the board put her on involuntary administrative leave. Reached at home Wednesday night, Bell said her
decision was not related to her health, but she declined to comment further.
"I just resigned for personal reasons. That's all," she said.
Senior management at the aquarium are closely examining financial records, public relations officer Guy DiTorrice said.
"Every line item of the budget, every vendor relationship, every account payable," he said.
The departure has spurred a stampede of rumors in Newport and the questions have spread to the people the aquarium
most needs - the visitors, the members and the donors - who have kept the seaside attraction afloat. And after Keiko
was gone, Bell pushed for an $8.8 million conversion to his old tank to produce the "Passages of the Deep" display with a
200-foot walk through a re-creation of the ocean depths. When it opened, attendance rebounded.
"This organization has seen the coming and going of a major Hollywood whale and it has survived that transition because
of the dedication of the staff and volunteers," DiTorrice said.
"We took our lumps in attendance drops when Keiko left. We generated support, expanded, grew a new feature exhibit in his absence - and saw our attendance grow in the two years after he left."
Bell was so omnipresent at each of the decade's developments that she became the face and voice of the OCA.
"It would be hard to separate her from the aquarium," then-Oregon State University President John Byrne,
an aquarium board member, said in 1998.
But Bell had her troubles, too. She got into a public mudslinging
match with the Free-Willy Keiko Foundation, which was trying to
restore the whale to its natural habitat. Members accused Bell and
her staff of "gross negligence" in their care of the whale and accused
them of sabotaging Keiko's return to the wild to keep him for the
aquarium's "cash cow."
Then, departing employees publicly complained about declining morale and Bell's alleged interference in their jobs.
Aquarium board member Don Davis, a retired Newport city manager, said any person running a major institution for that
long is bound to make some enemies. "I liked her as a human being, yeah. She was a warm individual.
She was never anything but kind to me," he said Wednesday.
Today, the aquarium's financial picture remains unclear. As Bell's immediate replacement, the board promoted senior
managers Patrick Helbling as temporary executive director and Rick Goulette as chief financial officer, DiTorrice said.
Board members will meet next week to go over the budget for the fiscal year that began Monday.
DiTorrice said layoffs are possible.
Aquarium operations are continuing as usual, he said. "The concept or idea of any sort of closure has never been
discussed or entertained, ever."
Davis, the board member, said the aquarium has a good management team in place now
and it will survive Bell's dramatic departure.
Page 94
"I don't think any one person is the aquarium," he said. "It's bigger than one person." 7/9/2002
Orphaned Whale to be Moved to B.C. Friday
KING 5 News
SEATTLE – Canadian officials said Tuesday that the orphaned killer whale captured in Puget Sound will be
relocated to Canadian waters on Friday using a high-speed catamaran. The decision came after blood
tests gave the young whale, which biologists refer to as A73, a clean bill of health.
"The team has determined that A73 does not pose any known threat to the northern population," said
Marilyn Joyce, a spokeswoman for Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
A veterinarian for the Vancouver Aquarium, which is orchestrating the move, said that the whale's skin
problem and an internal condition that made her breath smell like paint thinner were resolving
themselves.
The relocation plan outlined Tuesday calls for moving the whale, popularly referred to as Springer, to an
18-foot-long holding tank aboard a donated catamaran for the 10- to 12-hour trip. The trip is expected to
begin around 7 a.m. Friday.
The Canadian experts will oversee the effort to reunite the orca with her home pod in Johnstone Strait, off
the northeast coast of Vancouver Island. Plans call for her to be held in a net pen to allow her and the pod
to become accustomed to each other.
Resource Links
Orca Conservancy
The Whale Museum
Vancouver Aquarium
The whale will be penned in waters where her closest relatives swim during the summer months. Once
officials are convinced the whale is ready to be released, they will wait first for her immediate family, the
A-24 group, to arrive in the area and release her in their presence, according to Lance Barrett-Lennard,
with the Vancouver Aquarium.
If that opportunity doesn't arise, another group that Springer and her mother have been known to
associate with, the A-11 group, are the next best bet. Failing that, researchers will release her in the
presence of any group of whales in the A pod or any resident whales.
Before she is released, she will be fitted with a suction-cup radio tag so that researchers can monitor her
closely. U.S. researchers gave results of the orca's final battery of medical tests to their Canadian
counterparts at the end of June. She was found to have no communicable diseases.
Biologists treated the whale for worms, which proved to be very effective in getting her to eat more,
according to Dr. David Huff, of the Vancouver Aquarium.
"Directly following her de-worming and being tubed with six liters of Dasani water, she turned right
around and ate exceptionally well," he said.
Huff said A73 was now consuming 60-70 pounds of fish a day. The whale was captured by a National
Marine Fisheries Service team June 13, and has been under close watch in a 40-by-40-foot holding pen in
Clam Bay near Manchester, on the Kitsap Peninsula across Puget Sound from Seattle.
The agency decided to capture her in part because of concerns about her health, and also because she
had become extremely friendly with small boats off Vashon Island – raising concerns about both her
safety and that of boaters.
The whale, dubbed A73 by researchers for her order in her birth pod, was first spotted near the Vashon
ferry dock in mid-January. Researchers believe her pod left her behind after her mother died, and she
found her way into Puget Sound.
Page 95
Whale activists have been helping to raise money to cover capture and relocation costs, which could reach
$500,000. Canadian officials made a similar plea for help Tuesday.
"We need the help of anyone who wants to help us," the Aquarium's Dr. John Nightingale said.
Orcas, actually a kind of dolphin, are found in all the world's oceans.
The population of Washington state's three resident pods has dropped from 98 in 1995 to 78 today. NMFS
considered listing the mammals for protection under the federal Endangered Species Act but said last
month the pods did not qualify as a distinct subspecies. Other efforts are planned.
KING5.com reporters Ellen Liang and Jim Klockow contributed to this story.
7/10/2002
Springer's Family Arrives Early in Canada
By Darin Watkins, KING 5 News
SEATTLE - Springer, the orphaned orca may be reunited with her family much earlier then hoped.
The orca's family has returned to the waters off north Vancouver Island earlier then expected, opening the
door for an early reunion.
Scientists announced plans Tuesday to move Springer this Friday but weren't sure just when the young
orca would be released. Tuesday night, biologists in north end of Vancouver Island heard the sounds that
could change that thinking.
Footage Courtesy: Orca Conservancy and OrcaLab.
Biologists captured sounds of A-4, the pod of orcas believed to be Springer's relatives. The A-4 pod of
orcas, Springer's relatives, have returned early. The crews at the listening station recorded sounds of the
returning whales.
“Everybody was really excited,” said Anna Spong, Orcalab. “It was an incredible coincidence with the
announcement going out yesterday that Springer was coming home, and her family turning up, it was a
very exciting moment for everyone here.”
The orcas were spotted off Hanson Island, near Port McNeil. The A-4 pod is Springer's closest relatives and
may include her grandmother. Scientists hope to reunite Springer with her pod near Port McNeil later this
week. Biologists familiar with the group believe the chances are good.
“We think that there's a reasonable chance of reconnecting her with the remaining members of her family,
or with other family groups in the northern resident communities if she's given a chance,” said Dr. Paul
Spong, Orcalab.
Springer remains in a pen outside Manchester waiting for her trip north. With the early return of her pod
to the waters of north Vancouver Island, it means that reunion could be moved up.
“With her family already in the area, it probably means she'll be released hopefully very soon,” said Anna
Spong.
It’s not clear yet if this A-4 group of orcas contains Springer's aunt and grandmother.
Springer is still set to be moved Friday, but the early return of her pod means Springer's release could
happen very soon. KING 5 News will follow Springer's adventure to Vancouver Island. Be sure to join us Friday for special live coverage during KING 5 morning news and continuing coverage throughout the day.
Page 96
ORPHAN ORCA GOES TO CANADA
Published in The Bremerton Sun: 7/12/2002
Springer Might Have Family Waiting for Her
The 2-year-old will be returned to Johnston Strait today.
By Christopher Dunagan
Sun Staff
Springer, the orphan orca from Canada, may find her family within hearing distance when she returns home to
Johnstone Strait late this afternoon or evening.
It would be a perfect ending to an unusual story — almost too perfect to hope for — but so far everything has
gone like clockwork in the rescue of the 2-year-old orca, who showed up suddenly near Vashon Island six months
ago.
Springer, officially known as A73, belongs to the A-24 matriline, which is named for her grandmother who still
heads the group. The A-24 matriline (sometimes called a subpod in the United States) is part of the A-4 pod.
The remainder of the A-4 pod, another matriline called A-11, was sighted in Johnstone Strait earlier this week,
but left the area Thursday, according to John Ford of the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
The two matrilines are so closely associated that one is rarely far behind the other, Ford said, which means that
Springer's grandmother, aunt and uncle could be in the immediate area when the young orca arrives today by
high-speed catamaran after a 400-mile, 10- to 12-hour trip from Manchester in South Kitsap.
Nobody can predict whether Springer will choose to follow her pod or if the others will welcome her into the
close-knit group, but experts say they will do everything they can to promote a successful reunion.
Today's schedule calls for the killer whale to be lifted out of her net pen at the National Marine Fisheries Service
lab at 6:30 a.m. She will be transported in an 18-foot box on the deck of a 140-foot catamaran, donated by
Nichols Brothers Boat Building of Whidbey Island.
After she arrives at Hanson Island off the northeast shore of Vancouver Island, Springer will be kept in a net pen
until members of a pod — preferably her own matriline — are in the area. Then she'll be released with no
advance notice to the public. ORCA CONSERVANCY – THE SPRINGER FILE
Page 97
Page 98
OC TIMELINE: FRED GETS THE BOOT…
While Orca Conservancy President Michael Harris was up in Dongchong Bay working with OrcaLab and the Namgis First Nation to prepare for
Springer’s arrival at the repatriation site, OC Board Member Fred Felleman was on the catamaran in Seattle that was going to take her north.
When John Nightingale learned that Felleman was there (at the invitation of the boat owners), he had him ejected, along with award-winning
Seattle Post-Intelligencer reporter Robert McClure and his photographer (Nightingale was unhappy with some of Robert’s reporting). Despite
a direct phone call on Fred’s behalf from Dr. Paul Spong of OrcaLab to Marilyn Joyce of DFO Canada, Nightingale and Joyce stuck their guns
and wouldn’t allow him back on the boat. It was one of many outrageous actions on the part of Nightingale to bully a project that was being
paid for entirely by funds sourced by non-profits like Orca Conservancy and grants from the U.S. government – and another case where DFO
did nothing to haul him in. But as it was, the boat broke down. No one – man or whale – made it up to BC that day.
7/12/2002
Whale Move Postponed
KING 5 News
MANCHESTER, Wash. - An orphaned whale plucked from the waters of Puget Sound in June will have to
wait another day to be relocated to her home waters off Vancouver Island. The move was delayed after
mechanical problems slowed the boat that was to transport her.
Boatworkers and biologists earlier raced against the clock to pull off the move. But those plans hit a snag
early when the high-speed catamaran donated for the mission could not reach its top speed.
The young whale was captured after she appeared to have taken up residence in the waters off of Vashon
Island, Wash. She suffered from a variety of minor health conditions and biologist feared that she would
suffer if left to live by herself, an unnatural state for killer whales.
By shortly after 9 a.m., Friday crews had attempted a repair to the Catalina Jet, taken the boat for a test
run and bioligists and aquarium workers re-boarded the craft, which headed to Everett to refuel.
But in a news conference at around 10 a.m., Canadian and U.S. officials decided to call the mission off for
the day.
"We were concerned that the window for transporting the whale is too narrow. We want to make sure
there's daylight at the other end," said National Marine Fisheries Service spokesman Joe Scordino.
It was important the catamaran move at full speed for the 400-mile trip in order to get to Canada before
nightfall and to decrease the amount of time the whale spends in a holding tank on board, Clint Wright
with the Vancouver Aquarium said.
The trip is estimated to take between 10 and 12 hours.
The goal was to transport the orca, popularly named Springer, Friday on the catamaran to the northern tip
of Vancouver Island for an eventual reunion with her pod. The whale spent more than six months off
Vashon Island in Puget Sound after it is believed her mother died.
Standing in front of a small army of television satellite trucks, Scordino and Wright were unconcerned
about the delay, saying it didn't add significantly to the expense of the trip and certainly didn't jeopardize
the move.
"It's not a big deal," Scordino said. "We see everything as a green light for tomorrow."
Officials now say they will make their second attempt beginning around 5:30 a.m. or 6 a.m. Saturday
morning.
The boat, the Catalina Jet, will spend the night in Manchester Friday where the whale is now being kept,
enabling workers to begin earlier.
Wright said the boat's problems were not significant and were caused by debris clogged in the craft's
propulsion system that prevented it from getting to its top speed.
A piece of plastic lodged in one of the catamaran's intake valves is believed to have caused the problem.
Asked about backup plans in the event the boat actually breaks down, Wright said it would be possible to
truck the whale the rest of the distance on Vancouver Island.
Page 99
"We have that all lined up and we have a barge ready at the other end if we need to do that," he said.
"I've got my fingers crossed now," he said.
The whale, in the meantime, remained in her pen.
"Springer's doing well. She's in the net pen. She looks ready to go," Wright said earlier.
Wright said a day or two delay wouldn't make a difference in returning Springer to her pod in Canada.
"Everyone's still upbeat. It's going to happen," Bob McLaughlin of Project Seawolf said.
Scientists planned the move carefully
Springer’s pod, called A-pod by scientists, arrived early in Vancouver waters – a good indication that
Springer could be released into the wild within a couple of days.
Thursday was intended to be the whale's last day in her holding pen in Manchester, Wash. Equipment was
checked, final routes were made, and tides were calculated. At the end of the day, all parties involved
looked over the moving plans and gave it the green light.
“We’re pretty prepared and we have contingency plans if things do go awry,” said Jeff Foster of Marine
Rescue, “but everything looks pretty, pretty good.”
Loading Springer on the boat will look much the same as it did when she was first brought to her holding
pen several weeks ago. A large net under the tank will be lifted, essentially corralling her into this same
stretcher.
Then she’ll be suspended in the water of a special tank, watched closely by a number of scientists and
biologists.
The key, say biologists, will be her breathing. If it stays constant at 8 to10 breaths every 5 minutes,
they’ll know she’s doing OK.
“We want her to be relaxed,” said Dr. Pete Schrader of the National Marine Fisheries Service. “We can tell.
There will be people monitoring that and keeping her wet.”
The trip shouldn’t take more than 12 hours in a high-speed catamaran. Crews hope to have her back in
the water by early evening.
Then, they’ll watch closely, letting Springer tell them when she’s ready to go.
“If we see that activity level change and if she gets excited and we see her challenge the net in any way,
then we know she’s wanting to go,” said Foster. “So we’ll drop the nets down and let her go.”
Springer's health improved
The orca, dubbed A73 by researchers for her order in her birth pod, was first spotted near the Vashon
Island ferry dock in mid-January. Researchers believe her pod left her behind after her mother died, and
she found her way into Puget Sound.
Springer was captured by a National Marine Fisheries Service team June 13, and has been under close
watch since in a 40-by-40-foot holding pen in Clam Bay near Manchester, on the Kitsap Peninsula across
Puget Sound from Seattle.
The agency decided to capture her in part because of concerns about her health, and also because she
had become extremely friendly with small boats off Vashon Island, raising concerns about both her safety
and that of boaters.
While in captivity, Springer’s health improved. Her itchy skin condition cleared up and she gained some 50
to 100 pounds. The decision to move Springer came after blood tests gave the young whale a clean bill of
health.
"The team has determined that A73 does not pose any known threat to the northern population," said
Marilyn Joyce, a spokeswoman for Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
A veterinarian for the Vancouver Aquarium, which is orchestrating the move, said that the whale's skin
problem and an internal condition that made her breath smell like paint thinner were resolving
themselves.
Page 100
Reunion could be earlier than expected
Canadian experts will oversee the effort to reunite the orca with her home pod in Johnstone Strait, off the
northeast coast of Vancouver Island. Plans call for her to be held in a net pen to allow her and the pod to
become accustomed to each other.
The whale will be penned in waters where her closest relatives swim during the summer months. Once
officials are convinced the whale is ready to be released, they will wait first for her immediate family, the
A-24 group, to arrive in the area and release her in their presence, according to Lance Barrett-Lennard
with the Vancouver Aquarium.
As if on cue, Canadian scientsts captured sounds of Springer's pod Tuesday night, an indication that
Springer’s orca family has returned to the waters off north Vancouver Island earlier then expected,
opening the door for an early reunion.
Scientists weren’t sure just when Springer would be released. But on Tuesday night, biologists in north
end of Vancouver Island heard the sounds from A-pod.
“Everybody was really excited,” said Anna Spong, Orcalab. “It was an incredible coincidence with the
announcement going out yesterday that Springer was coming home, and her family turning up, it was a
very exciting moment for everyone here.”
The orcas were spotted off Hanson Island, near Port McNeil. The A-4 pod is Springer’s closest relatives and
may include her grandmother. Biologists familiar with the group believe the chances are good that
Springer will be reunited within the week.
“We think that there’s a reasonable chance of reconnecting her with the remaining members of her family,
or with other family groups in the northern resident communities if she’s given a chance,” said Dr. Paul
Spong of Orcalab.
Resource Links
OrcaLab
Orca Conservancy
National Marine Mammal Laboratory
Vancouver Aquarium
The Whale Museum
Captive Orca Statistic
The Orphan Orca Fund
Contributions to The Orphan 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 Orphan Orca Fundc/o Juanita Johns at Islanders Bank
P.O. Box 909
Friday Harbor, WA 98250.
Page 101
July 12, 2002
WAITING ON SPRINGER
Kevin Reese, KOMO 4 News (ABC Seattle)
Anchor Intro, Kathy Goertzen: SPRINGER’S DELAYED DEPARTURE WAS A TOUGH
BREAK FOR CREWS HERE, BUT IT GAVE BIOLOGISTS IN HER NEW HOME A CHANCE TO
MAKE SURE THEY’RE READY WHEN THE LITTLE ORCA DOES GET HOME. KOMO’S KEVIN REESE JOINS US LIVE
FROM TELEGRAPH COVE, ON VANCOUVER ISLAND. I BET IT’S JUST GORGEOUS THERE TODAY, KEVIN…
Kevin Reese: IT CERTAINLY IS, AS YOU CAN SEE, AND FROM THIS PICTURESQUE SPOT HERE IN TELEGRAPH
COVE ON VANCOUVER ISLAND, WHAT YOU SEE BEHIND ME ARE THE WATERS OF JOHNSTONE STRAIT AND THE
VERY FIRST ISLAND YOU SEE THERE IS HANSON ISLAND, AND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT IS DONGCHONG
BAY, WHERE SPRINGER WILL BE HELD TEMPORARILY. AND SOME OF THE GOOD NEWS HERE IS THAT IT DOES
GIVE THEM EXTRA TIME TO GET READY, AND AN EXTRA DAY TO CONFIRM WHAT THEY DID TODAY, THAT HER
FAMILY IS ALREADY HERE.
FIRST LET’S SHOW YOU TELEGRAPH COVE, A SMALL FISHING AND WHALEWATCHING VILLAGE WHICH WILL BE
FILLED WITH BOATS TOMORROW. AN EXTRA DAY IS A GOOD DAY FOR TINY TELEGRAPH COVE, WHICH IS WELL
OFF THE BEATEN PATH. AND CHARTER CAPTAIN ROY GRAHAM KNOWS IT MEANS AN EXTRA DAY OF TOURIST
AND MEDIA MONEY.
Roy Graham, Charter Captain: WELL, I LOOK AT THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT IT’S BRINGING TO OUR COMMUNITY.
Kevin Reese: WHALEWATCHERS SEE THEIR BENEFIT, TOO. NANCY WOODMAN DROVE HERE ALL THE WAY
FROM POULSBO.
Nancy Woodman, Whalewatcher: IT’S A BEAUTIFUL PART OF THE WORLD TO BE WAITING.
Kevin Reese: BEAUTIFUL, YES, BUT THE ONLY NEGATIVE PART – ANOTHER 24 HOURS OF PAINFUL
ANTICIPATION OF SPRINGER’S RETURN. ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, THEY’VE NOW HAD AN EXTRA DAY TO MAKE
SURE EVERYTHING’S IN PLACE AND THE NETPEN IS READY HERE AT DONGCHONG BAY, WHERE THE CANADIAN
DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES AND OCEANS IS GUARDING THE PEN. DIVERS CHECKED IT OUT AGAIN TODAY.
AND THE FIRST LOAD OF FISH WAS DROPPED IN, SALMON CAUGHT BY THE LOCAL NAMGIS FIRST NATION.
Sound-Up, OrcaLab’s Anna Spong Monitoring A11 Calls.
Kevin Reese: WHEN SHE DOES COME HOME, SHE’LL HAVE COMPANY.
RESEARCHERS AT CRACROFT POINT, A FAMOUS ORCA LOOKOUT STATION ON
JOHNSTONE STRAIT, FOUND ONE OF THE A-PODS FRIDAY, THE A11s –
BASICALLY SPRINGER’S COUSINS, ONE OF TWO PODS IN JOHNSTONE
STRAIT THAT SPRINGER COULD EVENTUALLY BE RELEASED TO. AND
THEY’VE CONFIRMED ACOUSTICALLY THAT THERE IS A VOCAL CONNECTION
AND THIS IS ONE OF THE SUBGROUPS SPRINGER MIGHT BE ABLE TO JOIN.
Michael Harris, Orca Conservancy, at OrcaLab’s Cracroft Point
Research Station: THE FACT THAT THEY JUST SHOWED UP ON
THE DAY THAT WE ANNOUNCED THAT WE’RE GOING TO BRING
HER UP HERE IS VERY KARMIC, VERY KINDA MAGICAL FOR A LOT
OF US. IT’S A KEY ELEMENT. SO HAVING HER CLOSE RELATIVES
HERE AT THE TIME THAT SHE’S COMING UP HERE IS JUST GREAT
TIMING.
Kevin Reese: TIMING THAT THEY HOPE GOES WITHOUT A HITCH
ON SATURDAY.
Michael Harris: AND NOW, MONTHS LATER, AFTER FORMING ALL
THESE GROUPS TO HELP FUND THIS, WORKING WITH NMFS AND
DFO, WHICH HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN EASY, PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER… IT’S LIKE DELIVERING A
BABY, AND WE’RE ABOUT READY TO PASS OUT CIGARS. SO WE’RE ALL VERY, VERY EXCITED. THIS IS GREAT.
Kevin Reese: AND ALSO WHAT IS GREAT FOR THEM AS YOU CAN SEE, THE WEATHER HAS BEEN PERFECT AND
THEY EXPECT THAT TO CONTINUE TOMORROW. SO IT’LL BE ANOTHER DAY OF WHAT THEY CALL AN ORCA
PARADISE HERE ON THIS SIDE OF VANCOUVER ISLAND. AND EVERYBODY IS USING THIS TIME TO GET READY,
TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING’S IN PLACE.
AND AS I SAID, THE PEOPLE HERE AT TELEGRAPH COVE THAT YOU SAW IN THOSE PICTURES, AN EXTRA DAY
TO ENJOY THIS SUDDEN ATTENTION FROM THE MEDIA AND FROM EVERYBODY ELSE EXPECTED TO BE HERE
TOMORROW TO WITNESS THIS HISTORIC EVENT, WITH SPRINGER FINALLY RETURNING HOME.
LIVE AT TELEGRAPH COVE ON VANCOUVER ISLAND, KEVIN REESE, KOMO 4 NEWS.
Page 102
Saturday, July 13, 2002
Orca Move Bagged till Today
Problems with boat burn too much fuel and daylight to relocate whale before dark
By ROBERT MCCLURE
LANGLEY – Yesterday was not the day for Springer to be sprung.
The orphan orca's trip from Puget Sound to its Canadian home waters sidled off course when a funky piece of flotsam fouled
a water jet propelling the catamaran that was supposed to transport the young killer whale. Said to be perfect for the
delicate job, the 144—foot Catalina Jet was tripped up by a 2 1/2-foot length of cord tangled up with a
mangled buoy and some shredded orange plastic.
A subcontractor's inadequate cleaning of barnacles also appears to have slowed the boat unacceptably,
said Mark Nichols, president of Nichols Bros. Boat Builders, the Whidbey Island firm that donated the
boat's use at an estimated cost of $20,000.
The aborted trip started at dawn.
"We're delighted you can come along. This will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," John Nightingale,
president of the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre, told guests and crew members aboard the
boat as it prepared to leave. "This has never been done before."
Nightingale then asked several dozen of Nichols' friends and employees – some of whom helped build the
boat – to move downstairs to the lower deck, leaving the upper deck for aquarium and Canadian
government officials and reporters. Only then could the rescue mission get under way.
Then, an hour into what was to have been a voyage of at least 10 hours, the Catalina Jet turned back for
repairs at its launching dock here on southeast Whidbey. Springer, known to scientists as A73, remained
at her pen near Manchester, across Puget Sound from Seattle.
The 2-year-old whale turned up near Vashon Island in January after her mother died and she became
separated from her whale family, or pod. The pod, as it does every summer, has just returned to
Johnstone Strait on the north side of Vancouver Island. The idea is to transport the whale the nearly 400
miles north, put her into a pen for as little as half a day, and then let her go and hope she rejoins her
extended family.
"It's a very minor problem that should be fixable," Nichols said as the craft returned to its dock here. "But
we don't want to press it. We want the best for Springer."
The pressure to keep going was strong, though. Nightingale said that an extensive support network was
on standby. For example, he said, boats with cranes were stationed along the transit route in case the
whale ran into trouble along the way and had to be lifted out of its heavy blue metal tank on the stern of
the Catalina Jet.
While kids played the Tony Hawk II video game and their parents drank in the view of Puget Sound, the
boat returned to its launch spot at Langley. After sending divers to unclog the water jets and clean off
barnacles, and after ejecting a Seattle Post-Intelligencer photographer and reporter who were not granted
status as part of the official eight-person reporting pool, the vessel's commanders ordered a trial run of
the spruced-up boat.
When that went smoothly, the boat returned to the dock for what was supposed to be a final pick-up of
passengers for the trip to Manchester and then on to British Columbia. But time was growing short.
Already it was midmorning. A long trip might get the boat to the orca's new pen at Dong Chong Bay at
dusk. Officials did not want to proceed if she would have to be unloaded in the dark.
"My personal feeling is that this is going to be a scrub," Nichols said. Ultimately he was proved right. All
the back and forth in the boat had sucked down its fuel supplies. An hour-long refueling stop in Everett
made a trip yesterday impossible.
"It's like a moon shot," Nightingale remarked. "You have a certain window."
Dejected, the contingent of friends and co-workers of Nichols left the boat at midday. They will not be
coming along today, when Vancouver Aquarium and Canadian government officials said the boat would be
ready and waiting at Manchester by dawn, gassed up and ready to go.
"Somebody threw us a curve ball," Nichols said. "We swung and missed, but we'll keep going."
Page 103
ORCA BROTHERS: Tommy and Michael Harris arrive in Johnstone Strait in June 2002 to assist OrcaLab in prepping for Springer’s arrival. OC TIMELINE: THE NAMGIS
One the last operational initiatives Orca Conservancy undertook in the Springer effort
was featured in an NBC Nightly News report, as well as the Associated Press and
Bremerton Sun stories below. It actually was an idea that first came from our friends
Dr. Paul Spong and Helena Symonds at OrcaLab. Paul and Helena had got word that
Vancouver Aquarium’s John Nightingale and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans
(DFO) Canada were planning to introduce farmed Atlantic salmon into the holding pen of
Springer at Dongchong Bay. The site is the ancestral lands of the Namgis First Nation,
wild salmon fishermen and ardent opponents of fish farms. Paul made an urgent call to
Michael Harris, President of Orca Conservancy, and together they came up with a plan.
At that time, Orca Conservancy helped found the Orphan Orca Fund (OOF), a coalition of seven NGOs raising the
matching funds to trigger the Prescott Marine Mammal Stranding grant. Nothing in the bylaws of the OOF prevented the
coalition from using the funds it raised toward any part of the Springer project. Michael proposed that he present to
OOF Paul’s idea – that the coalition directly contract the Namgis fishermen to catch wild salmon to feed Springer during
her time in the Hanson Island seapen. It would eliminate the need to introduce farmed Atlantic salmon into the seapen
to feed her – a grave offense to the bands that could’ve jeopardized the translocation effort. Once we found the
money, Paul would then persaude DFO to provide an out-of-season fishing permit for the Namgis.
Michael took the idea to OOF of directly contracting the Namgis fishermen. Fellow coalition member Donna Sandstrom
objected strongly to the idea, as did National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) representatives at the meeting – one even
suggesting that if wild salmon were used instead of farmed Atlantic salmon, then “someone
will have to be out on that seapen, running every fish through a metal detector to make sure
they don’t have hooks in them.” Michael offered to “personally inspect every fish that comes
off that boat and goes into the pen.” NMFS continued to object to the proposal, but without
the bylaws to veto it and with strong support among the other partner groups, it went to
vote and passed. Sandstrom was the lone vote against it. Paul helped secure the DFO
permit, and the day before Springer’s triumphant return, the Namgis went fishing.
Donna Sandstrom of Orca Alliance, pleading on KING 5 News in March for NMFS not to intervene to save Springer. “It’s going to be heart-breaking to witness the worst
thing happen, which is to see her die, but we would rather bear that heartbreak than know that she’s enduring it by herself in a concrete tank.”
But that didn’t prevent Nightingale from moving ahead on his plan to introduce his Frankenfish into Namgis territory.
On the day Springer was readying for her transport to Johnstone Strait, with Paul, Michael and his brother Tommy
furiously working with OrcaLab diver David Howitt to secure the critical hydrophone in the Bay – and with the Namgis in
full view out in the bay, nets out – Nightingale decided unilaterally that the First Nations were moving too slowly. He
ordered a barge of farmed fish to the seapen. Paul saw the barge approaching and intercepted it mid-Strait. He
managed to convince the captain to turn around and head home. Within an hour or so, the Namgis arrived in Dongchong
Bay with 73 fat wild salmon for Springer. And true to his promise, Michael, Tommy, Paul and the fishermen inspected
every single fish. The footage Michael shot of that extraordinary moment was provided free-of-charge to
KING Television, and ultimately made it onto NBC Nightly News. It was a proud moment for the Namgis, and later
contributed to the beautiful welcoming songs and drumming the band offered upon Springer’s arrival.
But had we caved in to the objections of some of our colleagues and the feds they were now so cozy with, or allowed
Nightingale to buffalo us at Dongchong Bay, there could’ve been an ugly confrontation with Canada’s First Nations
unfolding before the world’s media. And Springer might have never made it home. Unfortunately, despite our repeated
warnings, DFO and Nightingale never learned much from all this, as evidenced by their pattern of disregard for the First
Nations that killed the Luna effort… and, some would argue, Luna. But at least in the case of Springer, we overcame the
deficiencies of others and found a way to respect the sovereignty of an indigenous community and engage them in what
no doubt was one of the most memorable cross-cultural experiences any of us have ever had in our lifetimes.
Page 104
ORPHAN ORCA
Published in The Bremerton Sun: 07/13/2002
Springer's Ride Develops Problem, Delays Departure
Officials will try to move the 2-year-old killer whale again today
By Christopher Dunagan
Sun Staff
Springer's much-anticipated homecoming in Canadian waters Friday was delayed by a day when the highspeed boat in which she was to ride developed engine problems.
The 2-year-old orca, officially known as A73, remained in her net pen near Manchester in South Kitsap
and was none the worse for wear.
The 140-foot, high-speed catamaran left Whidbey Island on schedule before dawn Friday but could not get
up to even half-speed, so it turned back. By the time the boat was ready to go again, the acceptable
"window" for the operation had closed, since the goal was to reach Johnstone Strait in Canada by nightfall.
Meanwhile, a portion of Springer's natal pod — headed by her great aunt — continues to move around
Hanson Island, where Springer will wait for a reunion with her family. The group of orcas, known as the A11 matriline, came into the area twice Thursday and once Friday, said Michael Harris, president of the
Washington-based Orca Conservancy.
Springer's own matriline, led by her grandmother, A-24, is expected to arrive in the area any time.
Harris, who is awaiting Springer's arrival in Canada, said the Namgis band of First Nations — the native
people who occupy Hanson Island and Dong Chong Bay — is planning a special greeting ceremony,
including dancing, when the whale arrives.
Rescue organizers including Orca Conservancy arranged for the
Namgis to catch live salmon to feed the young orca, and the
Canadian government issued a special fishing permit under
provisions that allow harvest for scientific purposes.
Since her capture a month ago, Springer has been fed farmed salmon at the National Marine Fisheries Lab
at Manchester.
"They don't like aquaculture up here — and the Namgis really don't
like it," Harris said.
The first catch consisted of 73 salmon, which should feed the whale two or three days, Harris said. Further
catches are authorized, but everyone hopes Springer won't need to be held long.
Friday's problems with the Catalina Jet, a jet-powered catamaran, were attributed to a piece of plastic
bouy that might have been ingested into the turbine or to incomplete cleaning of the hull.
"Just by looking right here, I can see this is enough to slow the boat down," said Bryan Nichols, indicating
a patch of barnacles Friday morning. Nichols is vice president of Nichols Bros. Boatbuilding, which donated
use of the craft to the operation.
Nichols said divers had cleaned the bottom of the vessel but not the sides in preparation for the trip, and
barnacles can build up quickly.
The vessel was cleaned at the dock, but by the time it was ready, it was nearly five hours behind
schedule. The boat is designed to do 40 knots, but the trip with Springer is planned for 32 knots and is
scheduled to take between 10 and 12 hours.
Such a late start left no room for error, said Clint Wright of Vancouver Aquarium, which is organizing the
final leg of the rescue. People were inconvenienced by the delay, Wright said, but Springer's safety
remains the foremost concern.
"It was really a human-based issue," Wright said after the trip was postponed. "She'll be ready to go
tomorrow, as she was today."
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Sunday, July 14, 2002
Orphaned Orca Released to Join Pod
By PEGGY ANDERSEN, ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
HANSON ISLAND, British Columbia – An orphan orca that wandered into Puget Sound and was rescued by
scientists was released Sunday afternoon to join other killer whales near this remote Canadian island.
"Based on what we saw last night, we were quite sure that when we opened the gate, she'd go charging
off, and she did go charging off," said Vancouver Aquarium President John Nightingale.
Last night, the orca got excited about passing whales, said Lance Barrett-Lennard of the Vancouver
Aquarium, which is overseeing her care in home waters. The 2-year-old baby orca had been brought to
this temporary home for release after being captured in Seattle. On Sunday, a group of eight whales
turned into the bay, hearing her calls, and approached her slowly.
"You got the impression they were being kind of coy. Killer whales are very cautious animals," he said.
The scientists conferred by telephone and decided this was the right time. As they were preparing to hold
onto her and lower the net pen, she grabbed a passing salmon and munched away during the release,
Barrett-Lennard said.
Then, after pausing to play with some kelp, she swam out of the bay with the pod, heading west as the
others headed east, he said, but they were still within hearing range of each other.
"We're not sure what will happen next but there are lots of salmon in the area now and lots of killer
whales," Barrett-Lennard said. It's a good time for the orca to be there, he said.
Scientists were thrilled.
"I'm pretty much euphoric. It was only her second day up here," said Clint Wright, vice president of
operations at the Vancouver Aquarium. He said it's possible the orca could end up with some other group.
Scientists had placed suction-cup transmitters on the orca and followed in a boat, Barrett-Lennard said.
Other boaters, who had clustered in the area Saturday, heeded scientists' pleas Sunday and stayed away.
Earlier Sunday, when 20-30 killer whales swam by the mouth of the bay, the little female pushed against
the seaside netting, called to them and "spyhopped," sticking her head out of the water to try to peek
over the net fence to see what was happening.
The 2-year-old female, named A73 for the birth order in her pod, arrived here late Saturday after a 400mile trip aboard a donated high-speed ferry. The whale, who had wandered by herself to the busy, boatfilled waters of Puget Sound, was captured a month ago after whale experts feared for her health and
safety.
The whales that passed by in the pre-dawn darkness Sunday included members of her three-member
natal pod and others from their language group, called A-clan, plus other whales, Barrett-Lennard said.
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, spyhopping 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," BarrettLennard said.
Since A73 was removed from a water-filled travel container aboard the 140-foot catamaran ferry on
Saturday, the 12-foot-long orca had been "extremely frisky," said aquarium veterinarian David Huff. 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, who was not fed for the 18 hours before her journey home, hunted and dined all night, BarrettLennard said. Her caretakers worked from a 50-foot boat, the use of which was donated for the trip, as
was the waterjet-powered catamaran ferry Catalina Jet.
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The donation of the Catalina Jet from Nichols Brothers Boat Builders of Whidbey Island, Wash., made the
relocation possible, said aquarium President John Nightingale. A lengthy 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, L-98 is a young
male from a pod that summers near Washington state's San Juan Islands.
L-98 has been on the west side of Vancouver Island since November, and there are reports of friendly but
potentially dangerous encounters with boaters there. Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans is
investigating and charges and fines are anticipated against the boaters, spokeswoman Michelle McCombs
said.
L-98's mother is still alive, and researchers on both sides of the border hope he will rejoin 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 southwest of Seattle. Worried about her health and the danger posed by boats and
people, experts decided to take the unprecedented step of attempting to capture her and bring her home.
She was caught June 13 – underweight, 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.
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.
7/15/2002
Springer Charges off as the Gate is Opened
Orphaned Orca Released; Joins, Then Leaves Pod
Baby "charges off" to join the group, then wanders to a boat
KING 5 News and Glenn Farley
TELEGRAPH COVE, Hanson Island - Springer, the Northwest’s
celebrated orphaned orca, was released Sunday 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 Seattle and
brought to a temporary home off this remote Canadian island
for release.
In a new video released by OrcaLab Sunday night,
Springer heads to, and seems to interact with her own pod, but
after a while, the pod drifts away and she plays with kelp.
Footage courtesy: Orca Conservancy and OrcaLab.
Lance Barrett-Lennard with Vancouver aquarium remarked, “I hope that she’ll bond with the pod, but I think
there’s a real possibility that she’s a whale that spends a lot of time by herself, or goes from pod to pod.”
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While she is seen with the pod and on her own, three radio transmitters are tracking her. For a couple from
Enumclaw out fishing, Springer does something that raises concerns 90 minutes after her release. “We shut our
boat down and she came right over and went under the boat and circled it twice,” Cindy Strom of Enumclaw said.
“We were amazed,” Bruce Strom said. “You see orcas around here at different times, but to see the transmitters
pop up, we knew exactly who it was.”
Her affinity for boats is one of the reasons she was taken out of Puget Sound. Paul Spong with OrcaLab said he
feels she will eventually lose interest in boats and move back to her fellow orcas. Earlier in the day, Springer's
release looked extremely promising.
"Based on what we saw last night, we were quite sure that when we opened the gate, she'd go charging off, and
she did go charging off," said Vancouver Aquarium President John Nightingale.
Hours after the little whale was brought to her temporary home, 20-30 killer whales swam by the mouth of the
bay. The little female pushed against the seaside netting, called to them and "spyhopped," sticking her head out
of the water to try to peek over the net fence to see what was happening.
"She spent a lot of time doing very energetic breaches. She did every kind of breach you can imagine. She did
breaches on her side, jumped on the water and landed on her back, did belly flops, a lot of spyhopping, looking
around. It looked for all the world like she was absolutely thrilled to be home,” said Dave Huff, veterinarian for
Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Center.
The whales that passed by in the pre-dawn darkness Sunday included members of her three-member natal pod
and others from their language group, called A-clan, plus other whales, Barrett-Lennard said. 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, spyhopping 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.
A warm homecoming
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. around 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
Since the 144-ft catamaran drew in too much water, workers had to lift Springer out of her holding tank using
the specially designed sling. They loaded her onto a smaller barge and floated her to her new net pen in Dong
Chong Bay.
Springer appeared to jump for joy Sunday morning.
Springer, also known as A73 by scientists, appeared calm and cooperative as scientists unloaded her.
Scientists released her into her net pen, where dinner was waiting. Some 75 live salmon were caught by
the First Nations Tribes and released into Springer’s new net pen.
Orca move came off without a hitch
Moving Springer was no simple task, but it came off without a hitch. After a one-day postponement,
Springer set out on her journey home at the crack of dawn early Saturday morning.
Like many humans, Springer began the day with a shower and a meal in her holding pen in Manchester,
Wash. Biologists and researchers from Canada and the U.S. loaded her into a 18-foot by 5-foot holding
tank aboard a high-speed catamaran, donated by Nichols Brothers Boats, and departed around 7 a.m. in
an effort to reunite her with her family.
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The 2-year-old whale appeared cooperative and calm during the procedure as workers guided her into a
specially designed sling, a crane lifted her from her pen and into a waiting tank on the second deck of the
catamaran. Orca experts were pleased that the procedure went smoothly and called it picture-perfect.
"She's very calm ... a bit of a laid back whale," Vancouver Aquarium spokesman John Nightingale said.
"She hasn't been in captivity for 20 years, she's not used to humans, and yet she takes hands on care and
going into the sling very quietly and very smoothly."
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, Springer was covered with ointment, wet towels, and an awning
to keep her cool and moist. The key for the whale experts was to keep Springer's temperature cool
enough to help her acclimate to the cooler Canadian waters.
The crew only made one unexpected stop. About two-thirds of the way at the Campbell River just 80-100
miles south of Telegraph Cove, the catamaran stopped to refuel and load 100 bags of ice to keep Springer
cool.
Resource Links
OrcaLab
Orca Conservancy
National Marine Mammal Laboratory
Vancouver Aquarium
The Whale Museum
Captive Orca Statistic
Jeff Foster rides a sling to balance it as they lower an orphan orca into her temporary pen.
Whale experts said Springer appeared restless but was doing fine in her holding tank on the catamaran,
making "friendly and happy" vocalizations. U.S. government officials seemed thrilled to hand over the
whale and her paperwork to the Canadians.
Believe it or not, Springer has not one, but two sets of immigration papers.
Boat problems postpone initial move
A similar attempt to move A73 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
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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 Nichols Brothers 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.
A crane hoists the 1,348-pound orca whale in a sling onto a waiting catamaran ferry as crew watch in Manchester.
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.
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.
Springer first spotted in Puget Sound
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.
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.
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.
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July 16, 2002
Orphaned Whale Back With Pod
From CP Correspondents in British Columbia
An orphan killer whale is tagging along with members of her birth pod, a day after she was
returned to Canadian waters from a months-long stay near Seattle, USA.
The two-year-old, 3.6-m orca is not yet mingling with the eight other whales, but has stayed
within calling distance, said John Ford, a whale expert
with Canada's Department of Fisheries.
The orca appeared to be doing fine, though she was easily distracted by boats, logs and kelp,
he said.
"She's a toddler," Lance Barrett-Lennard, of Vancouver Aquarium, explained.
The young whale apparently strayed into Puget Sound, near Seattle, in January after her
mother died. She was captured last month because of safety concerns in the busy sound, and
transported by ferry 645km to a small bay near her home waters.
The eight orcas entered the bay yesterday morning and exchanged calls with the female in a
temporary pen.
She poked her head out of the water, as did some in the group. After her release in the
afternoon, the whale paused to play with some kelp then swam west.
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"Her best chance is to find a female she can bond with closely," said aquarium vice-president
of operations Clint Wright, who oversaw co-ordination of her transport north.
The hope is that she will find a niche within her clan, but life as a solitary whale in
Canadian waters would offer her a more secure future than she could have found in
Puget Sound, he said.
Members of the U.S. care team hold A73, the orca nicknamed Springer, as they prepare to release her into Dongchong Bay at Hanson
Island, British Columbia, Sunday.
7/16/2002
Young Orca Spends Hours With her Family
ROBSON BIGHT, British Columbia - A day after being released in her native waters, an orphan killer whale
who spent six months dodging ferries near Seattle went to the beach with her family.
The 2-year-old whale, dubbed A73 for her birth order in her family group, visited a favorite killer whale
"rubbing beach" here Monday evening with a group of about a half dozen members of A-clan, said Lance
Barrett-Lennard, a Vancouver Aquarium whale expert who is monitoring her.
"It's a good start," Barrett-Lennard said.
Killer whales swim close to shore here on the east side of Vancouver Island and massage their bellies on
the smooth stones of the beach. It's the only place in the world where whales are known to exhibit this
behavior. Earlier Monday, the young whale had been seen swimming a quarter-mile to a half-mile behind
a group of A-clan whales, and she was seen swimming alone in the early afternoon before showing up
with the beach party group.
A73 did not appear to be bonding with any particular female, said Graeme Ellis of Canada's Department of
Fisheries and Oceans. Whale experts say that would be an ideal alliance for the little whale, who missed
months of education when she wandered south last year after her mother's death.
She was captured near Seattle on June 13 when her health worsened and her increasingly chummy
behavior around boats raised safety concerns. She was pronounced in perfect health after treatment by
U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service scientists and a group of private caretakers. Last Saturday, she was
transported about 350 miles by high-speed catamaran ferry to Hanson Island near here.
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A group of A-clan whales answered her cries Sunday and entered the small bay where she'd been penned
for less than 24 hours. She was released and swam out into the waters off Vancouver Island's northeast
coast, not joining the other whales but staying within vocal range.
Barrett-Lennard and Ellis tracked her Monday in a motorboat, using the last of three transmitters attached
with suction cups before her release. Asked whether she had joined the whale group, Ellis replied, "No,
she was just mixed in with them."
But this was only her second day of freedom. There are weeks of summer ahead here as orcas gather to
feed along what Barrett-Lennard calls the "salmon highway."
Ellis and Barrett-Lennard eventually pulled their vessel back to chat with a reporter and others aboard a
commercial whale-watching boat. They moved away because A73 had fallen behind her group and seemed
drawn to their engine noise - a habit she picked up in her solitary travels.
Veterinarian Pete Schroeder, left, watches the orca, Springer, spyhop after she's released into her new temporary pen near her native waters at Dong
Chong Bay near Telegraph Cove, Canada, Saturday.
While the hope is that she will join one of several groups of the A-clan whales who use her dialect, she
could also live out her life as a solitary whale, or tag along behind one pod or another at a distance as a
"satellite whale." There are 105 whales in the clan, one of three orca "language groups" in these waters.
When all her transmitters have fallen off, Canada has a monitoring network of government staff, area
residents and other volunteers along the hundreds of miles of coastline on both sides of Vancouver Island
and all along the Inside Passage that separates the island from the mainland.
Killer whales, actually a kind of dolphin, are found in all the world's oceans. The inland resident
populations of British Columbia and Washington state feed mostly on salmon, while transient coastal
populations eat marine mammals.
The resident groups are struggling now with dwindling salmon runs, increasing human encroachment and
pollution.
Tuesday, July 16, 2002
Orca 'Doing Amazingly Well' in Pod
A73 is chatty and hungry, but slightly wary of her relatives
By LISA STIFFLER
The orphan orca that endeared herself to humans in the Puget Sound area now appears to be winning
over her relatives in Canada.
One day after being released in her native waters, 2-year-old Springer is already tagging along with a
group of killer whales that includes an aunt and three cousins, scientists said.
Yesterday, they frolicked off the north end of Vancouver Island, chattering and popping their heads in and
out of the water. In the evening, Springer followed the pod to a beach, where she rubbed on smooth rocks
with other pod members.
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The pod was in a "relaxed and goofy mood," said Paul Spong, director of OrcaLab, a non-profit
research group located on Hanson Island, B.C., where Springer was released.
"She's doing amazingly well," he said.
The orca, officially designated A73 by scientists, was spotted all alone in Puget Sound in January. Over the
months, her health deteriorated and she became increasingly friendly with boats, putting her at risk for
injury. She was captured in June near Vashon Island.
She was nursed back to health for almost a month at a National Marine Fisheries Service facility on the
Kitsap Peninsula. That ended Saturday, when she was shipped 400 miles to Canada aboard a jet-powered
catamaran.
Sunday, a group of related whales entered the bay where Springer was being held in a sea pen. She was
released and charged out to greet them, gobbling two of the salmon from her cage on her way out.
She then became "shy," slowly following the orcas out of the bay, circling the island in the other direction
and eventually catching up to them, though she still lagged behind by a half-mile or more.
"It's the group that Springer probably knew best as an infant," Spong said. The orca's mother vanished
last year. Her grandmother is still alive.
Springer speaks the same language as her relations, and their conversations were picked up yesterday by
Spong's hydrophone system.
"They've been doing this incredible vocal activity," he said. "It's been beautiful to listen to."
The capture, treatment and return of the orphaned orca was paid for with $200,000 from a federal fund
for marine mammal rescue, more than $50,000 from NMFS and more than $60,000 in donations, most of
it in-kind. Those estimates do not include Canadian funding.
Scientists were hopeful that the orca would reconnect with other killer whales after her months of chummy
behavior with humans.
Whale watchers and pleasure boaters have been asked to give plenty of distance to the orca. Early
yesterday, A73 approached a researcher in a boat, presenting her with kelp, but the scientist did not
encourage the behavior and the orca eventually departed for the other killer whales.
Yellow transmitters attached to her with suction cups are designed to help the Canadian Department of
Fisheries and Oceans keep an eye on her during her first days.
Springer appeared able to keep up with the orcas and came closer and closer, eventually coming within a
distance of about a quarter-mile, Spong said. She was even hunting for salmon, leaping out of the water
and then diving to grab a fish.
Fred Felleman, of the Seattle-based Orca Conservancy, was concerned whether A73 would be in shape
to swim with the other killer whales after a month in a pen. "If you're in a hospital bed for a week, walking
around is pretty darned hard," he said.
The orcas should remain in the area until September, giving A73 a chance to get fit before the pod roams
up the coast of British Columbia.
POD REUNION
Waters of Home Welcome Springer
By Christopher Dunagan, Bremerton Sun Staff
-
7/14/2002
The orca settles into a place near Hanson Island after her 12-hour trip.
Killer whale experts could barely contain their delight at Springer's successful 12-hour trip
Saturday from South Kitsap to her home waters at the northern end of Vancouver Island.
"She looks great," said Michael Harris of Orca Conservancy after
watching a high-speed catamaran deliver the 2-year-old orca to Hanson
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Island on Saturday evening. "Everybody is so relieved, and there are a lot of
exhausted people here. But the operation was seamless."
Like magic, dark gray clouds parted into sunshine just as Springer arrived,
Harris said. The clouds had threatened rain for most of the day.
First Nation bands of native people greeted Springer in canoes and with
songs and dances on the beach. One canoe carried a banner reading,
"Welcome Baby Orca."
"It was just a beautiful moment, all the way around," Harris said.
As if to add to the magic of the tale, Springer's closest living relatives arrived near Hanson
Island just the night before Springer herself came in by boat. It was the first time those
particular orcas, led by Springer's grandmother, were spotted this year. The group, known as
the A-24 matriline, typically returns from its winter travels in early to mid-July when the
salmon are running, so the coincidence is not shocking.
A related group of orcas, led by Springer's great aunt, has been moving in and around the
area the past few days. A new calf was seen with that group.
On Saturday, the two groups merged and stayed together throughout the day, said Helena
Symonds of OrcaLab, a major research outpost that specializes in whale vocalizations. As
soon as Springer was lowered into her new net pen in Dong Chong Bay about 7 p.m.
Saturday, she began squealing and squeaking with excitement.
"She was vocalizing pretty constantly and doing lots and lots of calls," Symonds said.
OrcaLab technicians had installed special hydrophones in the bay, adding to other longtime
instruments throughout the region.
Springer's pod, the A-4 Pod, uses some 12 discrete calls not used by other killer whales.
Springer was using nearly all of them Saturday night, Symonds said.
Springer's relatives remained out of hearing range after her arrival, but researchers were
eager to see what kind of interaction might take place today.
The timing of Springer's release - a judgment call - depends on acoustic or physical contact
with other members of her pod. Those whales can communicate vocally over several miles, as
sound travels well under water. The whales might even approach Springer's pen out of
curiosity.
"If her pod comes by tomorrow and they vocalized and were positive, we could release her
tomorrow," said her chief veterinarian, Dave Huff of Vancouver Aquarium.
Springer became separated from her pod last year after her mother died. Traveling alone, she
showed up near Vashon Island in Puget Sound in mid-January and remained in the ferry lane
until her capture a month ago.
During her stay at Manchester, she was treated for intestinal worms and a skin disorder. She
ate live salmon and increased her weight from 1,240 to 1,348 pounds.
Despite the orca's confinement in a tiny tank during Saturday's long boat ride, she was
moving about naturally in her pen and chasing fish placed there for her.
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Even during the trip, the young orca's breathing remained slow and easy, according to Huff.
The orca showed no signs of stress, although a few times she tried to shift around in the tight
tank.
It was as if she had placed her trust in her human handlers, led by Jeff Foster, bolstering her
reputation as a "laid-back whale."
"She's a very calm animal," said whale handler Jen Schorr of Seattle. "They're pretty bold in
most cases. They're the top predator, so they can afford to be."
The 340-mile trip began about 6 a.m. Saturday, when Springer was lifted out her 40-footsquare net pen. Springer barely wiggled her pectoral fins, sticking out through holes in the
canvas sling, while a massive crane hoisted her into the tank at the back of the Catalina Jet.
The sleek passenger boat moved swiftly through Puget Sound and north into Canada, defying
heavy waves near the border. The boat made a brief stop at Campbell River, beyond the
halfway mark, to pick up fuel for the vessel, more ice for the whale and pizza for the
passengers and crew.
Springer's dinner - 40 live pink and chinook salmon - was waiting for
the whale at her pen. The fish had been placed there after being
caught by the Namgis band of First Nations, the native people of
Hanson Island.
Marilyn Joyce of Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Bob Lohn of the National
Marine Fisheries Service in this country said the cooperation has been tremendous.
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.
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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."
Springer was responding to calls to whales from subpods A-24, her grandmother's pod, and A12, 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.
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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.
July 16, 2002
Orphaned Whale Back With Pod
Associated Press
An orphan killer whale is tagging along with members of her birth pod, a day after she was
returned to Canadian waters from a months-long stay near Seattle, USA.
The two-year-old, 3.6-m orca is not yet mingling with the eight other whales, but has stayed
within calling distance, said John Ford, a whale expert with Canada's Department of Fisheries.
The orca appeared to be doing fine, though she was easily distracted by boats, logs and kelp,
he said. "She's a toddler," Lance Barrett-Lennard, of Vancouver Aquarium, explained. The
young whale apparently strayed into Puget Sound, near Seattle, in January after her mother
died.
She was captured last month because of safety concerns in the busy sound, and transported
by ferry 645km to a small bay near her home waters. The eight orcas entered the bay
yesterday morning and exchanged calls with the female in a temporary pen. She poked her
head out of the water, as did some in the group. After her release in the afternoon, the whale
paused to play with some kelp then swam west.
"Her best chance is to find a female she can bond with closely," said aquarium vice-president
of operations Clint Wright, who oversaw co-ordination of her transport north. The hope is that
she will find a niche within her clan, but life as a solitary whale in Canadian waters would offer
her a more secure future than she could have found in Puget Sound, he said.
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7/16/2002
Young Orca Spends Hours With her Family
ROBSON BIGHT, British Columbia - A day after being released in her native waters, an orphan
killer whale who spent six months dodging ferries near Seattle went to the beach with her
family.
The 2-year-old whale, dubbed A73 for her birth order in her family group, visited a favorite
killer whale "rubbing beach" here Monday evening with a group of about a half dozen
members of A-clan, said Lance Barrett-Lennard, a Vancouver Aquarium whale expert who is
monitoring her.
"It's a good start," Barrett-Lennard said.
Killer whales swim close to shore here on the east side of Vancouver Island and massage their
bellies on the smooth stones of the beach. It's the only place in the world where whales are
known to exhibit this behavior.
Earlier Monday, the young whale had been seen swimming a quarter-mile to a half-mile
behind a group of A-clan whales, and she was seen swimming alone in the early afternoon
before showing up with the beach party group. A73 did not appear to be bonding with any
particular female, said Graeme Ellis of Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Whale
experts say that would be an ideal alliance for the little whale, who missed months of
education when she wandered south last year after her mother's death.
She was captured near Seattle on June 13 when her health worsened and her increasingly
chummy behavior around boats raised safety concerns. She was pronounced in perfect health
after treatment by U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service scientists and a group of private
caretakers. Last Saturday, she was transported about 350 miles by high-speed catamaran
ferry to Hanson Island near here.
A group of A-clan whales answered her cries Sunday and entered the small bay where she'd
been penned for less than 24 hours. She was released and swam out into the waters off
Vancouver Island's northeast coast, not joining the other whales but staying within vocal
range.
Barrett-Lennard and Ellis tracked her Monday in a motorboat, using the last of three
transmitters attached with suction cups before her release.
Asked whether she had joined the whale group, Ellis replied, "No, she was just mixed in with
them."
But this was only her second day of freedom. There are weeks of summer ahead here as orcas
gather to feed along what Barrett-Lennard calls the "salmon highway."
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Ellis and Barrett-Lennard eventually pulled their vessel back to chat with a reporter and others
aboard a commercial whale-watching boat. They moved away because A73 had fallen behind
her group and seemed drawn to their engine noise - a habit she picked up in her solitary
travels.
While the hope is that she will join one of several groups of the A-clan whales who use her
dialect, she could also live out her life as a solitary whale, or tag along behind one pod or
another at a distance as a "satellite whale." There are 105 whales in the clan, one of three
orca "language groups" in these waters.
When all her transmitters have fallen off, Canada has a monitoring network of government
staff, area residents and other volunteers along the hundreds of miles of coastline on both
sides of Vancouver Island and all along the Inside Passage that separates the island from the
mainland.
Killer whales, actually a kind of dolphin, are found in all the world's oceans. The inland
resident populations of British Columbia and Washington state feed mostly on salmon, while
transient coastal populations eat marine mammals.
The resident groups are struggling now with dwindling salmon runs, increasing human
encroachment and pollution.
ORPHAN ORCA
Springer's Back in Tune with Fellow Whales
By Christopher Dunagan, Bremerton Sun Staff - 7/16/02
It didn't take the young whale much more than a day to make contact with her fellow orcas, who greeted
her with songs. After more than a day of hanging back and remaining alone, Springer caught up to her
fellow killer whales Monday afternoon in Robson Bight, the site of the famous "rubbing beaches."
The area, near the northern end of Vancouver Island, is a dedicated marine sanctuary, preserved primarily
for killer whales and their rituals of rubbing their bodies on smooth beach stones. Springer, or A73,
caught up with two groups of whales, about 5:20 p.m., just after the two groups had come together, said
Anna Spong of Orcalab, a nearby research facility specializing in orca vocalizations. The groups are
known as the A12 and A-35 matrilines, named for females that head each group.
"When they came together, they got very vocal," Spong said. "It was a pretty incredible moment, and we
were all happy to hear them."
Springer and virtually all of the whales in Johnstone Strait have been unusually quiet since the 2-year-old
orca was released to the wild Sunday, Spong said. The two groups of whales are not Springer's
immediate pod, but she has some distant relatives among them. While Springer's mother was alive, the
mother and daughter had traveled with the A35s for a time.
Since the marine reserve is a sanctuary for whales, the animals remain out of sight to most observers.
It's enough to know that the whales are together and that Springer has made no further attempts to
interact with people, Spong said. One brief encounter with a pleasure boat was reported Sunday.
"She may be figuring out what to do," Spong said. "It's a complicated society she's trying to get back
into."
Springer's mother is presumed dead, but her grandmother, aunt and uncle are traveling together not far
from where Springer was seen Monday evening. It was likely the whales could be within hearing range
Monday night or today, Spong said. Springer was released Sunday at Dong Chong Bay on Hanson Island
after a 12-hour boat ride Saturday from Manchester in South Kitsap, where she had been cared for a
month.
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Nobody knows why she initially left her fellow whales in Canada over the winter and ventured south into
Puget Sound, but the effort to return the young orca to her family has captured the hearts of people
throughout the world.
July 16, 2002 at 5:34 AM PST
Springer Spotted With Her Family
ROBSON BIGHT, B.C. - Two days after being released in her native waters, Springer, an orphan killer
whale who spent six months dodging ferries near Seattle, was trailing close behind her family pod.
And while she has not joined the group Tuesday, those monitoring her were pleased with her progress.
"She seems to be doing well. So far, so good," Deborah Phelan of Canada's Department of Fisheries and
Oceans said Tuesday.
The 2-year-old whale, dubbed A-73 for her birth order in her family group, spent much of Monday resting,
Phelan said.
She visited a favorite killer whale "rubbing beach" on Monday evening with a group of about a half dozen
members of A-clan, said Lance Barrett-Lennard, a Vancouver Aquarium whale expert who is monitoring
her.
Killer whales swim close to shore here on the east side of Vancouver Island and massage their bellies on
the smooth stones of the beach. It's the only place in the world where whales are known to exhibit this
behavior.
Phelan said there are no major concerns about the whale's behavior. The orca has weeks of summer
ahead here as orcas gather to feed along what Barrett-Lennard calls the "salmon highway."
While the hope is that she will join one of several groups of the A-clan whales who use her dialect, she
could also live out her life as a solitary whale, or tag along behind one pod or another at a distance as a
"satellite whale." There are 105 whales in the clan, one of three orca "language groups" in these waters.
A-73 did not appear to be bonding with any particular female, said Graeme Ellis of Canada's Department
of Fisheries and Oceans. Whale experts say that would be an ideal alliance for the little whale, who missed
months of education when she wandered south last year after her mother's death.
She was captured near Seattle on June 13 when her health worsened and her increasingly chummy
behavior around boats raised safety concerns. She was pronounced in perfect health after treatment by
U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service scientists and a group of private caretakers. Last Saturday, she was
transported about 350 miles by high-speed catamaran ferry to Hanson Island near here.
A group of A-clan whales answered her cries Sunday and entered the small bay where she'd been penned
for less than 24 hours. She was released and swam out into the waters off Vancouver Island's northeast
coast, not joining the other whales but staying within vocal range.
Barrett-Lennard and Ellis tracked her Monday in a motorboat, using the last of three transmitters attached
with suction cups before her release.
Ellis and Barrett-Lennard eventually pulled their vessel back to chat with a reporter and others aboard a
commercial whale-watching boat. They moved away because A-73 had fallen behind her group and
seemed drawn to their engine noise - a habit she picked up in her solitary travels.
When all her transmitters have fallen off, Canada has a monitoring network of government staff, area
residents and other volunteers along the hundreds of miles of coastline on both sides of Vancouver Island
and all along the Inside Passage that separates the island from the mainland.
Killer whales, actually a kind of dolphin, are found in all the world's oceans. The inland resident
populations of British Columbia and Washington state feed mostly on salmon, while transient coastal
populations eat marine mammals.
The resident groups are struggling now with dwindling salmon runs, increasing human encroachment and
pollution.
Page 123
ORPHAN WHALE
Springer Joins in With 'Orca Party'
By Christopher Dunagan, Bremerton Sun Staff - 7/18/02
Springer, the 2-year-old orphan orca, was seen frolicking with a large
number of killer whales Wednesday in Canada's Johnstone Strait, according
to Michael Harris of Orca Conservancy.
"It's an orca party," he exclaimed, "and she is right in the
middle of it, learning to socialize with a lot of whales."
Harris likened the situation to someone who comes to a party uninvited and goes from one
group to the next until she's a welcome guest. About 10 a.m. Wednesday, Springer rushed
into a group of whales, the A36 matriline, her distant relatives at best.
"She made a beeline and jetted right into the group with more enthusiasm than she's had for
any other whales," Harris said.
After announcing her presence by breaching — throwing herself mostly out of the water and
falling with a splash — she stayed with that group as more whales arrived. Harris said it is
possible that the total number could reach 100 in the next day or two. That's about the
maximum seen at any one time.
"I can only imagine the exhilaration she's feeling now, and maybe
she's a little nervous about it," Harris said of Springer. "Remember,
this is an experience she's not had for maybe a year."
Springer had wandered from British Columbia into southern Puget Sound in January,
sometime after her mother died. She remained alone in the ferry lanes off Vashon Island until
she was captured in June and taken to Manchester in South Kitsap. On Saturday, she was
returned to Johnstone Strait on a high-speed catamaran.

posted for: Annelise Sorg, Director
Coalition For No Whales In Captivity
RE: Donations to Vanc. AQ? NO WAY!!!
For almost 40 years, the Vancouver Aquarium made millions and millions of dollars exploiting orcas in
captivity - and how much did they spent on A-73/Springer? They say $80,000 - US$50,000 approx.
The sea pen, the salmon and the catamaran ride up North were all donated,
and costs for the month-long stay in a net pen close to Seattle were covered by the US government.
So how do you rack up $80,000 when the aquarium was in charge of the orca whale for only 12 hours?
Supposedly, half of the cost ($40,000) goes to pay for staff who are
aquarium employees in the first place! Apart from orca expert and
aquarium employee Lance Barrett-Lennard, did they really need to send a
bunch of staff like Angela Nielsen of media relations and president John Nightingale
who only seems to ask for money whenever there's a microphone close by?
Public reaction to the aquarium's plea for funds has not been good since the money is not
pouring in as expected. So now the aquarium has warned the public, that if cheques don't start
coming in soon, they will have to cut out some of their "programs". The aquarium never specifies
which programs, but I'm certain they have no plans to stop their lengthy TV and radio promotional
ads, nor will they stop their plans to purchase 5 more dolphins from Japan (at a couple of hundred
thousand dollars a dolphin, by the way).
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$80,000 is a drop in a whale tank for the Vancouver Aquarium. But if
you chose to believe that this multi-million dollar-a-year whale jail
located in Stanley Park, really needs the money, please contact me
because I've got a wild whale for adoption that I would like to sell to you, too!
Annelise Sorg, Director
Coalition For No Whales In Captivity
Box 461 - 1755 Robson Street
Vancouver, BC Canada V6G 3B7
Tel (604) 736-9514
Fax (604) 264-0653
E-mail [email protected]
July 19, 2002
Whale Rescuers Say Effort Worth the Cost
By PEGGY ANDERSEN of the Associated Press
SEATTLE - It cost at least $670,000 in cash and in-kind services to capture, treat and
transport an orphan killer whale from Puget Sound to her home waters in Canada, but those
who took part say it was money well spent.
(Actual cash costs were about $266.666 USD, which were covered by grant monies earmarked specifically for marine mammal strandings,
triggered by matching funds raised by U.S. environmental organizations like Orca Conservancy. - OC.)
"Absolutely," said Matt Nichols, who estimates the value of his contribution - use of the highspeed catamaran ferry Catalina Jet - at about $100,000. That includes $8,000 for insurance
coverage, to ease apprehensions about the unconventional 1,348-pound passenger.
"Delivering this little orphan kind of put tears in our eyes," said Nichols, president of Nichols
Brothers Boat Builders on Whidbey Island. The whale, dubbed A73 for her birth order in
Canada's A-pod and also known as Springer, became separated from her family last year after
her mother died. In January, she showed up at the Vashon Island ferry dock near here - in
poor health and hundreds of miles from home. She was freed in her home waters Sunday
after an unprecedented effort by U.S. and Canadian agencies and citizens. The National
Marine Fisheries Service, the agency that oversees marine mammals in the United States,
logged $200,000 in Prescott grants for stranded animals, $80,000 in out-of-pocket expenses
and at least $100,000 in corporate cash and in-kind contributions.
"When we get finished totaling it up I expect it to be considerably over $100,000," spokesman
Brian Gorman said of the private contributions. NMFS arranged capture of the 2-year-old
killer whale in mid-June and her care for four weeks in a nearby net pen - tasks executed by a
team of experts led by Keiko veteran Jeff Foster of Auburn.
"Everything about this rescue has been exceptional," said Bob Lohn, head of NMFS' regional
office here. "But the most heartening part has been the outpouring of help from so many
people."
Contributions included crane-barge loans, a foam pad used to cushion A73 during crane-barge
trips and hundreds of pounds of live salmon to feed her in the pen.
The Orphan Orca Fund, which provided $66,000 in matching funds to
secure the federal grants, also kicked in money to purchase king salmon to
feed the orca in Canada, said Michael Harris of Orca Conservancy, one of
seven groups that established the fund.
9:30am, Friday, July 19, 2002
Department of Fisheries and Oceans Update on A73
A73 joined the very large (60-70 whales) group of killer whales in Johnstone Strait (in the area of the Michael Bigg
Ecological Reserve and the rubbing beaches) late afternoon yesterday (Thursday). She was very difficult to identify
because her last VHF radio tag has fallen off (just as it was supposed to). It was only by comparing digital photos from
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yesterday and new photos of A73 taken before release that her identity could be confirmed. Graeme Ellis of the
Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Lance Barrett-Lennard of the Vancouver Aquarium were the only observers to
confirm that she was there (contrary to what was reported by some radio stations last evening - see italics below).
During the time she was observed in the Robson Bight area, Springer was associating very closely (side by side) with a
16-year-old orphaned female named A51. Dr. Barrett-Lennard and Graeme Ellis believe A51, whose mother was the wellknown female A25 (Sharky - because of her uniquely shaped dorsal fin) would be a good companion for Springer.
Late yesterday evening, the big group broke up with most of the whales heading west. They were reported in the vicinity
of Malcolm Island at 2100 (9:00 p.m.) by one of the Stubbs Island Whale Watching boats. Some of the large group of
whales headed east and were seen at Campbell River this morning at about 0900.
We don't know for sure if A73 is with the larger group heading west, but we believe it is possible, and given that the
group was not moving fast, she should have been able to keep up. There have been no reports last evening or today of a
whale rubbing on boats. There are still a few whales left in Johnstone Strait, but it is quite foggy there this morning.
Lance notes that if they follow their normal pattern, the group may cruise up to near Port Hardy, or even into Queen
Charlotte Strait, but should return to Johnstone Strait within a few days. It would be unusual (but not entirely impossible)
for them to leave the area for good so early in the summer. This seems doubly unlikely given the large numbers of
Chinook or King/Spring salmon in the area right now (these are the largest Pacific Salmon, and are orcas' favorite food).
Because of the difficulty in identifying A73, Lance notes that we can expect lots of "reported sightings," most of which will
turn out not to have been accurate. If DFO or the Aquarium hears about a whale approaching or rubbing on a boat, it will
be investigated immediately. Again, boaters are asked to actively move away from a small, lone whale approaching them.
Lance and Graeme report that there are humpback whales in the area (west of Johnstone Strait) this morning. They have
taken several photos of tail flukes for identification purposes.
Maze Salutes Orphaned Orca
KING 5 News - 7/18/2002
KENT, Wash. – A local farm has saluted Springer by making a maze in the orphaned orca’s honor.
Traffic KING caught the view from above Thursday morning at a field in Kent. It shows the orphaned orca
swimming with another whale.
The word "Springer" is also carved into the corn crop.
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_071802WABspringermaze.2326661.html
Natural Born Killers Condemned to Die
By DEBORAH JONES, Special to The Vancouver Globe and Mail - 7/20/02
VANCOUVER — The tale of Springer, the spunky orphaned orca, has the superficial tenderness of a Disney
flick. Below the surface, however, lurks a film noir: Just what is causing so many killer whales, Springer's
mother among them, to disappear from the waters off British Columbia?
Since January, when the lost and lonely youngster wandered into busy Puget Sound near Seattle, the
North American media and public have been transfixed.
Springer demonstrated no fear of humans and was approaching boats in the busy waterway. She also was sick
and underweight, so the U.S. National Marine and Fisheries Service captured her, nursed her back to health, then
sent her aboard a catamaran to Canada last weekend. Since then, she has been shadowing a pod of her relatives,
but still sidling up to boats that come near.
Scientists hope that her story will have a happy ending, that her affinity for humans will diminish and she will be
adopted by the pod. But little has been said about what produced Springer's predicament in the first place. And
unless that puzzle is solved, both she and her kind may face a future that
one expert describes as "a dead end."
Killer whales are sometimes called the canaries of the oceans. Miners carried the birds into coal pits, and as long
as they lived, the miners figured they could breath safely. Likewise, orcas are a barometer of the ocean
environment because they are at the top of the food chain and their complex social groups make them especially
sensitive to change.
Now scientists suspect that some of B.C.'s "ocean canaries" are gasping for life.
Emerging research suggests that noise from vessels hampers the orcas' ability to navigate, communicate and
hunt for food. As well, recent tests show that their flesh contains record-high levels of such toxins as
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polychlorinated biphenyls, which may make them more susceptible to disease and reproductive and neurological
problems. To make matters worse, overfishing of salmon and other marine species suggests that their food
supply is dwindling.
Such factors may explain the precipitous drop in Vancouver Island's so-called southern resident population.
Within six years, the number of whales off the island's southern coast has plunged from
100 to 78.
Researchers now fear that the whales, which elicit oohs and ahhs and are much photographed by ferry
passengers, boaters and coastal dwellers in B.C. and Washington State, are effectively extinct. Because whale
pods stay together for life, tend not to take in newcomers and now have so few breeding-age members left.
Some of the southern pods' woes can be explained by the capture of young animals for the aquarium trade in the
1970s. But even the stronger community of about 300 off the island's north coast has younger adults such as
Springer's mother vanishing. "It suggests," notes Volker Deecke, a marine mammal researcher at the Vancouver
Aquarium and University of British Columbia, "that something else is going on."
Some problems would be easy to fix if people simply paid attention, says Mr. Deecke, who is writing a PhD thesis
on orca acoustics. He suspects that noise pollution "could have a tremendous impact on these animals, although
we can't prove it yet."
Vessels are designed to expel exhaust and contain their propeller noises under water, for the benefit of people
above the surface. In areas of high marine traffic, the subsurface din is akin to a city full of cars without mufflers,
Mr. Deecke says. "We don't hear the noise because we've got our ears in the air. . . . The biggest problem is from
cruise ships, tankers and (fishing boats) pulling nets."
The navy and whale-watching industry already know how to rig vessels for silent running. Short of that, Mr. Deecke
recommends such simple measures as ensuring that propellers are working efficiently and mounting boat engines on
elastic shock absorbers. "The technology is out there, but people aren't aware of the problem,"
he notes.
Our Wild Emotional Ride with Springer
Proves to be Whale of a Tale
Why should we meddle with nature this way?
Here's why...
Paula Brook, Vancouver Sun - Tuesday, July 23, 2002
For those of us who love a good animal story, the adventures of
Springer the orphaned orca has been a wild ride. With each day's
news, we've found ourselves tossed this way and that on a sea of
emotions, which I suppose is nothing new where whale tales are concerned. Though this one might be the
best we've heard yet.
When they discovered the lost two-year-old killer whale last January, malnourished and ill and flirting with
death in a Puget Sound ferry lane, we were sick with worry. A two-year-old whale is about as smart as a
two-year-old human, and as vulnerable. No one believed she would live for long in all that traffic and
pollution.
When they corralled her into a rehab pen near Seattle in June, treating her for worms and whale pox and
fattening her up on all-you-can-eat salmon, we were relieved but torn: Would she survive only to star in
the Free Willy sequel, Free Springer?
When she was shipped to Johnstone Strait earlier this month to reunite with her pod, we were pleased and
proud – that our Canadian scientists have so much detailed, intimate knowledge of these creatures they
were able to trace her lineage directly to one nuclear pod within the extended family of 19 pods – 200 or
so killer whales – that ply the waters of British Columbia's Inside Passage each summer.
When she spotted her relatives within hours of arriving in her home waters and started breaching and
crying out to them in obvious excitement, we too were excited. What luck! What planning! What an
awesome display of love and longing in the wild!
Or were we kidding ourselves – ascribing our own feelings, along with our need for some good oldfashioned summertime adventure, to these mysterious animals?
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When her close kin appeared at first to ditch her, swimming off too fast for the little female to keep up,
the whale tale hit a sour note. We reran the story with a sad new plot line: What if Springer had not
simply wandered away from the pod after the death of her mother, as scientists had suggested, but had
been rejected – and would be again, and again? What's more, how would we keep her on the road to
reintegration (and away from Skid Sound) after last week's news that her radio transmitter had fallen off?
Another day, another worry: Rejected by her family, she immediately fell into her bad old habit of
swimming alongside boats, rubbing up against their hulls. An even sadder story sprang to mind – of
Keiko, the star of Free Willy, who has spent the last four years steadfastly refusing to be freed from his
rehab pen in Iceland. Teams of international scientists and millions of dollars have been spent trying to
deprogram the world's most famous trick whale. He now seems to get it that his dinner is more likely to
swim by than be tossed from a bucket, but he still seems to prefer human contact to a swim on the wild
side, and would probably die if released.
But wait a minute! Late last week, the sky suddenly brightened over a frolicking Springer who had latched
on to two distant cousins, also orphans. A hopeful note was sounded by pioneer whale researcher, Dr.
Paul Spong, observing the family drama from his OrcaLab on Hanson Island in Johnstone Strait. She may
stand a better chance bonding to whales that share her fate, he suggested.
So whales are capable of empathy? Who knew?
At this point you could say, who cares? The critics are starting to weigh in now, with questions about how
far we ought to go meddling with nature, trying to be heroes, spending close to a million dollars rescuing a
single whale while hunger and abuse and homelessness is rife in our own human pod.
But here's why we should. Because we have done this damage and are now, after decades of dedicated
research, able to undo some of it. We are learning to be stewards instead of trainers. Learning to listen to
the whales, and to the scientists who know what they're talking about.
Consider the work that has been done over the past three decades by Paul Spong and his army of
volunteers at OrcaLab. Believing that the best research is done in the wild with minimal human
interference in animal behavior and habitat, Spong has basically written the encyclopedia on orca family
life and has used it as a shield against market forces that would put whaling and whale shows back in
business, given an opening.
The same philosophy is espoused by the Vancouver Aquarium, which defended its own captive whale
program for years on the basis that public exposure would foster respect for these creatures and concern
for their natural habitat.
A lot of people didn't buy that defence, of course, and we all know what happened to the whale shows. Far
better for all of us creatures, large and small, is the kind of front-line action we've seen this month, for
which thousands of staff hours have been volunteered and a major fund-raising drive launched.
And what will you get for your donation, should you choose to dive into the rescue drama? The chance to
play a part in what we can only hope will be the first man-made reunion of a whale with its pod.
By the time you read this, who knows? Springer might be breaching and bumping happily with those
empathic orphans, or she might have made some addle-brained decision to leave her buddies for the
boat lane.
Who cares? Apparently, lots of us.
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This Seattle Weekly cover story features four Orca Conservancy Board Members and three Advisory Board Members.
FREE SPRINGER!
But while the Northwest pulled together to save one sickly whale, the remaining
Puget Sound orcas face an uncertain future.
BY MATT VILLANO, Seattle Weekly - 7/26/02
Far to the north, where the water runs chilly and beds of bull kelp hug the rocky coast, the orca whales
are back. Since the days of the Indians, members of northern and southern resident pods have returned
to the area around this time of year, mostly to mate and feed. The whales called "killers" travel hundreds
of miles from the open ocean to the area between Johnstone Strait and the Strait of Juan de Fuca,
spanning Canadian waters and our own, at the mouth of Puget Sound. Today they are as much a part of
Northwest culture as Mount Rainier, the Space Needle, and traffic on the floating bridges.
This year, however, the whales' home waters are a little colder than usual. First, while the population of
the three southern resident pods that frequent U.S. waters continues to decrease, the only whale that
anyone seems to care about is a wayward orphan from one of the northern groups, scooped from the
polluted waters off Vashon Island this spring. Perhaps more alarmingly, the federal organization that
governs local marine life refused last month to protect these clearly declining southern residents under the
Endangered Species Act, a law that would have all but ensured their survival.
The issues present a complicated paradox—it was undoubtedly important to save an orphan poisoned by
the effects of human overpopulation, but intervention diverted an unbalanced share of public interest,
federal money, and media attention from the whales that needed it most. Now, as researchers celebrate
the successful reintroduction of the whale known as Springer to her pod, many fear that it may be too late
to save more than this one whale, and that without similarly aggressive intervention on behalf of the
southern residents as a whole, the population could be headed for extinction within the next 50 years.
"That orphaned whale is a little messenger telling us that our orcas are in grave danger," Ken Balcomb,
who has studied the resident groups since 1976 and now serves as executive director of the Center for
Whale Research in Friday Harbor. "Instead of recognizing the breadth of this problem, learning from our
mistakes, and trying to change the ways our presence negatively impacts the health of these whales,
we're ignoring the message and focusing on the welfare of the messenger."
ALL FOR ONE
By now, the story of the Vashon orphan is as familiar as the saga of Microsoft. Nicknamed Springer by
scientists, the whale was first spotted off of West Seattle in January. Clearly malnourished and suffering
from a skin disease, the 2-year-old showed a particular fondness for floating logs and the Evergreen State
ferry, frequently nuzzling against the boat when it was docked for the night. Scientists immediately
identified the whale as A-73, so named for her birth order within her pod, a whale who lost her mother
and a number of other family members in 2001.
Nothing captivates the human imagination like the struggle of a survivor, and the plight of this whale was
no exception. "There's no question that people were drawn to this truly remarkable individual," says
Helena Symonds, co-director of OrcaLab, a Canadian research organization on Hanson Island near
Blackney Pass. "These are social creatures, and the notion that an animal (as young as Springer) could
survive without its family for so long is pretty amazing."
Springer's story became the feel-good animal tale of the year, and thousands flocked to catch a glimpse for
themselves. Lines on the Fauntleroy ferry were longer than anyone could remember in years. Kayakers and other
recreational boaters ventured out in record numbers. Whale-watch outfits cashed in, too, chartering "See
Springer" trips that sold out every time.
But as traffic around Springer increased, her condition worsened. Her skin disease spread from her mouth
to her blowhole, she stopped eating, and she appeared lugubrious, even catatonic. When scientists
determined that the whale could not get better without a change of scene, officials from the National
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) decided to intervene. NMFS freed up money from the Prescott Stranding
Grant program and arranged to have the whale transported to a makeshift holding pen near Manchester
for further tests and observation.
With the announcement of a federally funded rescue, private donations came pouring in, stoking the
attention of local and national media. In Bremerton, The Sun covered the animal like a celebrity. Seattle
papers and TV stations joined in with daily updates, clamoring on the editorial pages for a swift and
painless effort. On June 13, the day NMFS came to capture the whale, KOMO and KING staged live feeds,
broadcasting real-time WhaleTV all day long. Even Peter Jennings got in on the action, closing his national
newscast that same night with a fluffy feature from the waters of Puget Sound.
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"People from Portland, Ore., to Portland, Maine, were talking about this whale," says NMFS spokesperson
Brian Gorman. "It was like Free Willy all over again."
On the one hand, this hullabaloo helped save Springer. Yet the glut of attention prompted a vicious cycle
of public relations and spending on the governmental level—the more concerned about the whale people
seemed to get, the more resources NMFS had to expend to handle the situation. On the day of the rescue,
Gorman worked 16 hours straight. Sources add that the rescue cost more than $60,000—the single most
expensive marine mammal intervention since the effort following the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1988.
Eventually, of course, these efforts paid off, and researchers transported Springer up north, where she
found her family. Gorman estimates that the entire rescue, rehabilitation, and release process cost NMFS
$200,000 worth of federal Prescott money, $80,000 in out-of-pocket expenses, and at least $100,000 in
corporate cash and in-kind contributions—a grand total of about $380,000. Considering that the same
organization has never budgeted more than half this amount to research Puget Sound marine mammals of
any kind, the figure seems exorbitant. Still, NMFS regional coordinator Bob Lohn says his organization did
what it had to do to ensure that the orphan survived until she could be reintroduced to her northern
resident pod.
"We had never done anything like this, so we didn't know how or what to budget," Lohn explains. "The
way we looked at it, this little whale provided us with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for reintroducing a
sexually mature female animal to its pod. We were prepared to do anything and everything to get that
whale to safety."
THE "DOUBLE STANDARD"
As Lohn and Gorman wrestled with the Springer issue, a team of NMFS biologists at the regional National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) office in Sand Point was grappling with another orcarelated issue—the future of the southern residents. It's no secret that this population has declined from 98
to 81 since 1995, and local environmental organizations petitioned NMFS last year to protect the whales
formally under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Listing these whales as endangered would protect their
habitat and force a cleanup of Puget Sound, empowering special interest groups to sue over
noncompliance.
In theory, ESA protection was a no-brainer; the whales were in danger, and they deserved to be saved.
On paper, however, scientists ran into some trouble. An 11-member NMFS Biological Review Team had to
prove that the group in question had declined beyond repair and that it was a "significant" species or
subspecies or a distinct population segment. Team members agreed the population had declined
precipitously, but since current taxonomy classifies all orcas as a single species, they vacillated over the
"significance" of the southern residents to the species overall. Were the southern residents genetically
distinct? Would the 200-member northern resident population re-colonize the habitat if their southern
neighbors died off? Biologists claimed there wasn't enough information to answer questions like these and
therefore decreed that labeling the group a distinct population segment was problematic without more
specific data.
"If the law says there are only certain categories under which you can list a species for protection, you
can't say, 'Let's list anyhow and cheat this one time,'" says Marilyn Dahlheim, a biologist with the federally
funded National Marine Mammal Laboratory who also served on the review team. "Of course we wanted to
save these whales, but the law is the law, and we had a responsibility to stick to it."
What followed was perhaps the lowest point in the southern residents' march to extinction: Citing the
need for further research in the areas of genetics, distribution, and ecosystem relationships, NMFS
declined to list the southern residents under the ESA, instead granting them "depleted" status under the
Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) of 1972. Though this option requires NMFS to prepare a
conservation plan and a list of site-specific management measures designed to promote recovery, the
decision basically affords no new protections for the 81 whales.
Lohn announced the decision on June 25. The following day, front-page stories in local papers reported
the announcement baldly. One local television station ran a feature "investigating" the decision, focusing
on a report from the Orca Relief Citizens' Alliance that alleges whale-watch traffic negatively impacts a
whale's sonar ability to hunt for food. (Lohn vowed to crack down on what he said were "meddlesome"
whale-watch boats that break the 100-foot buffer zone required by the MMPA.) There were no follow-up
stories, no daily reports, and no editorial page efforts to spark intervention.
"It was a one-day story," says Michael Kundu, whose nonprofit organization, Project SeaWolf, was
involved with the Springer rescue from the very beginning. "If everyone was so interested in saving
whales, this decision should have gotten tons more attention than it did. Nobody really focused on the
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significance of what the government was saying. After the Springer (rescue), this was a total double
standard."
Kundu was not alone in his outrage; environmentalists across the board likened the NMFS decision to a
death knoll, attacking the media for silent complicity and assailing Lohn's attack on the whale-watch
industry as a witch hunt. Brent Plater, attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity and lead author of
the ESA petition, said the decision was a "new low in the annals of the Fisheries Service," adding that the
Orca Relief Citizen's Alliance report about boat traffic was ill-founded and that the whale-watch industry
has policed itself in recent years more than NMFS enforcers ever have.
Fred Felleman, a board member of the Orca Conservancy in Seattle, took these criticisms a step
further, saying NMFS "scapegoated" the whale-watch industry for a problem much more far-reaching and
costly to address. Felleman accused NMFS of "covering up" environmental abuses the government
perpetrates: "Most of the conditions in Puget Sound can be attributed to cargo ship traffic and the military,
which believes it's cheaper to leave pollutants than clean them up," he ranted. "Do you think the
government wants to take on big business, or that in a time of war, it would harass the Navy over some
dead whales? Think again."
Still others insisted that if NMFS had spent nearly as much time and money researching southern resident
orcas as it had to rescue Springer, questions surrounding single-species classification would have
disappeared years ago. A Seattle Weekly investigation uncovered that NMFS has not funded major
distribution or abundance research in the Pacific Northwest since 1976, when it awarded Ken Balcomb a
$30,000 grant for an extensive photo-identification effort that still serves as the bible for data on the
nearly 300 northern and southern resident whales. In the areas of genetics and taxonomy, expenditures
have been equally insignificant—NMFS sources decline to give specifics but admit the agency has spent no
more than $50,000 overall.
Even today, the $130,000 that NMFS recently earmarked for research on northern and southern resident
orcas pales in comparison to the $450,000 set aside to study orcas in Alaska (still a small amount
considering there are an estimated 1,200 whales there). Furthermore, most of the current money for
studying orcas in the Pacific Northwest is diverted from funds to research endangered chinook salmon,
which means the efforts must pertain to predator-prey relationships, only one facet of data on complex
ecosystem relationships.
"Much of our most current data on orca whales has been collected by private individuals who do it out of
concern for the survival of the species," says (Orca Conservancy's) Kelley Balcomb-Bartok, Ken's son,
who also has contributed whale research to a number of environmental organizations. "For whatever
reason, it's clear the U.S. government simply does not want to get involved in spending major money on
studying and saving these whales."
HELP FROM ABOVE
Across the border, things are a little different. Over the years, the dearth of American study on orca
whales has enabled Canadian researchers to dominate research and conservation. A majority of the
scientists who currently publish about orcas are from Vancouver Island, and experts from the Vancouver
Aquarium and Marine Science Centre were the ones to receive Springer from NMFS and monitor the
reintroduction to her pod. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)—British Columbia's version of
NMFS—listed both northern and southern resident populations under the province's Committee on the
Status of Endangered Wildlife three years ago. At the federal level, the Canadian House of Commons
recently passed a Species at Risk Act, which would grant the orcas even further protection once ratified by
the Senate later this year.
Most Canadian officials are hesitant to comment directly on the U.S. decision to decline southern resident
orcas protection under the ESA, though many privately expressed shock, saying they were "appalled" at
the U.S. for not considering a group of animals that frequently migrates back and forth over the border a
priority. Graeme Ellis, a DFO research technician who has spent decades working with Ken Balcomb, says
that overdevelopment in the region already has stressed the whales and to deny them protection only
exacerbates these problems. Patrick Higgins, political and economic relations officer with the Canadian
Consulate General here in Seattle, adds that with fragile animals living in a fragile ecosystem, it's better to
be safe than sorry.
"In Canada, we don't wait for 100 percent perfect science before we decide that a population is about to
crash," he explains. "The history of marine mammal management all over the world is that the moment
we tell ourselves everything is fine, it really isn't."
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Ellis cites the cooperation involved with resolving the Springer situation as an example of how things
should work: NMFS agreed to rescue the whale; Canada signed on to take custody and reintroduce the
animal to its family. But much of the major scientific burden with Springer now lies on Canada.
Here in Seattle, local politicians are trying to force bilateral protection through international cooperation
and planning. In a May 31 letter addressed to Lohn and Dr. John Davis, DFO's regional director general,
Washington's U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray called for a set of cooperative international
"protocols" to guide decision making with respect to orphaned whales in the future. Cantwell reiterated
this plea in her June 1 remarks at the University of Washington's Orca Recovery Conference.
"I recognize there are existing treaties between the countries on the subject of marine management," she
said, referring to the 1998 Pacific Salmon Treaty. "But cooperation between the U.S. and Canada is a
major component in the overall recovery (of southern residents) . . . because there's no doubt they are in
trouble."
There are other opportunities for cooperation, too. Unbeknownst to most Americans, an orphaned 3-yearold male from the southern resident population has been hanging around Nootka Sound on the west side
of Vancouver Island since late last year. American researchers say that because the whale, identified as L98, has attracted considerably less attention than its Puget Sound counterpart, neither NFMS nor DFO has
felt pressure to intervene. Still, they add, now that Springer has proven that reintroductions can work, an
extensive lobbying effort to return the sexually mature orca to its genetically strapped population could
force the governments to unite and act.
Another potential unifying issue is water pollution. Peter Ross, a research scientist with the Institute of
Ocean Sciences in Sydney, B.C., has spent years studying the differences in water quality from the
Johnstone Strait to Tacoma Narrows and says toxin levels near Seattle and Bremerton are as much as 10
times those near Victoria and Vancouver. Because northern and southern resident orcas frequent the
same general area, and are protected as endangered under Canadian law, the provincial government
technically could put pressure on NMFS to clean up the Sound. Ross admits, however, that international
politics make the odds of any such pressure fairly slim.
"Considering that we know we've got to work (with NMFS) down the road, I'd say that sort of adversarial
encounter is unlikely. The last thing we want to do is alienate the American government and lose any
semblance of cooperation for the tasks ahead."
BACK TO BASICS
How, then, can the southern resident orcas receive the kind of attention and protection afforded to
Springer? Within hours of the NMFS decision, Plater and his colleagues at the Center for Biological
Diversity had filed a lawsuit against the government, an action that will force further review. The next
day, Pam Johnson, field director at People for Puget Sound, held a press conference at Myrtle Edwards
Park during which she outlined steps for a calculated backdoor attack to gain the local orca pods a chance
at survival.
Johnson's strategy assumes that if the federal government won't grant southern residents the protection
and funding they need to survive, perhaps the state government will. Her approach hinges on lobbying
Gov. Gary Locke and state representatives to appropriate emergency funding for research to show that
the whales are genetically unique. It also includes calls for increased efforts to clean up Puget Sound's
Superfund sites and a formal request for a rescue tugboat to help prevent oil spills in the Strait of Juan de
Fuca.
"These are small steps the state can take to give the orcas a fighting chance," Johnson says. "If we are in
the business of saving whales, someone has to be putting money, resources, and energy into this
(dwindling) population."
Other environmental groups have vowed to wage other battles. At the Surfrider Foundation in Friday
Harbor, regional coordinator Kevin Ranker says he hopes to continue lobbying for tighter enforcement of
the Shorelines Management Act of 2000, a law designed to protect the habitats of the fish orcas eat that
has been paralyzed by lawsuits. At Friends of the San Juans, also in Friday Harbor, executive
director (and Orca Conservancy Board Member) Stephanie Buffum says she plans to redouble efforts to
research toxins in the Puget Sound food web, studying pollutants in fish as tiny as smelt and sand lance,
which serve as meals for many of the salmon that local orcas eat.
(Orca Conservancy Advisory Board Member) Dr. David Bain, an affiliate assistant professor in UW's
psychology department, plans to stage a public relations campaign that publicizes environmental efforts.
Bain masterminded the Orca Recovery Conference in June and says he and co-coordinator Will Anderson
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already are planning a follow-up conference for sometime early next year to further explore issues such as
whale-watch interference, orca genetics, and the movement to tear down the Elwha Dam.
"There are countless issues in and around the Sound that affect our southern residents," he notes. "As far
as we see it, especially after it seems everyone's attention has been diverted to A-73, you can never talk
or raise awareness about them too much."
Experts at NMFS have said that the government plans to conduct further research and re-evaluate its
decision about ESA protection in 2006. And already, Dahlheim admits, members of the Biological Review
Team have begun considering data they didn't have during their first assessment. This process, however,
may be nothing more than a formality—never in the ESA's history has the government reversed a
previous decision not to protect.
Whatever happens, as environmentalists and lawmakers wrangle over ways to address the dwindling
numbers of southern resident orcas, former Secretary of State (and Orca Conservancy Board
Member) Ralph Munro says it's important for every Puget Sound resident to rally around the whales the
way they rallied around Springer. Munro led the fight in the 1970s to stop the capture of orcas for
commercial purposes in Puget Sound; for him, the survival of the southern residents is an issue of local
pride. From the porch of his house on San Juan Island overlooking Haro Strait, Munro says the orcas are
an integral and irreplaceable part of local culture; in losing them, he states, we'd lose a bit of ourselves,
as well.
"Through all of this, we must remember that dating back to the Indians, these whales are a part of
everything that is the Northwest," says Munro. "I only hope we can save them before it's too late."
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. A73 (Springer) connects with A51, her aunt.
Photo/video courtesy of OrcaLab, Michael Harris and Orca Conservancy
7/25/02
A73 Meets A51
The Northwest's favorite orphan baby orca may have found a new mother.
The two-year-old orca – rescued from Puget Sound and reintroduced to Canadian waters – seems to have
struck up a relationship with a 16-year-old female.
It's early yet but scientists report the older whale, known as A51, has taken a motherly interest in the
baby, named A73 but better known as Springer.
Lance Barrett-Lennard of the Vancouver Aquarium says it's clear A51 is looking out for the baby. When
Springer tried to reach his boat, he says, A51 kept her with the pod instead.
The 'A' designation comes from the whales' birth order in their family group.
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Friday, July 26, 2002
Orphan Orca May Have Found a Pod
A bond seems to be developing between Springer and a female adult
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
VICTORIA, B.C. — An orphan orca transplanted to her native Canadian waters from Puget
Sound continues to swim with a 16-year-old killer whale, who seems to be taking a maternal
interest in her. The 2-year-old orca, known both as Springer and as A73 — for her birth order
in her family group — appears to have struck up a relationship with a whale scientists call
A51.
"It's not just that A73 has latched on to a group of whales," said Lance Barrett-Lennard of the
Vancouver Aquarium.
"It is clear that A51 is looking out for her."
A51 kept Springer with the pod despite Springer's efforts to reach his boat for a visit, BarrettLennard said. Researchers are hoping the young whale will join a pod of northern resident
killer whales to live out her days in the waters off British Columbia. She was captured in June
in the busy waters of Puget Sound, where she strayed after her mother died.
While in Puget Sound, A73, who would normally belong to a tight social group, became
increasingly attached to boats, raising fears that she or boaters would be injured. She was
also underweight and had a skin condition. Under a joint Canadian-U.S. rescue project,
Springer was nursed back to health and released into her home waters July 14.
Since her release, she has been monitored to see whether she will rejoin a pod and whether
other whales will accept her. Springer and A51 were seen together on July 18 and were
believed to be heading north with other whales. This week, Barrett-Lennard finally spotted the
A5 pod, which includes A51, east of Telegraph Cove.
When he saw A73, "she was acting just like a calf with A51," he said. Springer was bumping
into the older whale and rubbing up against her, he said. They were also with A61, the 8year-old brother of A51, and another male, A60.
For Springer to stay with the pod for that length of time, she would have had to be associated
with another whale, Barrett-Lennard said.
August 2002
.
SPRINGER UPDATES FROM ORCALAB
www.orcalab.org
OrcaLab News – August 2, 2002 Looking good!
Springer (A73) is showing every sign of adjusting successfully to her new life in the wild. When we saw her last,
two evenings ago, close in front of OrcaLab heading north, she was travelling closest to her natal matriline, the
A24s - with her “adopted” matriline, the A25s, not far behind. This is a very interesting and probably significant
development. From the beginning, Springer’s progress in reintegrating with her community has been
incremental. At first she remained at some distance from the other orcas; then she followed the A12s & A35s into
Johnstone Strait & eventually mingled with them, associating most closely with a young male, A55, before
heading into the rubbing beaches with the whole group; separating again, she spent the next day (July 16th)
worrying everyone with scary “boat behaviour”, then remained alone at the “top” of Blackfish Sound much of the
following day until being picked up by the A36 brothers and escorted back into the Strait; not long after, she met
up with the A25s - fellow orphans A51 & A61 - and stayed very close to them for over a week.
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During that time it became clear that 16 year old A51, who may have lost her first baby two years ago, was
paying very close attention to Springer & acting for all the world like an attentive mother. On two occasions she
was observed actively intervening as Springer headed off towards boats. One report came from researcher Lance
Barrett-Lennard (described in our 7.24 update). The other report came from Brian Faulkner, the skipper of the
whale watching vessel Lukwa when he was at the “top” of Blackfish Sound watching the parade of orcas passing
by in the evening. He noticed a very young member of a group of 4 orcas with small dorsal fins a couple of
hundred meters away suddenly turn and head towards the Lukwa - immediately, the largest female in the group
chased after the youngster, dove quickly underneath, & literally hurled her back towards the others! The event
was so startling that Brian thought it must have been A51 & A73. We felt confident that it must have been, as the
timing fitted our own observation of the progression of the whales as they headed “out” a short time earlier. In
the days that followed, we became increasingly confident that Springer’s impulse to approach boats was coming
under control. Just the same, we were quite worried at the prospect of a commercial fishing “opening” in
Johnstone Strait on July 30th& hoped the whales would elect to go elsewhere. They didn’t - in fact, they spent
the whole of that day & the next in the Strait, casually travelling back & forth amongst a fleet of gill net vessels
and their drifting nets.
Springer, so far as we know, approached no vessels at all, and indeed, off Cracroft Point in full view of the Orcalive audience, negotiated her way between a sports fishing vessel and a whale watching vessel without a pause.
We felt like celebrating! Very interestingly, at that time she was travelling ahead of A51 & A61, mixed in with a
group of other orcas that included her grandmother, A24. As the whales headed into the setting sun Springer
launched her little body into a full breach... and then she did it again, & again! An hour later, when the orcas
passed in front of OrcaLab, she was still with them - close to, though not right beside Granny... and with A71 &
A64, her mum’s siblings. The “new” association with her natal group was a logical one for Springer, as A71 had
already been spending time close to A73... in fact, from soon after A51 & A61 took her in tow. Needless to say,
we are enormously encouraged by these developments, and though we are not ready to pronounce Springer’s
reintegration complete, we do believe she is making great progress. In the 3 short weeks since her return to
home waters, Springer has been in the company of more than half of the 200+ northern resident orcas, 21 of her
community’s 34 matrilines, and families from all 3 clans. It seems to us that we been seeing clear signs of
bonding and acceptance as Springer makes her way back into her world... perhaps we have also been witnessing
rites that go with reunion. As ever, though not without anxiety, we eagerly await the orcas’ return, and the next
chapter in Springer’s tale.

Whale overboard
I have to admit that I was disappointed in Monday's Seattle Times. I appreciated the excellent articles on wildfires in Western states,
the problems with the stock market, and the upcoming congressional elections. But I frantically tore through the paper in a fruitless
frenzy for the real news.
What, no special section on Springer the whale? Huh, no follow-up on that rich guy who went around the world in a balloon?
Sometimes I wonder about your paper's priorities.
— Tom Tangen, Edmonds
Friday, August 2, 2002
Springer Sticking Close to New Mom
Researcher is encouraged by what he's seen of orca, her pod in 2 weeks
By PEGGY ANDERSEN, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The orphan killer whale that was returned to Canadian waters after she strayed into Puget Sound last
winter has been with the same pod, and the same surrogate mother, for the past two weeks. At one point,
the adult female appeared to prevent her young charge from approaching a researcher's boat — a habit
that had raised safety concerns when the juvenile orca strayed into busy waters off Seattle.
"We're very pleased about this relationship," said the researcher, Lance Barrett-Lennard of the Vancouver
Aquarium, who has been monitoring the orphan since her July 14 release east of British Columbia's
Vancouver Island.
"We've no idea if it will stick ... but it's as good an outcome as we could imagine at this point."
It's not quite three weeks since U.S. and Canadian officials arranged the little whale's relocation to her
home waters. She was captured near the Vashon Island ferry dock June 13, fattened up and treated for
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some minor health problems in a nearby net pen, and then sped north on a high-speed catamaran ferry
July 13. She was released less than 24 hours later.
The orphan female, a 2-year-old dubbed A73 for her birth order in Canada's A-pod and known as
Springer, hooked up with the nine-member pod July 18. Since then, she's been with the A5s, a subgroup
that uses the A-clan dialect, as they feed on summer salmon runs. She appears to have bonded with a 16year-old female called A51, also known as "Nodales." (A73 has also bonded with her eight-year-old aunt,
A64.)
"It seems not to be just a case of Springer latching on to her. It's kind of a mutual thing," said another
veteran killer-whale researcher, John Ford of Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans. The boat
incident clinched that impression for Barrett-Lennard.
He'd been taking photos of the two whales last week as they swam about a half-mile from the rest of the
pod. A73 is much harder to identify now that her satellite tags have fallen off, and photos will be used to
detect distinctive markings for identification purposes.
After ignoring the boat for 30 to 45 minutes, A73 "started swimming towards me," Barrett-Lennard said.
Well aware of her history of too-close-for-comfort encounters with boats, he moved away quickly.
"As I did, I looked back and I could see A51 had come after her, followed her towards me," he said. "The
two of them surfaced about halfway between their original position and my boat. ... I could hear some
kind of squealing. After sort of tussling there for 10 or 15 seconds, the two of them turned and swam
back" to their original location.
"I was pretty convinced that A51 followed A73 and prevented her from moving too far away," he said. "I
have no idea if she was trying to prevent her from approaching me or from leaving her."
But he said it's the kind of behavior observed between mothers and calves. "You'll see the mother pass in
front of the calf and turn it in the direction she wants."
For him, the incident was evidence of "reciprocalness in the relationship. It convinced me this is not just a
case of A73 finding a placid female she's following around."
Thursday, August 8, 2002
To
Whales, Sonar Just Sounds like a Bad Idea
By ROBERT L. JAMIESON JR., SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER COLUMNIST
Aaahhh, summer.
Time for sun, fun and urgent messages from the blue sea.
Like this one from the deep:
Dear Robert,
Wassuup?
It's me.
Springer!
The kid orca.
I'm not all washed up.
Not to rub a fin in your face, but I proved you WRONG!
I'm behaving myself. Staying away from people. Avoiding boats.
Sticking with my own kind.
I've found a cool whale gang near Canada – the A-5s.
They're a splash. And I even get their whale lingo, eh.
Got a new big sister, too. Name's Nodales. She's 16, cool and digs me.
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But the reason I'm writing is because, well, I need your help.
As the whole world knows, folks have been spending lots of money to save me.
Something south of a half-million bucks.
And then THIS.
Did ya hear?
President Bush gave the Navy the green light for a powerful whatchamacallit.
A sonar. A $300 million gizmo.
Problem is, this doodad uses low-frequency waves that can hurt orcas and other marine life. Even kill us.
Talk about a slap in the blowhole.
So I'm hoping you'll help spread the word.
Thanks, Springer.
Dear Springer,
Glad to hear you may have been right.
Seems as if you've found a nice whale posse. Hope it works out.
This sonar development, however, doesn't sound good.
I did some checking around and learned a thing or two.
The Commerce Department's National Marine Fisheries Service just granted the Navy a five-year
exemption from the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Basically, the exemption allows "harassment" of marine animals by the new, intense sonar.
The Navy calls the device the Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System.
A real mouthful.
The fisheries service issued a statement, saying that with proper monitoring and safeguards, "marine
mammals are unlikely to be injured by sonar activities."
Yeah, right. Sounds like that flaky Hollywood agent who said you had the chops to be "the next Keiko."
Anyway, the government says you don't have to worry yourself sick about the sonar system because it'll
probably just affect "small numbers."
Common sense suggests otherwise.
After all, you rely on sound for communication, so it only figures that sonar interference could be harmful.
Low-frequency sonar from the government system travels several hundred miles.
I also hear its transmissions are on a frequency used by many whales, including your friends, the
humpbacks.
Uncle Sam admits that each of the sonar's 18 speakers puts out a signal as loud as 215 decibels.
That would be like me standing next to a twin-engine F-15 fighter jet — at takeoff.
Ouch!
Isn't it true that whale eardrums explode at 180 decibels?
And remember what happened two years ago in the Caribbean, when the Navy
did a submarine- detection drill using a strong sonar device?
Within hours of the exercise, at least 16 whales and two dolphins beached themselves.
Some of those whales died, and scientists found hemorrhaging around the brain and ear bones. That
suggested exposure to loud sounds.
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Of course, the Navy promises it will stay 12 nautical miles away from the coast, and keep away from key
biological areas.
But like so many other whales and marine mammals, you are so darn curious, Springer.
From now on, you had better swim clear of subs.
If you sense a Navy vessel coming, skedaddle, OK?
It would be a shame if, after all the cash humans used to help you as an orphan, you got your bell rung by
some pricey war toy.
Talk about irony.
Can you see the headline to that whale tale?
"Springer Sunk by Sonic Boom."
No one wants your blowhole to get slapped like that.
Maybe humans will try to help you, perhaps by writing the government. In any case, be safe, girl. It's a
dangerous ocean out there.
July 2003
The True Test – Will Springer Return Safely to Johnstone Strait After Her First Winter Out to
Sea? And If She Does Make it Back, What Does That Mean for Luna?
7/10/2003
All's Fine With Springer
By GARY CHITTIM / KING 5 News
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. ORCA CONSERVANCY – THE SPRINGER FILE
Page 138
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. 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.
Thursday, July 10, 2003
Orca Rescued From Puget Sound is Spotted off
Coast of Vancouver Island
By The Associated Press
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — A killer whale rescued from Puget Sound was spotted yesterday safe and sound
with her family off the coast of northern Vancouver Island, indicating a successful reunion with her pod. The orca, whose official name is A73 but is known as Springer, was rescued by scientists last summer from the
busy waters of Puget Sound in Washington state. She had strayed there after her mother died, but was far from
her family and became increasingly attached to boats. She was also underweight and had a skin condition. Under a joint Canadian-U.S. rescue project, Springer was nursed back to health and transported to Telegraph
Cove, off the northern tip of Vancouver Island. She joined up with her family when her great-aunt’s pod of resident killer whales swam through Johnstone Strait.
Springer now looks healthy and appears to have kicked the unsafe habit of hanging around boats.
WHALES
Page 139
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.
"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 circus-like this year."
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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." Seattle Times Editorial Staff Tuesday, July 14, 2003
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. ORCA CONSERVANCY – THE SPRINGER FILE
Page 141
Much about Springer's case is exceptional, but the reunion project has confirmed for scientists many theories
about these mammals and inspired new ones. 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. ORCA CONSERVANCY – THE SPRINGER FILE
Monday, July 14, 2003
Page 142
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. 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." ORCA CONSERVANCY – THE SPRINGER FILE
Page 143
"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.
Page 144
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 frolic 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 hope 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 orcas, away from humans, if you give them a choice between humans
and orcas, every time they choose other orcas."
Page 145
Meanwhile, Back at Vancouver Aquarium…
Page 146
August 2003
Re: Changing Toilet Paper. (left) Annelise Sorg of No Whales in Captivity;
John Nightingale of The Vancouver Aquarium.
Page 147
December 2004
THE BIG PICTURE…
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 ESA
Conservationists Hail Decision to Protect Orcas, Demand Bush Protect
Endangered Species Act
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.
"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.
Page 148
"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
Transboundary Puget Sound Orcas Win Threatened Listing
SEATTLE, Washington, December 17, 2004 (ENS) - A group of 84 killer whales that lives on
both sides of the Canada-U.S. border will be proposed for a listing as threatened under the
U.S. Endangered Species Act, federal fisheries officials said Thursday. These whales, known as
the Southern Resident population, spend several months each year in Washington state’s
Puget Sound where they are risk from pollution and vessel traffic.
At a news conference in Seattle, officials of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA
Fisheries) said they had received a petition to list the whales under the Endangered Species
Act (ESA), but decided in 2002 that listing was not warranted, although they recognized that
these whales were "in trouble." Commonly called killer whales, they are also called orcas, after
their scientific name, Orcinus orca.
The listing decision stems from a lawsuit filed in December 2002 by Earthjustice and the
Center for Biological Diversity on behalf of Ocean Advocates, Orca Conservancy, Friends of the
San Juans, People for Puget Sound, former Secretary of State Ralph Munro, Karen Munro, and
Earth Island Institute.
Canadian groups Sierra Legal, the Georgia Strait Alliance and the Western Canada Wilderness
Committee joined their American allies in the court challenge.
The conservationists' lawsuit argued that once the agency determined that this orca
population is discrete and in danger of extinction, it had a legal duty to extend Endangered
Species Act protection. The suit charged that the agency acted illegally by superimposing its
own value judgment and deciding that the Southern Residents are insignificant.
Page 149
Bob Lohn, head of the NOAA Fisheries northwest regional office, says that because of the way
scientists classify all killer whales as a single world-wide species, the Southern Resident
population did not meet the criterion of biological “significance” under the ESA.
On December 17, 2003, the federal district court in Seattle agreed with the conservationists.
The court overturned the NOAA Fisheries decision that found the Southern Resident orca
population was not "significant" and so did not qualify for protection under the Endangered
Species Act. The court gave NOAA Fisheries 12 months to file a revised decision, which was
announced Thursday, just in time to beat the deadline.
“Our recovery efforts are already under way for these killer whales,” said Lohn . “We've had
workshops and consulted with experts on development of a conservation plan, essentially
identical to the recovery plan that an ESA listing would require.” A draft of the conservation
plan is expected to be available for public review by February 2005.
The conservation planning resulted from NOAA Fisheries’ designation of the Southern
Residents as "depleted" under the Marine Mammal Protection Act in May 2003.
The whale population peaked at 97 animals in the mid-1990s and then declined to 79 in 2001.
It currently stands at 84 orcas. The count does not include two calves born to the group this
year. They will be officially included if they show up in the 2005 census.
In April, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission added the Southern Resident orcas to
the list of state endangered species.
“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. “The federal government refused to protect this remarkable family of whales until
the people of Puget Sound came together, and, with one voice, demanded it.”
Canadian conservationists were delighted with the listing decision. "Canadians share with our
American neighbors the responsibility of protecting these magnificent animals and their
habitat from various threats, including toxic pollution, boat noise and harassment and declines
in their prey, primarily Chinook salmon," said Peter Ronald of the Georgia Strait Alliance.
"This ESA designation will provide the strongest available protection for our imperilled orcas,
requiring a comprehensive recovery plan to address these threats," Ronald said. "Both of our
countries must do everything possible to reverse the decline of these the most famous whales
in the world."
The Orca Relief Citizens' Alliance (ORCA) based in Friday Harbor, an island in the San Juan
group on the U.S. side of the border, says the three pods spend up to eight months of the
year in the San Juans.
"We are encouraged scientists are now aware of the damage that has been done to this
specific orca population." says ORCA founder Mark Anderson. "However, more emphasis needs
to placed on protecting these whales on a daily basis."
Anderson says ORCA commissioned three studies that show the proliferation of whalewatching boats in the area is a major factor in the whales' decline. On some days observers
have counted 140 boats from dawn to dusk. Even though federal whale-watching guidelines
urge watch boats to slow down, be respectful and not approach closer than 100 yards, the
whales still suffer from the intrusions.
"Everyone who loves the orcas can help these whales survive. They can respect their privacy,
restore them the ability to find fish, and stay off boats." says Dr. Birgit Kriete, executive
director of Orca Relief. "Land based whale watching is the only sure way to do this."
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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, Earthjustice explains.
They use a unique language to communicate with each other. 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 among the most intelligent animals in the world, hunting as a team and
taking turns babysitting the young whales. Many of these whales have lived together for
decades. Several of the females are believed to have been part of the same family group for
90 years.
The proposed ESA listing determination of this population as threatened will be published in
the Federal Register next week and will be open for public comment for 90 days. Two public
meetings are scheduled to allow interested parties to present their views: in Seattle on
February 17 and at Friday Harbor February 28.
November 2005
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Government Agrees to List Puget Sound
Orcas as “Endangered” Species
By LISA STIFFLER
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.
Page 151
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.
NOAA Magazine || Commerce Dept.
FISHERIES AGENCY LISTS PUGET SOUND KILLER WHALES
AS ENDANGERED
Nov. 15, 2005 – A group of killer whales that visits Washington state’s Puget Sound every summer has
been listed as an endangered species under the federal Endangered Species Act, NOAA Fisheries Service
announced today.
Known officially as Southern Resident killer whales, they were proposed a year ago for “threatened” status
under the Endangered Species Act.
“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.”
A species listed as threatened is at risk of becoming endangered; an endangered species is one at risk of
extinction.
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. (Click NOAA image for larger view the group of Southern Resident killer whales resting
near the San Juan Islands, Wash. Click here for high resolution version. Please credit “NOAA.”)
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.
Page 152
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 new listing under the Endangered Species Act 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.
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 our 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.
NOAA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, 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.
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.
Page 153
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."
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) 791-1887
Mike Sato (People for Puget Sound) (360) 336-1931
Fred Felleman (Ocean Advocates) (206) 595-3825
Stephanie Buffum (Friends of the San Juans) (360) 378-2319
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
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."
Page 154
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.
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.
Page 155
"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
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.
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.
Page 156
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."
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
PATH TO PROTECTION
May 1, 2001: Ten environmental groups petition National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to list Puget Sound
orcas as “Endangered.”
June 25, 2002: NMFS decides not to list orcas under Endangered Species Act, decides to protect under Marine
Mammal Protection Act instead.
Dec. 18, 2002: Five environmental groups and individuals sue in federal court, challenging decision not to
declare the orcas “Endangered.”
May 29, 2003: NMFS determines that the orcas are "Depleted" under Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Dec. 17, 2003: U.S. District Court judge rules in favor of environmentalists, tells NMFS to reconsider
listing decision.
April 3, 2004: State Department of Fish and Wildlife lists orcas as "Endangered."
Dec. 16, 2004: Fisheries service announces plan to list orcas as “Threatened.”
Nov. 15, 2005: Fisheries service declares local orcas "Endangered."
ESA WARRIORS – Orca Conservancy Board of Directors 2001-2005 – (l-r) President Michael Harris, Fred Felleman (also NW
Director of Ocean Advocates), Kelley Balcomb-Bartok (also Center for Whale Research), Stephanie Buffum (also Director of Friends of the
San Juans), Brian Calvert (also Port Commissioner of Friday Harbor) and Ralph Munro, five-term Washington Secretary of State.
Page 157
SPRINGER UPDATES FROM ORCALAB Springer has been spotted with her family every summer since her rescue
and reintroduction. In July 2013 she turned up in the research area with her
first baby in tow. Go to www.OrcaLab.org to keep up with Springer.
OrcaLab News -‐ October 4th, 2005 Springer's Summer Like the touch of fine silk caressing skin, Springer’s presence amidst her community was barely noticeable this summer. She was there, but she has become integrated so well that it was often difficult to find her among the crowd of other orcas visiting Johnstone Strait. By no means invisible, and still clearly identifiable via her striking “open” saddle patch, Springer is now a normal young orca in practically every way. Her status as an orphan, and the extraordinary adventure that took her away from home and then back again, of course make her unique. But it is clear that Springer has now joined the ordinary flow of life of the northern resident orca community, that she has a secure place among her close and distant kin, that she is where she belongs! Springer was among the first “northern resident” orcas that returned to the Johnstone Strait this summer, on June 22nd. It was early morning at first light, and they came along the Hanson Island shoreline in Blackney Pass in a playful muddle of A12s, A4s and A5s. They were so close to us, and so jumbled together, that it was surprisingly difficult to determine exactly who was there. From their mix of A1, A4 & A5 calls, we had known whom to anticipate, but still we were only able to confirm just a few individuals. One group of 4 matched the profile of Springer’s adoptive family, Yakat’s “A11” matriline. It wasn’t a positive identification, but we believed Springer was there. At a certain point, we decided to relax and absorb the beautiful whale-‐filled moment, enjoying the spyhops and breaches that punctuated the orcas’ swim towards Johnstone Strait. All too soon, they disappeared from sight. Over the next 2 weeks we thought we heard Springer’s unique voice several times, but a definite sighting did not occur until July 8th. The day before, we had become momentarily worried when Yakat (A11) and her 2 offspring, A13 & A56, passed by us in clear view, without Springer! Then we heard an “A4” voice among the calls of Scimitar`s “A12” family, which was following the A11s. We thought that Springer may have gone off to play with her young cousins, but could not spot her among the group. The next day, Springer finally showed herself to us, in her usual place beside her great aunt Yakat. In the weeks that followed, Springer and the other “A11s” spent much of their time in eastern Johnstone Strait, making only occasional trips to the west and into our view. In the east, she spent a lot of time with the A8 matriline of the A5 pod, and seemed to especially enjoy the company of Holly (A42) and her 2 year old baby, A79. On July 21st, the A8s and A11s made a brief visit to western Johnstone Strait, with Springer in their midst. For a few days after, the A8s & A11s travelled with Scimitar’s family (the A12s), forming an old comfortable alliance that we have seen before. It wasn’t long, however, before they left the A12s and returned to the east. Springer was among a crowd of 60 orcas when she departed the “core area” on September 6th . This was the last day we saw her this summer. Now 5 years old, and visibly bigger than she was a year ago, Springer is becoming increasing comfortable among the other orcas, blending with her community. We take this as a sign of success. It is also an affirmation that the efforts of so many, that led to Springer`s 2002 return to her family and community, were well worthwhile. OrcaLab News -‐ July 14 2006 Springer’s 4th Anniversary July 14th, 2006 marks the 4th anniversary of Springer’s repatriation. The little orphan orca, who’s dramatic rescue and return to her family captivated the world in 2002, is now 6 years old and a fully functional member of her A4 pod and Northern Resident orca community. Springer was in her usual place in Yakat’s A11 matriline when she first arrived in the Johnstone Strait on June 27th, and (with the others) quickly settled into the familiar summer routine of socializing, feasting on the new season’s salmon runs, and rubbing her still-‐small body in the smooth pebbles that make up the “rubbing” beaches of the Michael Bigg-‐Robson Bight Ecological Reserve. On the anniversary eve of her repatriation, Springer was amongst a large, energetic group of orcas that included all 3 matrilines of the A4 pod (A11s, A24s, A35s) as well as the A8s, a group from the A5 pod. Just after dawn, the orcas traveled quickly from eastern Johnstone Strait, swimming easily with one of the biggest ebb tides of the year; they were in a boisterous mood, evident from flukes flipping, spyhops, breaches and sudden splashes as they headed through Blackfish Sound and past Dong Chong Bay, the site of Springer’s release; then, when the tide turned to flood again, all the orcas headed back to Johnstone Strait, where they met up with the A12s, one of the A1 pod matrilines. The A12s were headed west, pushing against the tide, but as so often happens when orcas meet, Springer’s crowd turned & joined them. An hour later, all the orcas had turned and were east bound again, now swimming with the tide, heading towards the Ecological Reserve and the rubbing beaches, their voices joined in a rowdy chorus. Such is the day by day routine for young Springer. Quite clearly she is thriving, visibly bigger than a year ago, and absolutely at home. We can’t know what Springer was thinking as she swam along in the early evening, but couldn’t help noting that all of the orcas into whose company Springer had been released on that remarkable day in 2002 were once again with her. OrcaLab News -‐ November 15th, 2007 Good Springer News Springer has returned to Johnstone Strait, and she looks great! Almost 3 anxious months have passed since the tragic oil spill in Robson Bight, which exposed fully 25% of the Northern Resident orca community to toxic diesel fumes. Springer’s family, the A4 pod, was one of the groups which spent several hours amidst a dense diesel fog in Robson Bight the night after the incident. During the 2 weeks that followed, none of the A4s, including Springer, displayed obvious symptoms. But just the same, we were worried about them, and when they left we wondered if we would see all of them again. Two months later, on November 7th, we heard the welcome sounds of the A4 pod in Blackfish Sound once more. We thought the calls were probably from Springer’s adoptive family, her great aunt Yakat’s group within the A11 matriline, though we couldn’t confirm their presence visually. An A5 group was with them, and a couple of days later they were joined by Scimitar’s A12 family. On November 10th, we were able to see all 3 groups as they headed slowly north through Blackney Pass against a strongly flooding tide. The groups were quite mixed up, but we were fairly sure that all of the A12s, all of the A8s, and all of Yakat’s group (including Springer) were there. We managed to get photographs of most of the orcas, to confirm their identities. All the behaviour looked, at least superficially, to be normal. The youngsters were in a playful mood, splashing about and flipping their flukes, and several of the orcas spent time foraging as they entered Blackfish Sound. Springer was traveling with her close cousins Nahwitti (A56) Current (A79) and Echo (A55). She appeared energetic, and her skin condition was the best we’ve ever seen it. Needless to say, seeing Springer and more than a dozen (16) of the 58 orcas who were impacted by the August 20th oil spill was heartwarming and reassuring. It’s far too early to say that the orcas are all out of danger, but we can say that 3 months after the incident, everyone in these 3 families looks fine. That’s good news. OrcaLab Springer News for 2008 and 2009 – Doing great! ORCA CONSERVANCY – THE SPRINGER FILE
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Environment Northwest Springer the Once-Orphaned Orca is a Mom by Gary Chittim, KING 5 News (NBC Seattle) July 9, 2013 It usually doesn’t work. When humans interfere with nature, the results are usually not good for nature. So when several people from a diverse range of groups came together in 2002 to save a young wayward orca in Puget Sound, a tide of skepticism rolled in. The plan was to capture the young female orca and take her to rejoin her pod some 250 miles away. Complicating factors included the fact that Springer was not well. She was also getting dangerously close to boats and ferries; she was too young to make it on her own. As Michael Harris of Orca Conservancy puts it, “Some activists wanted to leave her alone, hoping that somehow she’d find her way home. Marine parks took an interest in the young resident orca. But other groups, including OrcaLab, the Free Willy-‐Keiko Foundation and Orca Conservancy, successfully persuaded NOAA Fisheries to directly intervene, capture the orca and return her to her family in BC.” It worked and today Harris announced “Springer,” the once-‐orphaned orca, has a calf. The orca calf was spotted on July 4th with its mother off the central coast of Vancouver Island, BC. That leaves no doubt the young whale was accepted by and is thriving with her pod. It’s an unlikely outcome. Some of the groups cooperating on the rescue would not sit together in the same room much less share boats and resources. And capturing an orca without injuring is difficult; keeping it alive during a long journey and getting it back together with its pod, well, that’s unheard of. Does that sound skeptical? It should, I was. Now I’m just amazed. Once-Orphaned Orca Surfaces With Baby of Her Own by Matt Lorch , Q13 Fox News (FOX Seattle) July 8, 2013 Springer the killer whale, once orphaned and then rescued with human intervention, is back with a calf of her own. The orca was seen last Thursday, July 4, off the central coast of Vancouver Island, Canada, with a baby. Researchers confirmed on Monday that Springer is a new mother. Springer, also known as A73, was in 2002 the subject of what is believed to have been the first-‐ever successful rescue and repatriation of an orca. In January 2002, the orphaned orca was found sick and alone in the congested ferry lanes off West Seattle, some 250 miles from her home waters of Johnstone Strait, British Columbia. Her plight became top story in the local media, and soon an intense debate raged about what to do with the wayward whale. Some activists wanted to leave her alone, hoping that somehow she`d find her way home. But other groups, including OrcaLab, the Free Willy-‐Keiko Foundation and Orca Conservancy, successfully persuaded NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Fisheries to directly intervene, capture the orca and return her to her family in Canada. Another key supporter of the Springer rescue was the Whale Watch Association Northwest, now known as the Pacific Whale Watch Association. That summer, Springer was corralled in Puget Sound, brought to a sea pen site in Manchester, Wash., to undergo medical tests, and then once cleared of any communicable diseases, put onto a 144-‐foot catamaran and taken to Johnstone Strait. The next day, Springer was released into her natal pod, and after a few days and with the help of her extended orca family, she was back to being a wild whale again. “It’s been 11 years since her release back to her home waters and her story continues,” said Helena Symonds of OrcaLab, which hosted the Springer effort on Hanson Island, Canada, and was a key operational lead on her repatriation. “This is great news given all she went through as an orphaned calf, her rescue in Seattle and her successful release back to the wild,” said Dr. John Ford of Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. “Let’s hope both she and her calf continue to thrive.” Researchers will be watching Springer’s calf. It’s estimated that some 40 percent of newborn resident orcas in the Pacific Northwest don’t survive their first year. Springer the Orca is a New Mom By KOMO Staff (ABC Seattle) July 8, 2013 Springer, the orphaned orca that made headlines around Seattle 11 years ago when she was the first orca to be captured and reintroduced to her pod, is now a mom. The orca, also known as A73, was spotted near Vancouver Island with her baby on July 4, according to the Pacific Whale Watch Association. Springer was discovered in January 2002 all alone along the ferry lanes off West Seattle, some 250 miles from her home waters of Johnstone Strait in British Columbia. As many worried the whale was frequently getting too close to ferries and other boats for her own good and the safety of boaters, debate raged as to whether to leave the orca alone, or have her taken to a local aquarium. Eventually, the decision was made to capture Springer and return her to her home pod in B.C.-‐ the first time such a reunion was attempted. That summer, Springer was corralled, brought to a seapen for a medical checkup, then loaded on a catamaran and brought back to Johnstone Strait, PWWA said. The move has worked out well. "This is what we've been dreaming of since the day we first discovered her off the ferry dock at Fauntleroy," Michael Harris, Executive Director of the Pacific Whale Watch Association, said in a statement released to the media. "Every step of the way, this little orphaned orca had enormous obstacles to clear. Would she be healthy enough to rescue? Would she get medical clearance for a trip home? Would she be accepted back into her pod? Was this a crazy idea to even try? And yet, Springer kept surprising us all."

The Springer File - Orca Conservancy

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