Whale Tales - Springer

Springer

A73 (Springer) in Johnstone Strait August 28, 2002
Photo by Joseph Alicea

A73 (Springer) News Clips, Sightings Reports and Forum comments
beginning July 14, 2002

• View previous reports, from January 3, 2002 to July 13, 2002

• What Do You Think About Springer? by Susan Berta and Howard Garrett

• Observations of a small killer whale in Puget Sound by Ken Balcomb

• NMFS Summary Report on Springer

• Mixed in with Springer's story is Luna's story

Springer in Johnstone Strait August 11, 2011 (third from top, with open saddle patch)
Photo by Jeff Hogan, Killer Whale Tales

From Orca Network Whale Sightings Archives:

Thursday, January 3, 2002 - First is a report of a lone orca in Swinomish Channel, called in by 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 10, 2002 - 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.

July, 2017 - Springer and her new calf. Image: Photo: Lisa Spaven, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

A second calf for 'Springer' the orca, 15 years after famous rescue

An orphaned orca famous for an against-all-odds return to her community has become a mother – for the second time around. 

The whale in question, A73 or "Springer", was first seen with her new charge last month by whale research station CetaceaLab off the north-central coast of British Columbia, and the birth was recently confirmed by the Department of Fisheries and Ocean Canada.

NOAA Fisheries: Orphan Killer Whale A73 (Springer)

In 2002, a juvenile female killer whale was observed alone in Puget Sound, Washington. NOAA Fisheries and our partners worked together to rescue this orphaned killer whale known as Springer.

A juvenile female killer whale, thought to be 18-24 months old, was observed January 14, 2002, in central Puget Sound in Washington State. The occurrence of a solitary animal was unusual because killer whales normally travel in tight family groups called pods. Orcas usually seen in Puget Sound consist of several pods called the Southern Residents. This whale isn't part of that population, and it is rare for an orca to be in Puget Sound during winter.

Several groups involved in killer whale research and conservation worked to identify this animal. They confirmed that she is A73 (“A” for her family group and “73” birth order) and had been on her own since the likely death of her mother sometime before summer 2001. This orca is a member of the Northern Resident population, which is typically seen in the summer about 300 miles to the north in waters between the Canadian mainland and Vancouver Island. It is unusual for a Northern Resident killer whale to be in Puget Sound.

Springer the whale returns to BC
August 17, 2011 (KWCH News) The Orca is the only known wild whale to have been successfully reunited with her pod.
First spotted with her mother in July 2000, Springer was sighted in the summer of 2001 swimming with another female whale, but did not return to Johnstone Strait with the rest of her pod.
In January 2002, Spring was seen swimming solo between West Seattle and Vashon Island. Known for her friendly behavior – she fearlessly approached people in boats – her behavior caused grave concern among local environmental groups.
By the summer of 2005, scientists and whale experts report that Springer is fully integrated with her pod and appears to be a normal and healthy whale.

Young whale's tale is story of success
June 14, 2007 (Seattle Times) Five years after Springer's rescue, the orphaned orca's relocation to her pod in the wild appears to be an unqualified success.
The rescue, five years ago Wednesday, was launched after the female orca, 2 years old at the time, was spotted alone, far from her home waters off northern Vancouver Island in Canada.
First seen near the Vashon ferry dock in January 2002, she had bad skin, worms in her stool and bad breath. She also appeared lonely and was hanging around ferries and small boats, looking for attention.
"I could move my hand in a circle, and she would roll over; it was amazing," said Ken Balcomb, of the Center for Whale Research in Friday Harbor. "I am dog-sitting a dog right now that was not as good as Springer.
"It was like she was auditioning for SeaWorld. I'd splash water, and she would spit and splash back. She wanted to interact. She had nothing else to do down there, and people were her entertainment."
On June 13, 2002, the orca, by then nicknamed Springer, allowed herself to be hoisted in a sling and moved to a holding pen off Manchester, Kitsap County. Before long she was eating 60 pounds of salmon a day and gained 112 pounds.
A month later, the fisheries service coordinated her boat trip home. Springer was released from a holding pen in her home waters the next day, as her pod swam by. The young orca and her family had already recognized each other by their vocalizations.
It worked. Before long, Springer, or A73, left the area and rejoined her pod. After that, she was seen with her family regularly. Last examined by scientists in August 2005, she was acting like a normal orca in every way. She was still undersized, but no longer the smallest member of her pod. She swam fast, ate well, looked good. She has been spotted with her pod since then.
"It was a successful effort," Balcomb said. "We can save these whales; it's a matter of wanting to."

SPRINGER IS BACK, AGAIN!! ORCALAB
June 28, 2004
For immediate release

The return of Springer
Orphaned orcas success bodes well for Luna reunion

Today is a day of celebration for Johnstone Strait orca watchers and researchers. Springer, the orphaned orca who was reunited with her pod via a historic project in 2002, has been sighted in the Johnstone Strait for the first time this season. Springer returned in the company of her great aunt Yakat (A11) along with Yakat’s 2 offspring, and 3 adult male orcas, the A36 brothers. This morning, tiny Springer spent hours sandwiched between the huge forms of two male orcas, almost invisible from a distance. Her distinctive calls gave her presence away to listeners at Hanson Islands OrcaLab research station around 1am, and eventually her distinctive open saddle patch was spotted by observers from B.C. Parks Warden programme. There is now no doubt about it Springer has survived another winter, and she is still with the close relatives she bonded with in 2002.

Further information:
email orcalab@island.net
P.O. Box 510 " Alert Bay " B.C. Canada " V0N 1A0

One lonely Orca with something to prove
July 15, 2003 (Seattle Times Editorial) 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.
Much about Springer's case is exceptional, but the reunion project has confirmed for scientists many theories about these mammals and inspired new ones.

July 10, 2003
For immediate release
For further information:

Dr. Paul Spong
Tel: 250-974-8068
Mobile: 250-974-7174
Email: orcalab@island.net
The return of Springer

Springer (A73), the orphaned baby orca whose dramatic rescue and return to her home waters in British Columbia made headlines around the world last summer, has been sighted again. The sighting was made yesterday morning by observers aboard the Naiad Explorer, a whale watching vessel operating in Queen Charlotte Strait in the waters of northern Vancouver Island. Springer was in the company of about 30 orcas including the "A11" matriline which is closely related to Springer. The A11s were one of the groups which Springer associated most closely with in the period following her release last July. Springer was in their company along with several other orca families when she left the area early last October. She had not been sighted again during the winter and spring, causing speculation about her fate. Following the return of the vessel to port digital images obtained by photographer Rolf Hicker were emailed to researchers at OrcaLab who confirmed Springer`s identity.

"Springer is in excellent condition," said Dr. Paul Spong, OrcaLab’s director. There can now be no question about the success of the return project as it is clear that Springer has resumed living a normal social life among her kin and community. This is wonderful news; it is also a great day for everyone who believed in Springer and who believe that other lonely and lost orcas like Luna can succeed in returning to a normal life as well."

In referring to Luna, Spong was speaking about another unusual instance of a solitary orca known to scientists as L98. He is a 4 year old member of "L pod" who has been swimming alone in Nootka Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island for over two years. L pod is one of the groups that make up the endangered "southern resident" community of orcas that inhabit the waters of Washington State and British Columbia. Luna has become well known for his habit of pushing small vessels around, diverting them from their course and even preventing them from leaving the dock. Canada`s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has decided against intervening with Luna, preferring to let "nature take its course" but mayor Dave Lewis of Gold River is fearful of the outcome if nothing is done. "Someone`s going to get hurt" said Lewis in a recent interview, voicing his concern that Luna might be shot by a frustrated boater. Spong agrees. "As a social being, Luna has substituted people for orcas", said Spong. "This can be cute at times but Luna is much bigger and more powerful than people. It won't take much of a mistake on his part to injure or kill someone. Whatever the cause of a mishap, Luna will be blamed and his fate sealed. He will be destroyed as a "nuisance animal" or captured and sent to a tank, and I doubt the public would approve either end. I just wish the DFO would step in and give him a hand before it`s too late."

Springer’s successful journey home seems certain to boost Luna`s chances of a similar rescue. "I can only hope the DFO will now reconsider its position on Luna", said Spong.

Springer the orca spotted safe and sound
July 10, 2003 (Toronto Globe and Mail) Springer the orca was spotted safe and sound with her family off the coast of northern Vancouver Island on Wednesday, indicating a successful reunion with her pod, BCTV on Global reported.
Last summer, scientists rescued the lonely killer whale from the waters of Washington state's Puget Sound, where she was far from her family and quickly losing weight.
Springer, whose official name is A73, was transported last July 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.

Springer's success inspires whale experts
July 11, 2003 (Seattle Times) 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.
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.
Springer safe, but what future does Luna see? July 11, 2003 (Bremerton Sun)
Orca whale reunited with family July 11, 2003 (BBC)
Scientists Cheer Return of Canadian Orca Whale July 11, 2003 (Reuters)
Orphaned orca welcomed back by pod July 11, 2003 (Victoria Times-Colonist)

Orphaned orca facing first winter at sea after Puget Sound rescue
November 13, 2002 (The Olympian) The orphaned killer whale rescued from busy Puget Sound last summer and ferried north to rejoin her family in Canada now faces her next big hurdle: a winter at sea.
The 2-year-old orca -- called A-73 for her birth order in Canada's A-pod and also known as Springer -- is believed to have left Johnstone Strait off northeast Vancouver Island last month with other so-called northern resident killer whales.
It is unlikely researchers will see them again until next spring. "This is the real test, whether she makes it through this winter," said researcher John Ford of the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
"We'll just have to wait and see."

Aug. 25, 2002
Thanks for your comments, everyone... for those of you who are following Springer's story (just about everyone, I think) she has been seen this morning in the company of A11 & A56 (from the A11 matriline of the A4 pod) and A12 & A33 (from the A12 matriline) and A28 (from the A8 matriline of the A5 pod). Researcher Graeme Ellis did the ID work, so it is certain!
Paul@OL
25 Aug 2002 09:40:41 PDT
Orca Live

Whale watchers spot Springer with her family
August 21, 2002 (Victoria Times-Colonist) Family ties are proving powerful for Springer, the orphaned orca still swimming with relatives more than a month after her release into Johnstone Strait.
"She's basically touring around with the A-4 pod," said Helena Symonds, who co-manages the non-profit OrcaLab on Hanson Island, off northeast Vancouver Island. Springer returned to the waters off Hanson Island Monday afternoon in the company of a cousin and a great-aunt.
The whale had not been seen for three weeks, returned briefly Aug. 17, and then left the immediate area for a few days. Watchers were thrilled with the latest sighting.
"It means that she's with her family. Those bonds are getting stronger daily," Symonds said.

Orphaned orca seen returning to Johnstone Strait -- with family
August 21, 2002 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) The orphaned orca brought from busy Puget Sound back to her native waters off Vancouver Island seems to have found a place among her relatives, whale watchers say.
The 2-year-old killer whale, known both as Springer and A-73, was spotted last weekend returning to Johnstone Strait after a three-week absence. She was swimming with her aunt and possibly some cousins, said John Nightingale, president of the Vancouver Aquarium.

After Springer, should L-98 be moved too?
August 19, 2002 (Northwest Cable News Network) There's more good news on the little whale that captured the hearts of people around Puget Sound and beyond. Springer has been seen again last weekend, and that's a good sign for helping out another whale in trouble.
L-98 is that other orphaned whale who has be hanging out in Canada's Nootka Sound for a little over a year – a male who belongs further south in the San Juan Islands.
The Canadians think L-98 could survive alone for another winter. The Canadian government expects it will meet next month to decide on whether to intervene sooner to move L-98.

August 17, 2002
Here is some GREAT news from Helena Symonds and Paul Spong of OrcaLab - Springer is back, and is with her Grandmother's pod, the A4's on the rubbing beach!! They also met up with the A5's, her other orphaned orca buddies. We are SO happy to get this wonderful news, we couldn't wait to let you all know....
Susan

Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom.
There are whales on just about every station. The A4 calls are on the rubbing beach, the A36s are on Flower (they went west past the Lab with the Ds and the I22s earlier) while the A12s came back from the west and met up with the A5s, A4s (including A73!) and continued east with the A30s and I31s who had come up to Blackney Pass to say "good-bye" to the Ds and I22s and "hello" to the incoming A4s. It has been quite the day!
Helena
17 Aug 2002 13:31:36 PDT

August 16, 2002
From the Vancouver Aquarium, a few more details on Springer:

A73 Could be with A4s, Experts Speculate
A73, the orphan killer whale recently reunited with her family members in Johnstone Strait, may be swimming with the A4 pod, the group which contains her grandmother. A73, or Springer, has not been positively identified by researchers since July 31. Up until that time, she had been seen on numerous occasions with A51 and A61, two whales from the A5 pod. She seemed to form a particular bond with A51, a sixteen-year-old female orca who is also an orphan. But on Thursday, August 15, A51 and A61 were seen without A73. This leads whale researchers such as Helena Symonds of Orca Lab to believe that Springer could be with the A4s, who have not been seen in the Johnstone Strait area since July 30. There have been no reports of lone killer whales approaching boats, so experts are optimistic that Springer has remained with a group of whales. But scientists know that because of the complex social structure of killer whales, it is too early to say what Springer may do in the future. "While it is encouraging to see that A73 has created a tight bond with A51, it is premature to claim Springer's reintroduction complete," said Dr. Lance Barrett-Lennard, Senior Marine Mammal Scientist for the Aquarium. "It is important to note that A73 spent at least a month (and likely longer) associated with a female from G pod last fall before ending up on her own." More information will be posted as it becomes available. Thanks to Stubbs Island Whale Watch and Orca Lab for their help with today's report.



August 2nd, 2002 - Update on A73 by Dr. Paul Spong

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.

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 Barret-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 Orca-live 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.

Orphaned orca sticks with A-pod
August 2, 2002 (Seattle Times) 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 nearing a researcher's boat — a habit that had raised safety concerns when she strayed into busy Seattle-area waters.
"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.
Springer sticking close to new mom August 2, 2002 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

From OrcaLab's OrcaLive website:
The whales have now travelled beyond our hydrophone range, so we are hearing no calls... quite possibly, we'll hear them again later tonight, or in the morning. This has been a great orca day which was capped by the wonderful sight of Springer (A73) travelling with her family (A24s) as well as A51 & A61, close in front of OrcaLab...
goodnight everyone!
Paul Spong, OrcaLab
31 Jul 2002 23:15:56 PDT

FREE SPRINGER!
July 31, 2002 (Seattle Weekly) But while the Northwest pulled together to save one sickly whale, the remaining Puget Sound orcas face an uncertain future.

Watch the whales
July 29, 2002 (The National Post) Canada's orca population is declining and the fate of one young mammal is highlighting their precarious future, says Anne McIlroy
Canadians have been avidly following the story of an orphan killer whale, whose fight for survival has brought attention to the plight of the species in Canada.

Orphan orca may have found a pod
July 26, 2002 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) A bond seems to be developing between Springer and a female adult.
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 A-73 -- for her birth order in her family group -- appears to have struck up a relationship with a whale scientists call A-51.
"It's not just that A-73 has latched on to a group of whales," said Lance Barrett-Lennard of the Vancouver Aquarium.
"It is clear that A-51 is looking out for her."

Orphaned orca finds surrogate mother
July 25, 2002 (Toronto Globe and Mail) Springer, the orphaned orca, is making friends, and this time, they are not all boats.
Scientists tracking the young female killer whale off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island reported yesterday that she has been seen swimming in close contact with three other whales, after disappearing with the same whales five days ago.
The group included an older female that appeared to be instructing the inexperienced Springer in the watery ways of the whale world.
When the young whale took up her old habit of approaching a boat to rub against its hull, the older orca, known as A-51, "swam over and seemed to guide Springer away from the boat and back to the other whales," the scientists reported in a press release.
"A-51 is from a different pod, but the two whales seem to have bonded," said John Ford, marine-mammal scientist at the Nanaimo-based Pacific Biological Station. "Springer is swimming alongside as if it were her mother."

Orphan orca may be bonding
July 25, 2002 (Seattle Times) The 2-year-old orca relocated to the waters off Vancouver Island may be bonding with a 16-year-old female orca.
A-73, dubbed Springer, has been mingling with the 40 to 50 orcas congregated in Johnstone Strait. On July 18, many of the whales, including Springer, left the area, said John Ford, marine-mammal scientist for Fisheries and Oceans Canada. They returned Tuesday and A-73 seemed to have latched onto A-51, a closely related whale that vocalizes in the same dialect, he said.
Most female orcas bear a calf when they are between the ages of 14 and 16, but A-51 either hasn't had one or may have had one that died.
"She's sort of at that age, so she might have a strong maternal drive," Ford said. "It's looking very encouraging."

July 23
Hi Susan and Howie
I just wanted to report another sighting of Springer, at approx. 8:00 PM last night (July 23). She was near the head of a large procession of killer pods entering Johnstone Strait from the west, and was closely associated with A51 and A61, members of A5 pod. She seemed energetic and healthy, but did have a number of new teeth rake marks from interactions with other killer whales. The last previous confirmed sighting was 18 July by myself and Graeme Ellis, and on that occasion she was also tightly associated with A51.
Thanks for help in finding her yesterday (she was a bit of a needle in a haystack) go out to Bill and Donna MacKay and Helena Symonds.
Lance Barrett-Lennard, PhD
Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre

09:30, Friday, July 19, 2002
This update provided by Dr. Lance Barrett-Lennard via Dr. John Nightingale, Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre President.

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 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 Aquarium were the only observers to confirm that she was there (contrary to what was reported by some radio stations last evening). 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 well-known 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 killer whales' 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.

Springer should inspire protection
July 20, 2002 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) Springer's now-excellent adventure has featured enough excitement to inspire everyone from scientists to ordinary citizens. The orphaned orca has brought out the best in people here and in British Columbia.
She has also reminded Washingtonians of the need to care for a spectacular environment.
Orcas still face plenty of environmental threats and a questionable future. But Springer's return to British Columbia showed how deeply people care about orcas. The inspiration from Springer should help motivate further efforts to protect orcas and Washington's inland waters.

Orphan orca exhibiting important social skills
July 19, 2002 (Seattle Times) More than 50 orcas are in the area, including A-73's grandmother and other family, said John Ford, marine-mammal scientist for Fisheries and Oceans Canada. While A-73 continued to approach boats Wednesday, there were no reports of the orca rubbing up against boats yesterday.
"It's very encouraging that she's spending time with other whales and losing the habit of rubbing against boats that she developed in the Seattle area," said Ford.
Yesterday, A-73 spent part of the day socializing with A-51 and A-61, a young brother and sister who also lost their mother.

Thursday, July 18 (Orca Network Sighting Report)
From OrcaLab's Orca Live
Great news... Springer has been found - she is with A51 & A61, the "other" orphans! They were sighted at the "top" of Blackfish Sound, with other orcas, including some of the Rs. We are listening to their calls on the Flower Island hydrophone.
Paul Spong
18 Jul 2002 17:40:11 PDT

Orphan orca can't keep up with pod
July 18, 2002 (Seattle Times) The whale, named A-73 for her birth order in Canada's A-clan, has been spotted swimming with other orcas, but it appears she lacks the stamina to swim "at speed" with them, Lance Barrett-Lennard, a Vancouver Aquarium scientist, said in a dispatch to the aquarium Web site yesterday.
"When they are moving along slowly, cruising or feeding, she is fine," he said. "When they left her, she resorted to her old habit of approaching boats."
"She's got to be in bad shape," said Alexandra Morton, a killer-whale researcher who has watched A-73 since her release. "It's going to be a toning process."
Monitors are encouraging boaters to stay away from A-73. If she does approach, they are being asked to back away slowly.
Meanwhile, dozens of other killer whales are headed back to Johnstone Strait for the summer, raising the possibility that A-73 will soon encounter more orcas and possibly be adopted by one.

Orca delivery done, skipper back in Everett
July 16, 2002 (Everett Herald) All Michael Bennett wants is a shower.
After spending a weekend catering to the needs of a killer whale, Bennett started thinking about himself again after returning to his office at Mosquito Fleet, an Everett-based whale-watching and boat charter company, Monday afternoon.
Bennett was one of two volunteer captains of the 140-foot catamaran ferry that helped transport Springer, the orphaned killer whale, from Puget Sound back to her native waters near Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The vessel was donated by Nichols Brothers Boat Builders of Freeland.

Orca 'doing amazingly well' in pod
July 16, 2002 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) 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.
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.
Springer speaks the same language as her relations, and their conversations were picked up yesterday by Spong's hydrophone system.
Young orca spends hours with her family July 16, 2002 (KING5-TV)
Springer Spotted With Her Family July 16, 2002 (KOMO4-TV)
Orphan killer whale swims free in her native waters toward an unknown future July 16, 2002 (Reuters - Environmental Network News)

Scientists set orca free as pod gets near
July 15, 2002 (Seattle Times) At last, after nearly a half-year wallowing in Puget Sound, a month in rehab and a daylong, high-speed ride home, the orphaned Canadian orca A-73 yesterday was reunited with her family.
At least she swam toward them, pausing only briefly to play with some kelp. She then got within 100 yards of them, coyly looked them over and swam off in a different direction.
Release officials were extremely optimistic that A-73, also known as Springer, would be eager to see family members after she appeared to hear a group of about 30 killer whales vocalizing around 1:30 a.m. yesterday near her net pen in Dong Chong Bay.
A-73 became very excited, leaping as high as the handrails of her pen, calling loudly and pushing at the front of her net toward the open water.
Pioneering work helped ID Orca July 15, 2002 (Victoria Times-Colonist)
Springer flirts with family July 15, 2002 (Victoria Times-Colonist)
Springer swims free July 15, 2002 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Orphaned orca released; joins, leaves pod July 15, 2002 (KING5-TV)

Returned To The Wild
July 14, 2002 (KOMO4-TV) An orphan 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 near Seattle and brought to a temporary home off north Vancouver Island for release.
"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.

A new course for orcas July 14, 2002 (Seattle Times) Yesterday, on live TV, two governments came together aboard a donated high-speed ferry to haul an orphaned orca from a Puget Sound pen to the waters of her old home off Vancouver Island. Our view on orcas, an icon of the Northwest, it seems, has shifted 180 degrees.
Few studies have been undertaken on the reintroduction of marine mammals. Experts, including those who have worked with the now semi-wild Keiko, agree that a successful reintroduction of A-73, or Springer, would be a first.

Orphaned orca has good night in new home
July 14, 2002 (KING5-TV) Dave Huff, veterinarian for Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Center, said as soon as she was put in her net pen, Springer was immediately vocal and animated.
“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 spy hopping, looking around. It looked for all the world like she was absolutely thrilled to be home,” said Huff.
Huff said Springer spent the night hunting the live salmon that had been released into the pen.
Dr Lance Barrett-Lennard, Vancouver Aquarium marine mammal research scientist, said at about 1:30 a.m. scientists got a call from Orca lab indicating that a pod, including Springer’s immediate family, was traveling up the passage in the direction of the bay that Springer’s held in.
Barrett-Lennard said at about the time the call came in Springer became very excited and began to breach and call very loudly.

Springer's early story

from January 3, 2002 to July 13, 2002, before she rejoined her family.
Back to later Springer reports

A73 (Springer) News Clips, Sightings Reports and Forum comments
Note: many of theses links are no longer available.

Mixed in with Springer's story is the story of Luna (L98),
far away from his family.

Orphaned orca arrives at Canadian home
July 13, 2002 (KING5-TV) The jet-powered catamaran arrived just off of Telegraph Cove at Hanson Island, just north of Vancouver Island, B.C. around 6:30 p.m., after a 10-hour ride with Springer in a tank on board.
And dinner will be waiting for her when she arrives. The First Nations Tribes in Canada caught 75 live salmon, which now swim around in Springer’s new net pen.
The plan is to get Springer stabilized and prepared for the right opportunity to reunite her with her pod. Scientists want the A-24 pod of orcas to be within at least listening range for Springer.
Orca calls can travel over a distance of several miles, but scientists hope to get Springer close enough to where she can see the other orcas very quickly.

Second whale relocation effort underway
July 13, 2002 (KING5-TV) Biologists and researchers from Canada and the U.S. loaded an ophaned whale, popularly nicknamed Springer, into a holding tank aboard a high-speed catamaran early Saturday morning in an effort to reunite her with her family.
The whale appeared unperturbed by the procedure as a crane lifted her from her pen and into a waiting tank on the catamaran shortly after 6.
Young killer whale's journey home begins July 13, 2002 (Seattle P-I)

With clean bill of health, orca heading home Friday
July 10, 2002 (Seattle Times) Her skin problem is gone, her breath is fresh and her worms are history. Time for Puget Sound's orphaned Canadian orca to go home.
A-73 is scheduled to be lowered into a net pen in Telegraph Cove around 6 p.m. Friday. The reintroduction team then will wait for members of the A clan, a group with a similar acoustic dialect, to pass by on their way south from Alaska to their summer feeding grounds, said Lance Barrett-Lennard, a Vancouver Aquarium marine-mammal scientist and co-leader of the reintroduction's scientific team.
Friday is moving day for orca July 10, 2002 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Orphan orca will hop a boat home Friday July 10, 2002 (Bremerton Sun)

Springer To Begin Journey Home Friday
July 9, 2002 (KOMO-TV) Canadian fisheries officials made a big announcement Tuesday morning on moving Springer, the orphaned orca captured in Puget Sound.
They've set Friday morning as the time at which they will begin to move Springer to the waters off Vancouver Island.
Orphaned Orca To Head Home Friday July 9, 2002 (KIRO-TV)
Orphaned whale to be moved to B.C. Friday July 9, 2002 (KING-TV)

Orphan orca ready to head back home
July 3, 2002 (Seattle Times) 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 yesterday.
"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 medical tests to their Canadian counterparts over the weekend. She was found to have no communicable diseases, and an itchy skin condition and an internal condition that made her breath smell like paint thinner have cleared up.
Orphan orca healthy, ready to reunite with family July 3, 2002 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Springer Ready To Go Home July 3, 2002 (KOMO-TV)
Orphan Orca Healthy, Ready To Reunite with Family July 3, 2002 (KIRO-TV)
Sick whale going home to Canada July 3, 2002 (CNN)

Hoping Springer's Call Is Music To Pod's Ears
June 25, 2002 (KOMO-TV) "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.
"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.

Scientists wait for test results as Springer perks up
June 23, 2002 (Victoria Times Colonist) Springer the killer whale calf is staying in the U.S. for at least another week to wait for medical test results.
The two-year-old northern resident whale won't be in the clear until final test results for viruses and bacteria are in. Blood tests were taken Thursday and more tests are scheduled for Tuesday.
If she's healthy enough and does not have any medical problem that could endanger other whales, she will be moved to Johnstone Strait, off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.
Once there, Springer will be contained in a sheltered area to wait for the rest of her pod to show up this summer. It's hoped that her group will accept her and that she will want to rejoin them.
An acetone smell on her breath, which might have indicated a medical problem, has disappeared. Springer's caregivers are trying to stave off depression, which can lead to stress. Her favourite stick and a log are among items Fisheries Services staff are using to keep the whale interested in her surroundings and responsive.

Baby orca's health is better, and experts are upbeat
June 22, 2002 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) The bad breath has faded, the worms are going and the orphaned baby orca of Puget Sound looks healthy enough to be shipped back to her native Canada within a month, federal fisheries officials said yesterday.
The orca's handlers also think they know what's causing the pesky skin irritation that has plagued the young killer whale -- and it's probably nothing that a reunion with her long-lost family won't cure.
"She's responsive, she's bright, she's alert and she's sensitive to a lot of things in her environment," said an upbeat Dr. Pete Schroeder, a veterinarian treating the orca. "She has pretty close to a clean bill of health now. ... Her best move now would be to take a trip north."
Two tests have also shown that the orca does not have an inborn genetic defect affecting her metabolic system, as National Marine Fisheries Service scientists originally feared. That notion stemmed from a chemical-like odor on the breath of the whale, which remains unexplained.
Orca's fate turns on new tests June 22, 2002 (Seattle Times)

Springer Could Be Moved To Canada In 2 Weeks
June 21, 2002 (KOMO-TV) 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.
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.
No Date Set For Orca Move to Canada June 21, 2002 (KIRO-TV)

Remote bay awaits orphan orca
June 21, 2002 (Tacoma News-Tribune) The isolated cove, about the size of a small lake, may soon become the temporary home of the ailing orphan orca caught last week in Puget Sound. The whale that scientists call A-73 is the focus of the world's first attempt to rescue, heal and return a lost whale to her native waters.
Veterinarians who examined the orca the day of the capture said she was skinny by whale standards, but preliminary medical test results suggest she suffers from nothing that might prevent her eventual release. However, Canadian officials say they won't bring her north until the medical evaluation is complete, which probably won't happen until at least next Thursday, said Michelle McCombs, a spokeswoman for Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Jim McBain, the SeaWorld veterinarian who helped capture the orphan whale, has said he believes the 2-year-old could be adopted by a maternal female in the northern resident group.

Springer Gets Big Appetite
June 20, 2002 (KOMO-TV) After days of light nibbling, a solitary young killer whale captured in busy central Puget Sound last week ate 10 salmon Thursday in her net pen at a federal research station on the Kitsap Peninsula.
Thursday's intake totaled about 50 pounds - getting closer to the 60 to 80 pounds a day recommended to increase her weight.
Test results from blood and other samples taken from A-73 last week may not be available until Tuesday, Gorman said. Of special concern are tests for communicable disease that could pose barriers to her release in Canadian waters.
Preliminary reports don't show anything alarming, he said.
"She's doing well and she's in good physical shape. ... She's in relatively good health," Gorman said.
Once she's certified healthy, the plan is to move her to a netted-off cove on the east side of Canada's Vancouver Island, where her pod spends summers - arriving as early as late June or as late as August.

Orca getting used to pen, eating more
June 20, 2002 (Seattle Times) The whale is eating "maybe three or four fish a day rather than the one or two she was eating originally," said Brian Gorman with the National Marine Fisheries Service, which is overseeing the orca's care.
The fish — live Atlantic salmon donated by a nearby fish farm — weigh about 5 pounds each, so her intake is still well below the 60 to 80 pounds a day recommended to increase her weight.
"No one here seems terribly worried about that," Gorman said. "They all seem to feel that when you move a whale to a new environment," a certain adjustment period is to be expected.

Getting Our First Peek At Springer In Her New Home
June 19, 2002 (KOMO-TV) Biologists say after a week in captivity, the killer whale calf is active and alert but she is not eating as much as expected.
"No one's been in the water with her since those original divers came out," says Barre, "we've really been taking a step back, little by little, less people."
The NMFS says it doesn't expect to release any specific information about Springer's medical condition for several days, and still has no time frame for reintroducing the killer whale to her native waters in Canada.

At 09:36 AM 6/16/02 -0700, Ralph Munro wrote:
The fundraising effort to help A 73 is probably the best cooperation that Karen and I have ever seen amongst our whale advocate friends. I would urge everyone to put aside their own special interests at this time, and support the fund. It is very important that we are all working together.

Now is not the time for individual fundraising efforts to support one cause or another. Now is the time to work closely with NMFS and all of our cooperating groups to assist this whale. Three cheers to each of the groups who are cooperating to build the common fund.
Ralph Munro

Dear Ralph and all,

Although Orca Network is not among the founding members of the coalition to raise funds for A73, we support the cause of reuniting Springer with her family wholeheartedly and have distributed the press release announcing the fund to our sightings list. We want to see Springer transported north to meet up with her pod and community. Hopefully, with a year's growth since her last association with them she will be competent to keep up and assume a role as a member of the community.

It's great to see the human community get together to help A73. Hopefully this will lead to future cooperative endeavors, which we would like to be a part of. And while we have engaged in educational efforts regarding Springer and L98's situations, such as our Ferry Naturalist Program on the Vashon Ferry and the A73 forum on our website, we do not feel comfortable enough with the status of the current rescue operation to engage in direct fundraising for a project that could ultimately lead to Springer's incarceration in a tank.

Our hesitation with the Springer project as it is currently unfolding is primarily due to concern that A73's capture was carried out to address medical issues prior to any plan being developed for her relocation to Johnstone Strait. This places the ultimate credibility in the hands of marine park veterinarians, specifically Sea World's head vet. As we have learned from the history of the Corky and Lolita campaigns, and the horrific captures of thirty years ago, marine park vets are subject to the policies of their employers. Sea World director of Zoological Operations Brad Andrews denounced the Keiko project because "the ocean is a cold, dark, ferocious place." The marine park bias is that captivity in a tank is a much better place for any orca. The industry's PR battle to label Keiko as a carrier of viral pathogens reached absurd heights. We fear that Dr. McBain's opinions will fall in line with this pro-captivity bias.

Since Springer first chose her location near the Vashon ferry dock we have heard that she must be seriously ill. First she was said to be starving, but when she repeatedly toyed with fish around boats and swallowed them with apparent relish, that theory was discarded. Her ketone breath didn't go away, but the second theory to explain it, a genetic disorder, was dispelled when she obligingly yielded a blood sample in May. Some observers have reported the smell of her breath seems to have improved recently.

Springer's skin is discolored in patches that seem to move from place to place. We are told it irritates her and she scratches on logs to itch her skin. The original interpretation for the scratching was that she missed the tactile contact with her mother. Why should that be less true today? Many young orca calves have the same "whale pox," as you'll find on the Southern community ID guide on the Center for Whale Research web site. J37, born last year, looks much like A73, as does K33. The jet-black skin tone often doesn't appear for several years.

She has intestinal parasites. Marine mammals typically have worms. Her condition at this time may be worse than normal, but there's no reason to believe it's getting worse, and it certainly doesn't seem to slow her down or dampen her appetite. At 1240 pounds she could use a little weight, but that's not life-threatening.

In the absence of any symptoms of serious illness, her behavior would be the best guide to her health, and she has been very active in the past few weeks. Long dives, tail lobs, fast swimming and course changes were the norm until the capture. Those six breaches in the hour before the capture spoke volumes.

Several researchers we have spoken with do not believe the situation requires medical intervention. So it's a mystery to us why the chorus of outspoken opinions have almost uniformly concluded that Springer is dangerously ill and needs to be captured for evaluation and treatment of these supposed diseases. With that unfounded rationale for the capture already in place, any vet's opinion built on that belief will sound believable.

News stories list all the things that could prevent A73 from going back to Canada or the wild, and are vague about Canada's criteria for accepting her back into Canadian waters:

"Her condition is a concern" said veterinarian McBain. "This is not a robust killer whale."
"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."
"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.
"...But that chain of events [reintroduction] is far from certain. Canadian officials have said they will not allow the whale to be returned to their waters unless they are convinced A-73 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."
A73's family tend to depart from Johnstone Strait in early fall, but... "Her health is so poor right now there's no way she will be ready that quickly," said Bain.
Bain says it could take a long as two months of treatment before the whale is well enough for release."
" Michelle McCombs, spokeswoman for the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, said it's too early to tell whether the orca will be transported back to the waters off Vancouver Island. "We have two concerns: the safety of the whale and the safety of her pod. If she has, say, a pathogen, we may not be able to reunite her with the pod."

Springer is in a pen now, on the premise that she's gravely ill with some unspecified disease that could take weeks to evaluate and much longer to treat. Some of her extended family have now reappeared in Johnstone Strait, but they'll be gone in a few short months. Will Springer have to spend the winter in a pen?

In the meantime, could the loss of exercise, and the loss of her free will, adversely affect Springer's health, justifying further confinement? Confinement itself justifies further confinement, on the basis of habituation, that she would forget where she came from. In the seven years of the Lolita campaign we've learned that the policy of the marine park industry and its employees, including veterinarians, is "once in captivity, always in captivity." We understand that the Orphan Orca Fund has stated that no funds will be used to support any activities associated with preparing A73 for removal to an aquarium or marine park. Our concern is that those plans are already well underway.

There are no clear contingency plans on the part of NMFS or DFO as to what action will be taken if the veterinarians now in charge of determining her health status decide she is unfit to be a wild whale, or if Canada doesn't feel it's safe for her to be returned to Canadian waters, or if for some reason the reintroduction to her pod does not work. This scares us, because there ARE at least three marine parks who have already proposed plans to accept A73 if things don't work out, or if she would need a "long term rehab" (ie, life in captivity, which could result in a huge increase in revenues for any facility that can get this now famous orca calf).

We hope we are wrong. We hope that our collective vigilance may help influence events toward Springer's reunification with her family. We will remain watchful and let the governments and scientists involved on both sides of the border know that captivity should not ever be considered an option for this young calf.

We appreciate the time and effort put forth by all the non-profit organizations, NMFS and DFO staff, volunteers, and researchers that have been involved with Springer's predicament from the beginning, and hope we can all continue to do our part to ensure the best possible outcome for Springer - may she quickly find her way back home to her family....

Howard Garrett and Susan Berta
Orca Network

Orphaned orca’s kin could act as mother
June 15, 2002 (Seattle Times) Researchers who have been tracking orcas for three decades will try to exploit their understanding of genealogies, including mothers, grandmothers and aunts, to give "A-73" — the orphaned whale also known as Springer — the best odds of finding a relative willing to adopt her back into the wild.
"We're all trying to get her back up north, and that will be the focus for the next couple months," Bain said yesterday.
Unlike Washington's southern residents, who are organized in J, K and L pods, the northern resident community of about 200 orcas is broken down into clans and pods.
The clans — A, G and R — share their own types of calls.
In the A clan, the biggest with more than 100 whales, are nine pods, including three A pods, numbered A-1, A-4 and A-5.
The A-5 pod members tend to stretch out the last notes of their vocalizations, like someone from the South, speaking slowly, said Bain, a University of Washington orca biologist.
The A-1 members have short terminal notes, speaking fast like New Yorkers. And the A-4 members sound like they have an echo in their vocalizations.

U.S. ocean policy 'not working'
June 14, 2002 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) Some say orca rescue is example of an irrational marine action.
Our stewardship of the ocean, as both a natural habitat and a provider of natural resources, is about as disjointed and arbitrary as it can get, said William Ruckelshaus, a member of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy meeting this week in Seattle.
"But if we're going to rescue whales, we need to pay attention not to individual members of the species, but to the whole ecosystem in which they live," said Fletcher, who said a first step should include better enforcement of the federal Clean Water Act.
"How we ought to do some of these things needs to be directed at the watershed level," he said. "The current policy is still command and control."

Capture of orphaned orca goes smoothly off Vashon Island
June 14, 2002 (Seattle Times) It would have been a textbook orca capture, if a textbook for such a thing existed.
"It was almost a nonevent," said Jim McBain, a veterinarian for SeaWorld's parent company. "We're relieved that we now have her in the pen, but we're still worried about the next step."
"Her condition is a concern," said veterinarian McBain. "This is not a robust killer whale."

Capture of orca goes smoothly
June 14, 2002 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) "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."
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.
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 A-73 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.
Orca arrives safely at rehabilitation site June 14, 2002 (Vancouver Sun)
Orca orphan begins journey to Canada June 14, 2002 (Toronto Globe and Mail)
First-Rate Rescue June 14, 2002 (Bremerton Sun)

Forum comment
June 14, 2002
[Susan Berta]

We also saw Springer on Thursday, before and during the capture. In the hour before the capture, we watched her do half a dozen breaches or half breaches. She is an amazing little whale. I am still too conflicted to write clearly about it right now; but all indications are that she is doing well and already eating. Let's keep Springer in our hearts and thoughts and let her know we wish her well~

Susan

Orphaned orca captured, placed in net pen
June 13, 2002 (KING5 TV) Operation orca proved successful Thursday after marine researchers roped and captured a distressed two-year old whale and placed her into a net pen near Manchester, Wash.
The whale, dubbed Springer is to be nursed back to health, relocated and released near her family in the waters off Vancouver Island.
Springer briefly struggled, but eventually calmed down and let scientists place her into a sling and hoist her onto the barge a little before 2 p.m.
Springer delivered safely to pen June 13, 2002 (CBC)
Crews successfully capture orphaned orca June 13, 2002 (KATU-TV Portland)

Forum comment
June 13, 2002
[Judy Lochrie]

This afternoon, from 1 to 3 pm, I stood on the Vashon ferry dock, watching the boats position themselves to capture Springer. There were 4 or 5 helicopters in the air. There was a big boat with a crane, 2-3 medium-sized boats and a few small boats. The coast guard boat stayed on the perimeter of the area. The dark boat that has been monitoring Springer from the beginning also stayed on the perimeter. There was a small police boat as well. I didn't see any private boats hovering around. The ferry took a different route today, swinging to the north of its normal course going from Fauntleroy to Vashon.
Two small boats slowly moved to either side of Springer and it looked like divers got into the water and put a sling/net under and around her.
It was hard to see from the dock. A big boat with a crane slowly made its way toward to 2 smaller boats. The crane hook was connected to the sling and Springer hoisted aboard. This all happened while the crane was facing toward Seattle rather than Vashon. So, even those with the most powerful binoculars weren't able to see the hoist. Many people surrounded Springer on the big boat.
The big boat with the crane slowly ramped up its speed, moving toward Southworth. As it passed by the Vashon ferry dock, it was travelling at a good speed. We couldn't see Springer from that angle.
The operation seemed to go very smoothly.
There were many large cameras and media people recording the event. The atmosphere on the dock was subdued. Someone burned sweetgrass. Another person quietly drummed. I feel very sad. And I am hopeful that this action of attempting to return Springer to her native pod is what Springer wants and what A pod wants.
May we demonstrate that we've learned from past experiences and continue to see Springer wild and free and surrounded by a loving family.
Judy Lochrie
Seattle

Baby orca faces grave danger in today's attempt at capture
June 13, 2002 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) "This is not only fraught with uncertainties, but it is relatively high-risk," said Bob Lohn, the agency's regional administrator. "There is a chance that stress or pressure or unforeseen events may result in the loss of life for this orca."
One plus for the capture team is the fact that A-73 has become habituated to humans and boats. In fact, it appears to make this capture unique, said Joe Olson, president of the Puget Sound chapter of the American Cetacean Society, the oldest whale-advocacy group in the world.
The last of the Puget Sound orcas remaining in captivity is Lolita, which is housed at the Miami Seaquarium. A "Free Lolita" campaign based in Whidbey Island for years has tried to persuade the owners of Seaquarium, Coral Gables-based Wometco Enterprises, to let the orca return to Puget Sound. But they refuse.
As old friends, Tlingits bid farewell to orphaned orca June 13, 2002 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Wayward whale shows she's ready to be caught June 13, 2002 (The Olympian)

Orca successfully lured into pen
June 12, 2002 (KING5 TV) On Wednesday, whale researchers pushed a portable net pen to the north end of Vashon Island, where the orphaned Orca, called Springer by researchers, has been residing. Researchers had hoped to conduct a practice run of Springer's capture on Wednesday, coaxing her into the pen.
Springer seemed to enjoy her interaction with the researchers.
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 this time with the net.
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 A-73 there as they arrive, giving her “a chance to bond with them at the time they seem to be celebrating among themselves.”
Rescuers plan to isolate orca June 12, 2002 (Bremerton Sun)

Concern for B.C. orphan whale
June 12, 2002 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) As efforts begin to capture an orphaned Canadian killer whale hanging around a Seattle ferry dock, concerns are increasing about a young orphan male going it alone on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Both young animals are getting dangerously friendly with boats.
Fisheries Department spokeswoman Michelle McCombs is urging boaters to stay away from the animal, noting regulations prohibit disturbing or harassing whales.
L-98 is being monitored by scientists and is in good health, she said.
As for a family reunion, it is not known where the rest of the L-pod is at this time of year.
More about Luna (L98)

Baby orca's rescue begins tomorrow
June 12, 2002 (Seattle Times) Foster and federal marine officials outlined in detail yesterday 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.
Vets should have lab results for A-73 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 vet out from Silver Spring, Md.
Fisheries service hopes to keep gawkers at bay while capturing orca June 12, 2002 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Relocation planned to get orphaned orca back to home waters
June 11, 2002 (Seattle Times) Federal marine officials are planning to make a much-anticipated attempt Thursday to pull an orphaned orca from Puget Sound near Vashon Island and begin a long and unpredictable journey aimed at reintroducing the killer whale to her native Canadian waters.
The ailing orca will be secured by her tail with a rope, lifted by a sling to an awaiting boat and whisked to a sea pen at the National Marine Fisheries Service's field station in Manchester, Kitsap County. Close to a dozen people and several boats will be involved, said Brian Gorman, a fisheries-service spokesman.
Orphaned orca to be moved Thursday June 12, 2002 (KING-5 TV)
Orca getting cozy with pleasure boats June 11, 2002 (KING-5 TV)
Whale Experts Prepare For Capturing Orphaned Orca June 11, 2002 (KOMO TV)
Orphaned Orca to be Moved Thursday June 11, 2002 (KIRO TV)

NMFS plans to try to capture orphan orca next week
June 8, 2002 (KING5-TV) 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 plan is to capture the whale and then place her on a barge for a quick trip to a net pen in Kitsap County, which is 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
June 7, 2002 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) 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.

Friendly Luna looking for his pod
June 6, 2002 (CH News - Victoria BC) A two-year-old orca known as Luna has been swimming off the west coast of Vancouver Island for about a year, and CH TV's Jonathan Bartlett visited to find out more.
Luna, as area residents have named him, is a five-metre- long orca. He showed up in Nootka Sound near Gold River last June.
Killer whales normally swim with their families or pods their entire lives. Marine biologists speculate that Luna was separated from his mother and has decided to stay and wait for his pod to return.
He has become acclimatized to humans, however, and scientists worry that could pose a risk of Luna losing his natural instinct for the wild.
Luna (or L-98, his official name) is a member of L-Pod, a Southern resident group of orcas who frequent Nootka water in the summertime.
More about Luna (L98)

Forum comment June 5, 2002
[Howard Garrett]

My information is that A73 is not going downhill, is very active, alert and shows complete control. She's not behaving like she is ill. I can't give you my source because he doesn't want to be dragged into it, but his word is sufficient for me and outweighs the Bobs, the Fisheries people and especially the vets. You are a bit off when you say that they are under government supervision. It's important to remember that they are employees of the marine park industry. Check out the Captive Science Page where you'll find that six marine park vets co-authored a paper attesting that Keiko had "the first case of cutaneous papillomaviral-like papillomatosis in a killer whale." This was purely a bogey-man scare tactic to try to prevent Keiko from ever approaching his home waters. It was peer-reviewed and published in the Journal of Marine Mammalogy. But it was totally false, as discovered by six vets appointed by the USDA to examine Keiko.

The urge to find some kind of transmittable pathogen is trained into marine park vets whenever a captive whale is a candidate for release. They assume total authority once a whale is placed under their care. Every statement from Fisheries and DFO mentions that although reintroduction is the desired outcome, the project "could take certain other paths." I'm in favor of the idea of transport to rejoin her family, although I can see the objection that she may already be in the best spot for finding fish, but if the capture is for medical examination and treatment, as Brain G. says, then her future will be controlled by the vets, and I've never heard of a vet that would let an orca go free. But maybe DFO requires medical intervention before she'll get a visa.

It's probably moot, but think the boat/flute follow idea might work, although A73 seems to have a lot of fidelity to her spot, so it may not work. But it could be tested with no harm done. I just think she needs exercise and company more than anything. Prayer can help too. This will probably get even more interesting.
Howard

Forum comment
June 5, 2002
[Brian Gorman]

Thanks for your thoughtful e-mail. One of the problems with this whale is that she's not in the best of health. We know she has a worsening skin condition and some form of ketosis -- a metabolic problem -- but we don't know the cause of the latter. Also, since our ultimate goal is to return her to her Canadian waters, we have to make certain that she doesn't have some other medical condition that would make such a return problematic, for example a disease that could affect her pod.. Frankly, this all means that there is no way we could return this killer whale to Canada without a thorough medical assessment and period of treatment. In addition, her physical condition isn't the best, and irrespective of any medical problems she may have, we need to restore her to vigorous physical condition before releasing her. In other words, we need to capture this killer whale and place her in a net pen for at least a couple of weeks so we can have easy and safe access to her for a period of assessment, treatment and conditioning. This is what killer whale experts from both the U.S. and Canada have advised and this, in fact, is part of our capture plan.
I appreciate your interest in this juvenile whale, however, and am pleased that you took the time to write us.

Forum comment
May 26, 2002
[Howard Garrett/Susan Berta]

I wonder what the contingency plans for the project are, in case the vets determine that she is too ill to release? It's easy to imagine that she will be determined to be sick, since marine park vets, most likely Dave Huff and Jim McBain, and maybe Pete Schroeder, will make those determinations. I would surmise that they have a predisposition toward long-term care in a facility, like OCA, and would be inclined to recommend that such a decision be made. It would be very difficult for NMFS or DFO to independently side with the ngo's that would say no, she should be returned to her habitat and left there even if she doesn't join up with A's and doesn't appear to be healthy. Somehow NMFS and DFO need to publicly agree that they will not, under any circumstances, authorize her delivery to any tank. That really needs to be stipulated up front before we would feel comfortable asking people for contributions.

We aren't clear about the next move by the ngo's. Does there need to be discussion of the backup plan in case the treatment fails and/or the reintroduction fails? At this stage, our feeling is that there are still some questions that need to be answered by NMFS and DFO to really put the fund-raising in high gear.

Risky rescue of ailing orca 'worth doing'
May 25, 2002 (Seattle Times) 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 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: A-73 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-to-treat system infection if it reaches her lungs.
If the fisheries service and Canadian authorities feel A-73 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.
Plan to relocate orca called 'high-risk'
May 25, 2002 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Orca to be captured, returned to Canada
May 24, 2002 (KING5 TV) The National Marine Fisheries Service 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.

NMFS considers capturing whale and moving it to Canada
May 21, 2002 (Seattle P-I) Scientists monitoring the ailing, orphaned killer whale who's been in central Puget Sound since at least mid-January recommended Monday that she be captured for a more hands-on assessment of her health, and then moved near her family in Canada.
But the government is still weighing whether to intervene at all. The National Marine Fisheries Service, which arranged Monday's teleconference with the advisory group, expects to make a decision soon, said spokeswoman Janet Sears.
An earlier intervention plan had involved a three-stage move in net pens - capture, a stint near Vancouver for care by Vancouver Aquarium veterinary personnel and finally relocation in Johnstone Strait for eventual release.
Monday's recommendation would eliminate the middle step and simplify the process. Panel Recommends Capturing Orphaned Orca
May 20, 2002 (KIRO-TV) An advisory panel of whale experts recommends than an orphaned orca in Puget Sound be captured and held in a pen for medical tests.
Janet Sears with the National Marine Fisheries Service says the federal agency may make a decision soon on the capture. It's still weighing the possible benefits with the risk of capture.

Listening to the orcas
May 18, 2002 (Everett Herald) Whale researcher Alexandra Morton is clear about what she thinks should happen to A-73, the 2-year-old calf whose pod spends summers east of Vancouver Island: "I have friends who are willing to pick up the orca (and) within six hours she'll be back with her pod (where) nature will take its course."
It can be done without more studies, without containment facilities and without condemning the orca to life in a confined facility, she said.

Blood test clears orca of genetic flaw
May 17, 2002 (Seattle Times) - Blood tests on the ailing orphaned orca in Puget Sound show it does not have a genetic disorder that might have prevented it from being reintroduced to its Canadian waters this summer.
Adding to the pressure on the service was U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., who yesterday urged Bob Lohn, fisheries-service regional director, to create a "definitive action plan and commit to a timetable."
No genetic disorder detected in orca, raising hopes of pod reunion May 17, 2002 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Tests show orca doesn't have genetic disorder May 16, 2002 (KING5 TV) (no longer online)

B.C. gives more time on orca
May 16, 2002 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) 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.
Time running out for orca's rescue May 16, 2002 (Vancouver Province)

B.C. aquarium: Decide by today on orca — or else
May 15, 2002 (Seattle Times) The Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre has given U.S. officials until today to decide if they will attempt to rescue the ailing orphaned orca off Vashon Island and one more week to capture her.
Otherwise, aquarium officials say, it will withdraw an offer to help bring the female orca back to Canada in an attempt to reintroduce her to her native pod
Early results show she does not have diabetes or morbillivirus, a deadly, hard-to-treat virus. She is anemic, probably from blood lost to parasites in her gut, said Barrett-Lennard, and has a high white-blood-cell count, likely from an infection.
But results have yet to come in for a suspected genetic metabolic problem that would be treatable but incurable. Those results could come in a day or two.
Vancouver Aquarium wants decision on orphaned orca by Wednesday (no longer online) May 15, 2002 (KING5 TV)

A responsibility to save or leave alone?
May 12, 2002 (Seattle Times) "I don't think our road is going to be an easy one," said Brian Gorman, spokesman for the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), "because we have to make some tough decisions. I don't think the prospects for this whale are very sunny."
Statistically, an orca in captivity lives a shorter life than an orca in the wild, said Toni Frohoff, a Bainbridge Island resident and marine-mammal consultant for the Humane Society of the United States. If captivity is an option, she said, it is better to let A-73 die in the wild.
"We believe that if we put the animal in a tank, we would still be watching the animal die," she said. "It would just be a more prolonged death."
"At this stage, I think they should just leave it alone," said Munro, the former secretary of state.

Scientists check orphaned orca's blood
May 8, 2002 (KING5-TV) From a government boat, scientists and a veterinarian began the job of drawing blood from the orca that has lived in a stretch near Vashon Island for nearly 4 months.
The idea is to get a blood sample from her dorsal fin – enough blood to determine if her strange breath, described as smelling like paint thinner, is due to a genetic problem.
“To determine if this whale has an inborn metabolic problem that precludes her from returning to her pod,” said Brian Gorman, National Marine Fisheries Service.
“I can't over-emphasize that to capture this animal prematurely could mean a one-way trip to a display facility – and I don't think anybody wants that,” said Gorman.

Advisory panel wants orphaned orca's ills treated; U.S. says no
May 7, 2002 (Seattle Times) Federal officials are standing firm on a decision to leave alone the ailing orphaned orca off Vashon Island, despite the clear consensus of an advisory panel that something should be done soon to rehabilitate the animal and return her to her native waters in British Columbia.
"I don't anticipate anything happening soon even though there is a contingent of people that think we're temporizing and dithering," said Brian Gorman, spokesman for the National Marine Fisheries Service. "We're not."
Meanwhile, attempting to rescue, rehabilitate and reintroduce the whale carries several risks of failure, Gorman said. The whale could be captured and turn out to have a chronic metabolism problem, barring reintroduction to her native pod. Officials then might feel they have no choice but to put her in an aquarium.

NMFS discourages whale watching
May 4, 2002 (Bremerton Sun) - Christopher Dunagan
With the start of boating season today, the National Marine Fisheries Service urges people not to seek out the orphan killer whale that has been staying in Central Puget Sound since mid-January. If the young whale is spotted, boaters are urged to keep moving slowly past and not stop or drift within 400 yards of the animal, said Brian Gorman of NMFS.
A flyer with more details can be downloaded from the Website: www.whale-museum.org/Press/SpringerFlyer.pdf.
The Whale Museum's Soundwatch boater education program will be on the water this weekend to keep people back from the whale. Anyone who sees a boat too close to any killer whale may call the National Enforcement Hotline, (800) 853-1964.
Meanwhile, whale-watchers are encouraged to look for lone orca calf from the Vashon Island-Fauntleroy ferry.
A marine naturalist from the group Orca Network, Judy Lochrie, is scheduled to be on the 1:10 ferry from Fauntleroy and make several trips back and forth.

Experts urge capturing baby orca; federal agency not yet convinced
May 2, 2002 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) Increasingly worried about the physical condition of the orphaned baby orca off Vashon Island, a scientific panel advising federal fisheries officials says it's time to capture the killer whale at least long enough to get a blood sample.
And she will probably need some medical treatment, the scientists say.
But the National Marine Fisheries Service says it has no such intention.

Forum comment
April 30, 2002
[Howard Garrett and Susan Berta]

Hello Brent,

I know you are besieged with opinions on how to behave responsibly toward A73, so I'll be brief.

In our opinion, A73 is not in danger and should not be restrained, at least until late June when she should probably be whisked up to Johnstone St. and dropped off to meet up with the A4s. Any restraint at this point would only decrease her activity level and make her more dependent on people.

She needs maximum exercise both to maintain high metabolism and thus immunity, and to build her stamina in hopes she will be able to keep up with her family whenever the moment arrives. After she is given that chance, if she doesn't swim off in the sunset with A4s, she should be left to roam as a lone orca, unless there is a clear and present health or nuisance danger.

Absent a clear health problem, I don't see much value in holding her in a pen at this point merely to run tests or give medication. The detriment far outweighs the benefit.

Thanks for this chance to comment.

Forum comment
April 24, 2002
[Michael Kundu]

For the record, I was one of the original members of the Cetacean Freedom Network, and have established SeaWolf as a group opposed to the capture of orcas for display.

We will not accept the fact that a northern resident orca be left in foreign waters away from her natural home, particularly when we can learn so much about rehab and release, including that returning an orca to native waters, is possible with this situation. It may be the precedent needed to rehab and release other whales.

If she remains down here, she will become a commercial investment in whale tours, plus she will be stressed by dozens of boats, and she will eventually be hit, just like others of her group (A-pod) have been hit before. I will stress that SeaWolf, a completely non-profit volunteer operation, stands to gain no income (nor do we want to) from this situation. Unlike other groups in Seattle, we have not made any efforts to raise funds from this whale.

Your opinions are just as valid as ours, but I suggest you try to make an objective assessment of the work that the groups monitoring Springer are doing. I would also suggest that, from the meetings in Seattle, the majority of the public seems to want her returned to where she belongs, and not remain here where the warmer weather will turn her home into a virtual marine zoo.

Thanks for your comments.

Forum comment
April 17, 2002
[Paul Spong and Helena Symonds]

First I want to say that I very much appreciate the concerns for A73 that so many of you have expressed, and the time which you've so willingly put into helping her. But beyond that I feel I need to say that I'm still quite worried about Springer and the outcome of this episode. If she remains in her present circumstances she will clearly face increasing jeopardy, and if the worst happens, she and we will have lost a great chance. Even if she is not inadvertently injured or killed by boat traffic, A73 faces the risk of becoming a human plaything, a toy, if she remains where she is.

So I see leaving her where she is as a very poor option. My preference, by far, is for a carefully thought out plan to be put in place which will see Springer returned to her home waters and her community. I realise that doing so does not guarantee success, but it at least gives A73 a chance to continue a normal life and make her own contribution to the continuity of her heritage. Giving her that chance, in my view, is what we should do and all we should do. Getting her that chance is going to require cooperation among very diverse groups, some of which are unused to working together and may feel reticent about doing so. I can only plead that personal issues and rivalries and points of view be set aside in the interests of the common goal of bringing A73 home. Working together I know we can do it, and that collectively we'll be able to look back on this remarkable occasion with pleasure at our involvement and satisfaction with the outcome. But time is also of the essence here - clear decisions need to be made and a clear course of action charted soon. So let's decide, and get on with it.

Thank you all.

Here are some comments about A73 that we hope will be useful... much of this you already know, but we thought to list some of the obvious things anyway.

1. A73 (Springer) is a member of the A4 pod of the northern resident community of B.C. orcas. Her mum, A45, disappeared in 2001 & is presumed dead. Her grandmother, A24, was still alive as of the end of the 2001 season, as were other close relatives that A73 knows.

2. Orcas are social animals, their closest bonds are with their closest kin, and these bonds last throughout the lifetimes of individuals - members of resident orca families are not known to leave their immediate family as long as it remains intact. When a mother dies, her surviving offspring associate primarily with each other, and with other close relatives.

3. During A73's early life, she & her mum frequently associated closely with their cousins A35 & her 3 offspring, one of whom (A70, Sunny) is just a year older than A73. If A73 joins another group, it will most likely be the A35s.

4. As a northern resident orca, A73's natural place is with other northern residents, especially her remaining family. She still retains her matrilineal vocal traditions. She is far from home in her present location. How she got there is a mystery, but what we do know tells us that Springer is a survivor, that she must have a strong will to live.

5. Prior to A73's arrival, northern resident orcas had never been seen as far south as the Seattle area. The chances of her reconnecting with other northern residents if she stays where she is are very slim. Likewise, the chances of her somehow making the journey back to the home range of the northern residents (B.C.'s central coast) by herself are very slim.

6. The first issue to settle is whether to leave Springer where she is & "let Nature take it's course" or to intervene and move her to an area where she will have contact with other northern resident orcas and a chance of rejoining her family or another social group. Our preference, by far, is to give her that chance. If this can be agreed to, the remaining questions relate to the timing & method of intervention, and putting together a plan for transportation and care which optimizes A73's prospects.

7. If A73's health is not a matter of urgent concern, there is some latitude around the question of timing, but intervention (if agreed to) should not be delayed indefinitely. Even if she is active & alert & able to feed herself, the ongoing hazards posed by ferry traffic and the certain increase in small boat traffic as weather conditions improve still need to be considered. We lean towards intervention sooner rather than later. But still, the precise timing is an open question.

8. Looking ahead, it might make sense to plan for A73's arrival at her final destination sometime around the 3rd week in June, but it could be earlier. Whatever is decided, she should arrive at her "holding" facility prior to the arrival of other northern residents - preferably with enough time on hand for her to acclimatize before their arrival. Her pod has tended to favour the Johnstone Strait Area in late June through August and then again in the later Fall - so it would make sense to have her return to this area. A week or two in the holding facility would probably be sufficient but it could be longer. Regardless of how she travels, she will be under considerable stress when she arrives, so it may take some time for her to calm down enough to be able to feed efficiently and orient herself to the general circumstances she'll be in.

9. The question of how A73 travels is a crucial one to think through. If Canada is willing, we favour the hovercraft option as it would deal with numerous problems, especially that of continuity of feeding. Springer seems to be doing fine at the moment in that she is apparently catching fish regularly, but it's hard to see her continuing to do so under the circumstances she would be in inside a towed pen. Given that a journey via towed pen would be long, perhaps taking two weeks, there might be some need or inclination to feed her dead fish along the way. That would potentially be counterproductive - it would be far better for Springer to eat only live fish throughout. This is not to say that it is impossible to figure out how to feed Springer live fish in a towed pen - feeding stops could be made along the way - but it would be easier & less stressful if the move could happen quickly. Levels of noise and engine exhaust fumes also need consideration.

10. Going back to the capture, it needs to happen in the least stressful way possible. We favour enticing Springer inside a net pen with one side dropped & then closing it. Perhaps this can be done by trailing a log behind or beside a boat that she would follow.

11. Going forward again, considerable thought needs to be put into the design of the holding facility. Preferably, it should provide sufficient space for Springer to exercise in so that she maintains her body condition, as well as providing live fish for her to eat. An essential component of the facility, a pen to hold live fish, is potentially available in Alert Bay via the Inner Coast Natural Resources Council. Arrangements would need to be made for a supply of live fish to be caught, etc.

12. The holding facility needs to be in a location where it is protected from adverse weather and is proximal to orca travel routes. Several potential sites exist in the Johnstone Strait area, including Growler Cover on West Cracroft Island and Dong Chong Bay on Hanson Island. The latter would probably be easier to set up as it is smaller. It is in direct acoustic contact with Queen Charlotte Strait and Blackfish Sound, the likely route for returning northern resident orcas. Setting up a crew camp with adequate logistical supports would be no problem.

13. Numerous issues relating to who is going to do what remain to be sorted through. It is very encouraging that there is such great willingness, on both sides of the border, for community groups and government agencies to get involved in helping Springer get back home. Obviously, nothing can happen without the concurrence and involvement of NMFS in the USA & the DFO in Canada. Both agencies are already involved but are perhaps uncertain as to precisely how to proceed. Clearly, the public interest on both sides of the border is also involved. It needs to be recognised that the clock is ticking & a plan needs to be set in place, soon.

It should be understood and clearly stated from the outset that, should the decision be made to intervene, the outcome of the exercise is not certain - it is intended solely to give A73 a chance.

We thank you all for your efforts on behalf of A73!

If Orca is captured, officials vow to return her to elements (no longer online)
April 18, 2002 (Tacoma News-Tribune) If federal officials decide to intervene in the case of a young orphan orca hanging out near the ferry dock, every effort will be made to return her to the wild.
"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.
"We see this one little whale as a messenger of the larger problems" - pollution, habitat encroachment and vessel traffic - facing whales in Puget Sound, organizer Kathy Fletcher said earlier.
Plan to rescue orca orphan gains favor in U.S., Canada April 18, 2002 (Seattle Times)
Feds spell out orca intervention plans April 18, 2002 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Orca patrol starts service
April 12, 2002 (KING5 TV) Federal fisheries officials have hired a team of whale researchers to start shooing away boaters who stop in the area near Vashon Island where an orphaned killer whale has been hanging out for weeks.
The Soundwatch program of The Whale Museum in Friday Harbor will begin patrols Saturday, handing out pamphlets to boaters warning them that allowing the orca to get too close to boats could reduce the chances she can eventually be reunited with members of her family.
Authorities don't want the whale to grow too accustomed to humans, but as long as she remains healthy they are reluctant to move her back to her more remote home waters in Canada.
Whale Researchers Shooing Boaters Away from Orphaned Orca April 12, 2002 (KIRO7 TV)

Soundwatch to monitor young orphaned orca
April 10, 2002 (San Juan Islander) Kari Koski and Dr. Richard Osborne of The Whale Museum's Soundwatch Boater Education Program will be keeping boaters away from an orphaned orca juvenile in lower Puget Sound this month. The National Marine Fisheries Service has contracted with The Whale Museum to observe the whale, as well as to educate boaters and urge them to stay away from her.

Orphan orca to be subject of forum on Vashon Island
April 10, 2002 (Seattle Times) The condition and possible fate of an orphaned Canadian orca in Puget Sound, including a rescue plan involving Canadian scientists and aquarium officials, will be the subject of a public forum next week on Vashon Island.
People for Puget Sound, which sponsored a similar forum in West Seattle last month, will hold next week's forum from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Chatauqua School, 9309 S.W. Cemetery Road. Experts from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and other scientists will discuss recent efforts to monitor the whale's condition and the criteria NMFS would use in returning the whale to its native waters off Vancouver Island.

Orca grows fond of Vashon ferry
March 28, 2002 (Seattle Times) Washington State Ferries officials are growing worried that the orphaned orca off Vashon Island is getting dangerously close to one of their boats.
"We don't want to be one icon hurting another," said Pat Patterson, director of corporate communications for the ferry system.
Brian Gorman, a NMFS spokesman, said the service isn't too worried about the orca getting into an accident and said officials should interfere as little as possible as long as it is in good health.
Orphaned orca swims with the ferries March 28, 2002 (KING5 TV)
Ferries Concerned Orphaned Orca Swimming Too Close For Comfort March 28, 2002 (KOMO4 TV)
Orphan Orca Approaches State Ferry March 28, 2002 (KIRO7 TV)

Little orca is looking well; tests due soon
March 26, 2002 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) Activity and absence of 'funk' encourage scientists watching young whale's health.
10 days of careful observation by orca scientists suggested that the 1 1/2-year-old orca is doing OK, especially considering that orcas are highly social animals and this one hasn't had contact with any of her own kind for months.
The orca arrived in central Puget Sound after she became separated from her extended family, or pod, after her mother died. It's possible she simply couldn't keep up with the pod, but it's also possible that the pod rejected her, scientists have said.
She wandered way off course. Her pod normally hangs around northern Vancouver Island in the summer and almost never comes into Puget Sound.
"The fact that she's doing something is quite encouraging," Balcomb said.
Scientists decide to leave solitary orca in place March 26, 2002 (KING5-TV)
Scientists' Recommendation on Orca: Just Keep Watching March 26, 2002 (KIRO7-TV)
Scientists Decide To Take Hands-Off Approach With Stranded Orca March 25, 2002 (KOMO4-TV)

Future on the line for orphaned orca
March 25, 2002 (KING5 TV) Scientists are wrapping up their study of an orphaned killer whale in Puget Sound, and they're expected to make their recommendations on what to do about the orca Monday. The team of observers is reporting to the National Marine Fisheries Service.
Observers say the orca, which was first spotted in January, has been improving. In the past 10 days, they've seen the whale catching fish, and signs of a lung infection are gone. The whale still has a skin infection.
A spokesman for the National Marine Fisheries Service in Seattle, Brian Gorman, says she "seems to be holding her own."
The agency feared she was close to starving to death last month. It considering capturing her to save her life.
After watching her carefully for a week, that's no longer imminent.
Gorman says "what happens next is up to the whale."

Big baby: Helpless in Seattle
March 20, 2002 (Globe and Mail) Poor little A-73. She's only 2 and she's lost, perhaps cast out by her relatives. Her mother has died, and she's a long way from home. Every day, she hangs around a ferry dock near Seattle, looking for companionship.
The capture/rehab idea didn't go down well with conservationists, who thought it was just a cheap way to get the whale off the front pages and onto the back burner.
But now the NMFS has decided that A-73 doesn't look so bad after all. Dr. Ford reminds us that the guiding focus "has to be what's best for the whale," and says a plan will firm up as A-73's health is better known.

Orca orphan will stay free
March 14, 2002 (Seattle P-I) 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.
"We're not going to do it," NMFS spokesman Brian Gorman said.
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.
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.
"We're so far from determining that kind of thing," Ford said.
Study team planned for orphan orca March 14, 2002 (Seattle Times)
Dramatic New Rescue Plans for Whale March 14, 2002 (KOMO-TV)
Field observers gearing up for weeklong look at orphaned orca March 14, 2002 (KING5-TV)
Field Observers Taking Weeklong Look at Orphaned Orca March 14, 2002 (KIRO-TV)

Forum comment
March 14, 2002
[Lance Barrett-Lennard]

It would be great if A73's condition has stabilized or improved---no one wants to "rescue" her if she doesn't need it. Our veterinarian Dave Huff will be heading down to see her again on Saturday--we will all be interested in his opinion and those of other observers. Even if her body condition has improved significantly it will still be in her best long-term interests to encourage her to head back to Johnstone Strait in the spring, but that could be a very different operation from what is under consideration now.

Here is a very brief summary of the Vancouver Aquarium's proposed plan for the calf IF her condition is in fact sufficiently poor that she needs rehabilitating:

1) A small leadership team (including representatives from NMFS, DFO, the Vancouver Aquarium and other groups) would be appointed and given responsibility for on-the-scene decision making. The team would operate under general parameters decided by the two governments and the scientific advisory panel.

2) The leadership team would recruit experienced personnel to capture A73 according to a plan approved by the scientific panel. Backup plans would be prepared in advance.

3) After the calf is captured, she would be held in a net pen at Manchester (near her present location) for initial assessment and feeding.

4) As soon as she is deemed robust enough to transport, she would be moved to a net pen in a quieter location in southern BC where she would be fed live fish. Her exposure to people at the net pen sites would be minimized to reduce habituation.

5) She would be moved to a similar net pen in Johnstone Strait in the late spring, where she would make acoustic contact with her pod when it arrives (typically late June to early July). Once again, contact with humans would be kept to a minimum.

6) She would be released according to criteria established by the scientific panel, and her behavior would be monitored as closely as possible for the rest of the summer.

7) In the event that the scientific panel decided that she was not releasable or that her release was a failure, a home would be sought for her in an oceanarium (not the Vancouver Aquarium). The Vancouver Aquarium has no plans to house killer whales again, and would only take her if there was absolutely no other acceptable option.

I've left out details of capture and transport methods because (while we have ideas and preferred options), we think it would be necessary to submit those details to the panel for approval and, if necessary, revise them.

Hope this answers your questions--feel free to ask more if it doesn't.

All the best,
Lance

A Whale Of A Dilemma
March 12, 2002 (KOMO-TV) 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.
Q13 Exclusive: See the orphaned orca video March 11, 2002 (Q13-TV)

Scientists still seeking evidence of whale's health
March 11, 2002 (KING5-TV) Whale experts want more information before making a decision about whether to capture an orphaned orca in Puget Sound.
On Monday, a scientific advisory panel once again convened to talk about what's best for this orphaned baby whale.
They suspect the young female that has been in Puget Sound since mid-January is starving. On Monday, government scientists said they still don't know if the orca calf is in trouble. "I think we've got to take a step back and look at his whale in a careful scientific way to find out what kind of shape we're in," says Brian Gorman of the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Try social approach with orphaned orca
March 9, 2002 (Seattle P-I Op-ed by Howard Garrett) Note: On March 12, KOMO-TV announced NMFS would allow whale researchers to monitor A73 for two weeks before deciding on an intervention plan.
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.
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.
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.

Decision due soon on what to do about wayward orca
March 9, 2002 (Seattle Times) Just why an orca might be so fond of a ferry is hard to tell, as with so many things about this creature. It could be the engines' rattle and hum, which carries so well underwater that listening through an underwater microphone is like sitting in the engine room.
It could be the Jacuzzi-like prop wash. "It gives you a sensation," said Washington State Ferries spokeswoman Susan Harris. "Little bubbles and everything."
Or it could be that the orca misses its mother and the physical companionship of other orcas, which is also why it is rubbing logs, said veterinarian Jim McBain during a People for Puget Sound forum earlier this week.
"When mom's gone, they look for a replacement," he said. "They look for a tactile replacement. They miss that touch."

Plan proposes to use sea pen
March 8, 2002 (Bremerton Sun) Two whale-protection groups say a cage hauled by tugs could transport the whale back home.
Citing time constraints, Brian Gorman, spokesman for the National Marine Fisheries Service, could not say Wednesday 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 will make a decision in days, not weeks."
Offers pour in to help orca orphan March 8, 2002 (Everett Herald)

Second baby whale isolated in Canadian waters
March 8, 2002 (Northwest Cable Network) 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.
More about Luna (L98)

Help on way for orphaned orca
March 8, 2002 (Seattle Times) "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.

Oregon may rehab orphan orca
March 7, 2002 (Portland Oregonian) Agency wrestles with rescue, rehab of orphaned killer whale.
Brian Gorman, spokesman for the National Marine Fisheries Service, continued, "She doesn't know what to do."
The federal agency Wednesday was still trying to decide its next step in rescuing the whale it now identifies as A73, which actually is just 2 years old. And one of the options involves bringing her to the Oregon Coast Aquarium for rehabilitation and release back into the wild.
The Oregon aquarium is one of four marine centers on the West Coast to have submitted a proposal to the fisheries service detailing what it could do to care for and to return the orca to a community of killer whales that inhabits an area ranging from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, to the southeast tip of Alaska.
A73 was first 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 her condition was poor and deteriorating.
Keiko's pals make a bid to help orphaned orca March 7, 2002 (Seattle P-I)

Worry continues to mount over orca
March 5, 2002 (Seattle P-I) Some fear orphan's life is in danger, that time is running out.
A panel of scientists and a group of about 100 compassionate citizens meeting in West Seattle last night debated whether it would be best to take her in, take her home or leave her be.
Kathy Fletcher, executive director of the People for Puget Sound, said in an interview that orcas throughout the sound are in trouble because of reduced salmon runs and the effects of pollution.

Little Orca Raises Big Debate March 5, 2002 (KOMO-TV)

Whale watchers worried about orphan orca (no longer online)
March 2, 2002 (CNN) For weeks now, an orphan killer whale has been hanging around central Puget Sound -- about 250 miles from her only known family member in Canada -- and experts are worried she might not survive.

Lone whale may be doing better than expected
March 1, 2002 (KING5 TV) The Oregon Coast Aquarium, former home to Keiko, volunteered to house the small orca who has been in Puget Sound for months. But new video taken by KING 5 gives hope to the idea that the whale may be doing better than expected.
In an extraordinary piece of video tape captured by Sky KING Friday morning, the young orca, alone off the northeastern shore of Vashon Island for the past two months, appeared to be playing with a very large salmon, 20 pounds or more.

Capture considered
March 1, 2002 (Bremerton Sun) Experts say an orphan killer whale will likely die if left alone, but nobody has a clear plan of action.
For the first time in 27 years, killer whale experts are contemplating the capture of a live orca in Puget Sound.

Orphaned orca may be caught and sent to theme park
March 1, 2002 (Seattle P-I) 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.
Orphaned whale bound for Vancouver Aquarium? March 1, 2002 (CBC)
Help for ill, orphaned orca stirs debate March 1, 2002 (Seattle Times)

JUVENILE ORCA REHAB CONSIDERED FOR OREGON COAST AQUARIUM
Oregon Coast Aquarium Press Release

Forum comment
March 1, 2002
[Ralph Munro] (in response to NMFS inquiry)

My phone has been ringing off the hook. Obviously, first and formost, we want to do what is best for the animal. I am happy to give you my advice, but it is not as valuable as people like Ken Balcomb of the Whale Research Center on San Juan Island. [Personally, I have not seen the whale and have been out of state for a few days.]

I would suggest that anything you do, be under the supervision of Ken or someone like Ken. He is very valuable in a situation like this.

If a capture is necessary, then I would suggest that a sea pen or a transfer by sea pen to a cove for feeding and rehab would be my first suggestion. Remember that when Namu [who was healthy] was brought south from BC, Ted Griffin kept the whale the first winter in a cove just outside of Rich Passage near Waterman. [across from Point White on SW corner of Bainbridge Island]

If the animal gains strength, then it could be towed in the sea pen to BC waters. Obviously the Canadians would have to agree.

I do not believe at this time the whale should be taken from the water and or moved to any aquarium. This should only be as a very last resort and then it would take some real convincing to get me to agree.

Some have suggested the animal is starving. Todays television might tell a different story.

The footage on KING 5 news shows the whale playing with a salmon. It doesn't appear to me that the whale is starving. If you have a chance, I strongly suggest you look at the tape taken today off Vashon Island.

You are to be commended for seeking advice. Please keep in touch with me, but more importantly with scientists like Ken Balcomb. I am sure you will get plenty of 'public input' and that is valuable as well. If I can help, in any way, please feel free to call me 24 hours a day.

Also as a sidenote, please remember that under Federal Court Order, Sea World, Donald Goldsberry, Dr Lanny Cornell or their companies, can not be involved in any capture and or rescue-capture attempts. The order reads that they do not ever have the right to take any killer whales within the waters of the state of Washington.

Thank you again for seeking my advice.

Roving, solitary orcas puzzle researchers
February 4, 2002 (Seattle Times) Among the few things that whale researchers think they know about orcas, particularly resident orcas that frequent a specific region, is that they are family-oriented creatures who rarely stray far from their mothers.
But now researchers are looking at two orcas — one in Puget Sound that's been seen off Vashon Island and one off the west coast of Vancouver Island — that have done just that.

Two orcas like peas without pods
February 2, 2002 (Seattle P-I) Scientists puzzle over the lone whales in Puget Sound, B.C.
Two lost baby orcas -- one in a remote Vancouver Island inlet, the other in Puget Sound -- are puzzling scientists who say they have never before seen young killer whales split off from their families that way.
One orca, named Luna, was discovered last July in Nootka Sound along the rugged northwestern coast of Vancouver Island, scientists announced this week.
The second baby orca turned up alone recently in central Puget Sound. Recordings of its underwater calls were used late this week to identify it as coming from a group of whales never before seen there.
"This is something we've never encountered before," said John Ford, head of marine mammal research at the Pacific Biological Station on Vancouver Island. "The fact that there are two is very unusual."
More about Luna (L98)

Stray young orcas puzzle scientists
February 2, 2002 (Vancouver Sun) One theory is that toxins could have caused a disorder
Marine-mammal scientist John Ford doesn't know why a young killer whale found lingering alone on the northwest coast of Vancouver Island left its pod. B.C.'s resident orcas normally remain with their family group until they die.
Ken Balcomb, of Washington state's Center for Whale Research, said a body-tissue sample has been taken from another young killer whale in Puget Sound to try to find out whether pollutants could be responsible for that calf being found wandering alone.
Balcomb pointed to studies that link high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls -- a chlorine-based compound once widely used in fluorescent light ballasts and other electrical equipment -- to problems with the fetus, immune system and nervous system. In humans, a lower IQ and a smaller brain size in children has been linked to high PCB levels in the breast milk of mothers.
Balcomb said marine-mammal scientists can't measure the IQ of whales, but it's possible that PCBs may affect the thinking abilities of those mammals too.
"Maybe it's very high in contaminants and has some kind of attention-deficit disorder," he said. "Nervous disorders are not uncommon with high PCB levels."

Experts want to reunite whale with its family
February 1, 2002 (CNN) Marine wildlife experts on Canada's Pacific Coast are puzzling over a whale of a family reunion problem.
A juvenile killer whale has been alone off Vancouver Island since he became separated from his family pod last summer and officials want them reunited since the area's resident orca population is already dwindling.
"If L pod happens to be passing by the entrance of the sound, perhaps L-98 might hear them in the distance and go racing out. That's our hope," Ford said.

Experts want to reunite lost whale with family
February 1, 2002 (Environmental News Service) Scientists have identified a lonely killer whale calf that has spent the past six months in a remote inlet on Vancouver Island's west coast as Luna, an orca that had been presumed dead after disappearing from Puget Sound last summer.
The calf, known to scientists as L-98, was born in L-Pod, a group of "southern resident" orcas that frequent Washington state's inland waters. The whale is about 2 1/2 years old, equivalent to a human toddler, but whale experts say it has been able to hunt for fish and is in good shape.
"To our surprise, he seems to be making a living," said Lance Barrett-Lennard, a marine mammal scientist at the Vancouver Aquarium.

Young orca found living alone off Vancouver Island
(Note: See report below)
January 31, 2002 (Seattle Times) Marine scientists are trying to help a orca-whale calf that has lost his pod and has spent the past six months in a remote inlet on Vancouver Island's west coast.
The calf is about 2-1/2 years old, but he's been able to hunt for fish and is in pretty good shape, they said.
Lance Barrett-Lennard, a marine-mammal scientist at the Vancouver Aquarium, said it's unusual for an orca to lose his pod.
The calf follows the research boat, Barrett-Lennard said, but at a certain point, the same point every time, he will not go farther. Researchers think he is waiting in one spot, perhaps for his pod to find him. The scientists aren't saying exactly where the whale is because they don't want him disturbed.
If the team needs to help the whale leave the inlet to be reunited with his pod, he'll need to be conditioned to follow a particular boat.
Barrett-Lennard said the group knows the calf's mother was still alive last summer. But an uncle he often swam with is missing.

Observations of a small killer whale in Puget Sound by Ken Balcomb, Center for Whale Research.

DFO and Partners Lay out Action Plan to Protect Killer Whale
January 30, 2002

Special Report from the Canadian Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans

2-year-old L98 is alive and well after at least seven months away from L pod! He was first seen in September, 1999, shortly after his birth to L67.

January 30, 2002

A most unusual situation has developed here in British Columbia, which I think will be of considerable interest to the network. Since July 2001, a lone juvenile killer whale has been residing in a remote inlet on the west coast of Vancouver Island. It came to our attention in September, but we were unable to photograph it for identification until November. We have confirmed, with the assistance of the Center for Whale Research, that the whale is L98, a member of L pod born in 1999. This whale was not present with L pod when censused in June, 2001.

We have not made this situation public until now in consideration of L98's well-being. We were initially quite concerned that the whale would not obtain sufficient food as winter approached, and potential disruption from curious boaters would not help the situation. However, so far he seems to be doing quite well. We have observed him catching salmon, and he is showing no signs of emaciation. We plan to continue regular field trips to the west coast to monitor L98's health status. Fisheries and Oceans will undertake conservation and protection patrols as required to ensure the whale is not disturbed. In the meantime, we will continue discussions with our colleagues to develop response strategies should the juvenile's health deteriorate.

The L98 situation is the first time that a young resident whale has been found separated from its pod for a significant length of time. (A somewhat similar incident took place in the late 1970s, when an unknown, young killer whale in poor health was found at Campbell River and was ultimately taken into captivity at Sealand in Victoria...the whale came to be known as 'Miracle'). We have no idea how L98 came to be alone in this inlet, but he seems reluctant to leave. The situation is particularly interesting given the recent occurrence of the lone (as yet unidentified) juvenile in Puget Sound. There is no evidence that the two events are related. We'll provide updates to the network on L98's status as things develop.

Best,

John Ford and Graeme Ellis
==========================
Marine Mammal Research Program
Conservation Biology Section
Pacific Biological Station
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Nanaimo, BC V9R 5K6

Young Orca discovered alone in Puget Sound (no longer online)
January 16, 2002 (KING5 TV) 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.

Tuesday, January 15 (Orca Network Sighting Report)

Here's the latest on the orca calf off Vashon Island:
This morning at approx. 10:30 Ken Balcomb of the Center for Whale Research and Mark Sears were with the calf off Vashon Island, near the Fauntleroy Ferry Dock, & were with it most of the day. The following report was just on KING 5 News, in an interview with Ken Balcomb:
Ken was able to measure the calf at 11', and estimates its age to be approx. 2 1/2 years. It seems to be in good health, but its skin is mottled & sloughing. It is not dependent on its Mom for milk or food at this age, but is dependent on its family for social context. Ken was unable to obtain skin samples today, but took some good photographs for identification purposes, & hopes to confirm the calf's identity soon. He is speculating that it could be an L pod calf, who may have become lost or separated from its pod, & is waiting for its Mom to come find it.
Watch KING 5 News to see more on this great story, and to see some great footage of the calf, who looked very friendly and curious about Ken's interest in it!
And we will continue to update you on this calf as we hear more. If you have questions about any of our sighting reports, please email us for more information & we will relay your questions on to the appropriate person.
Many thanks, & stay tuned - hopefully we'll finally learn the identity of this mystery calf soon!
Susan & Howie

Monday, January 14 (Orca Network Sighting Report)

[later that evening] 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.....
Susan & Howie

Thursday, January 10 (Orca Network Sighting Report)

First, from Marilyn Dahlheim of NMFS:
Hi all. Talked to my husband Bob today and Foster was seen yesterday (Jan. 9th) - still in Commencement Bay (via Crowley Tug crew).
*
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.

Thursday, January 3 (Orca Network Sighting Report)

First is a report of a lone orca in Swinomish Channel, called in by 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.

Springer, March 7, 2002

“What do you think about Springer?”

by Susan Berta and Howard Garrett
June 15, 2002

"What do you think about Springer, or A73, the wayward orphaned orca that has made Puget Sound her home these past five months?" Seems like a simple enough question, but the answers range far and wide, depending on who you ask, and when you ask. After closely following Springer's travels and travails for the past five months, we still have a hard time answering that question, or knowing for sure how we feel.

One thing is for sure - anyone who has had the honor and pleasure of meeting Springer has most likely fallen for this spunky, courageous, cute little orca. She has captured the hearts of the people of Puget Sound, Canada, and the nation. She has amazed us all with her survivability when all odds were against her, and managed to somehow travel all by herself from Canadian waters down into south Puget Sound, where she found a fishing hole that could support her and keep her alive, hundreds of miles from her natal pod.

But now what? The fate of A73 has been hotly debated for months by whale researchers, government officials, marine parks, politicians and non-profit organizations on both sides of the border, who are all trying to figure out what is best and right for A73's future. Some would rather she be left alone to fend for herself in Puget Sound, where she's been doing quite nicely, under the circumstances, and to let nature take its course.

Maybe there is a reason she is here and away from her pod that we don't know or understand? Some would like to see her taken to a marine park, where she would be fed and cared for, and where people would pay lots of money to watch her perform tricks in a tank. Some would like to conduct medical tests and take this opportunity to learn from this little wild orca who is so approachable, a rare opportunity. Others would like to see her returned home to Canadian waters to be reintroduced to her pod and continue her life as a wild whale. And as always, with any situation where media, money and politics become involved, the complications, contradictions and posturing endlessly abound around plans for this little orca calf's future.

This is an unprecedented situation, so there are no historic lessons to go by. Whale researchers were shocked to discover that such a young, orphaned calf could make it on her own for so long, or that she could travel so far on her own (although there is a mirrored situation with L98, a young orca calf from the Southern Resident community that has been living alone off the west side of Vancouver Island for nearly a year now). There are many more questions than answers, and as many opinions on what should be done as there are people involved.

We first became aware of the possibility of a lone orca calf in early January, when reports of an orca calf swimming in Swinomish Channel near LaConner came through Orca Network's Whale Sighting Network. This seemed like a very unlikely situation, but there were several calls, and they all seemed very sure it was a young orca they had observed. Then came a call from a Foss tugboat captain, reporting a baby orca calf swimming back and forth alongside a tanker near Edmonds. This also seemed unlikely, but since a female Transient had just been found dead in the area, we thought possibly it could be her lost calf. Finally, in mid-January, the orca calf was again found and photographed near Vashon Island, where she ended up taking residence until her capture on Thursday.

It took researchers awhile to figure out just who she was, as logic and circumstances seemed to point to either a transient or Southern Resident Community orca, the two orca communities that frequent this area. But after months of matching photos, vocalizations, and finally confirmation with DNA tests, it was discovered she was from the Northern Resident Community of orcas, who never travel down into Puget Sound - until now!

Resident Orcas have immense brains and intelligence, and a closely-bonded, matrilineal social system wherein the offspring stay with their mothers for life. Unfortunately, A73's Mom is believed to be dead, and survivors of her immediate pod include only her Grandmother and an aunt. But A73 was seen last summer swimming with G pod, another pod in the Northern Resident Community, and A clan is made up of several additional pods or matrilines that are relatives of A73.

Most people who know and understand orca social systems and culture instinctively know that A73 is lonely for her family, and that her best chance of survival would be with her pod. However, there are instances of lone whales making a living for themselves and doing just fine. There has been a lone pseudorca or False Killer Whale living in this area since the 1980's, being friendly with boaters and swimming right up to tugs and docks. And we can't be certain of the events leading to A73's departure from her pod and community - could she just not keep up after her Mom died? Was she intentionally left behind? Did she run away from home? Or is there some sort of secret international exchange program going on, wherein the Canadian whales sent A73 down here in exchange for having L98 up north?!

There is always the dilemma humans face of whether or not to intervene in the intricacies of nature's way. Though our hearts are tugging at us to do something, to make things right, we can't always know what is right, or accomplish what we think is right without doing more harm than good. Watching Springer swim around freely the hours before her capture on Thursday, we felt sad and torn. We would love to see her rejoin her family somehow, but sorely hated to see her taken into captivity for any length of time, her power and freedom torn from her. In the hour before she was taken, we watched in glee as she breached or half-breached six times. Then we watched numbly as the boats closed in to take her, and held our breath as we saw the rope go around her flukes and hold her, as she briefly thrashed until calmed by the biologists she has come to know over the past months, and as her freedom came to an end.

The horrifying thought that we had just witnessed the first orca capture in Puget Sound in decades came over us, and we felt the pain of the captures and deaths of over 60 orcas captured from this region in the 1960's and '70's. The only survivors of these captures are Corky of the Northern Resident Community, at San Diego Sea World; and Lolita, of the Southern Resident community, who lives in the smallest tank in the country at the Miami Seaquarium where she has performed daily for nearly 32 years. We've hopelessly watched Lolita circle her tiny tank, living alone in an artificial world away from her family, her ocean home, and any kind of natural stimulation or life, and we fear for Springer's future.

The plan is to keep Springer in the Manchester net pen for two weeks, while medical tests are performed to make sure she is free of pathogens before relocation back to Canadian waters. Scientists are also concerned about her skin condition, or "whale pox", a ketone smell to her breath that may signal other problems, and her weight, which is a few hundred pounds low, but not bad considering she lost her mother at a very young age, traveled hundreds of miles to a strange place, and had to depend on her own skill and strength to dive and catch fish.

Further plans are to possibly move her to a larger net pen in Puget Sound if she requires medical treatment, or to move her to a net pen or enclosed bay in Canada. Members of the A pod have just begun to arrive in Johnstone Strait, and Springer's pod is expected to arrive within the next few weeks, so timing is critical if she is to be reintroduced before the pod leaves again next fall.

Our hope is that the medical tests will come back giving her a clean bill of health, and that she can be immediately transported to Johnstone Strait and reunited with her family with a minimum of medical intervention and time in captivity.

However, from the beginning, reports of A73's health, weight, and behavior have been contradictory at best, fabricated at worst. Many wild whale researchers don't believe A73's health or situation warranted capture and removal. But she's in a pen now, on the premise of some who believe she's gravely ill with some unspecified disease that could take weeks to evaluate and much longer to treat. Her family have now reappeared in Johnstone Strait, but they'll be gone in a few short months. Will Springer have to spend the winter in a pen? In the meantime, could the loss of exercise, and the loss of her free will, adversely affect Springer's health, justifying further confinement? Confinement itself justifies further confinement. In the seven years of the Lolita campaign we've learned that the policy of the marine park industry and its employees, including veterinarians, is "once in captivity, always in captivity."

There are no clear contingency plans on the part of NMFS or DFO as to what action will be taken if the veterinarians now in charge of determining her health status decide she is unfit to be a wild whale, or if Canada doesn't feel it's safe for her to be returned to Canadian waters, or if for some reason the reintroduction to her pod does not work. This scares us, because there are at least three marine parks who have already worked out plans to accept A73 if things don't work out, or if she would need a "long term rehab" (ie, life in captivity, which could result in a huge increase in revenues for any facility that can get this now famous orca calf).

We can only hope that somehow Springer will jump through all the remaining hurdles as well as she handled the capture; and that the well meaning folks involved who want to reunite her with her pod in Canada are given the opportunity to do that. We must remain watchful and let the governments and scientists involved on both sides of the border know that captivity should not ever be considered an option for this young calf. And we need to watch carefully and learn from what we do and how this story ends, for little L98 up in Canada is in a similar predicament, though his mother is still alive, and he is not quite as far away from his pod's travels as is A73.

Whatever we do or don't do to help these two lone orca calves, we must do all we can to keep them wild and free. And for our threatened orca populations, we need to do much more than try to save these wayward babes - we need to undo the damage done through decades of dumping toxic waste into our streams and oceans, decimating forests, watersheds and salmon runs, over-populating, over-consuming and over-developing the fragile ecosystems of this northwest watery world.

UPDATE: On July 2, NMFS announced that Springer has passed all her medical tests. She is responsive, bright and alert, and has been eating 40 - 50 pounds of fish a day. Weds. NMFS will have a conference call with officials from Canada's Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans to obtain the ok for her transport north to her home waters, and Canadian government veterinarians will decide by Friday whether Springer can come back to Canadian waters. A net pen is being readied off Hanson Island, near Paul Spong and Helena Symonds' Orcalab, and hopes are to move Springer back north in approximately one week. Her pod should be arriving in the area any time now, so hopefully she will soon be reunited with members of her extended family, a free whale once again.....go Springer, you've jumped another hurdle!!

Susan Berta and Howard Garrett
Orca Network

Observations of a small killer whale in Puget Sound

November 2001 to January 2002
Kenneth C. Balcomb
Senior Scientist
Center for Whale Research
Friday Harbor, WA 98250

On 1 November, 2001 an experienced whalewatch operator observed a small lone killer whale in southern Puget Sound, Washington State. The observer was responding to a report of a pod of killer whales in Puget Sound, and at the time considered that the small whale was simply an unusual stray from the pod. He did not locate any other whales, and only saw the small whale briefly. There was a newspaper reporter aboard who published (Seattle PI November 15, 2002) an account of this whalewatching trip and the sighting.

Perhaps unrelated to this incident, on 2 and 3 January 2002 an experienced tug boat operator and others observed a small lone killer whale in Swinomish Channel near La Conner over a period of two days and reported it to the Center for Whale Research. At the time, this sighting was considered to possibly represent a young killer whale that was reported with two transient killer whales that stranded on 2 January at Dungeness Spit, Washington. One of the stranded killer whales died, a female identified as CA189 (referring to its identification number in a California catalogue of photo-identified individuals). The other stranded killer whale, a male identified as CA 188, was escorted back into the Strait of Juan de Fuca after three days of dedicated assistance from government and non-government rescue personnel. This whale was radio-tagged and is known to have survived the critical first few days after release (Contact Brian Gorman, NMFS (206) 526-6613 for details).

On 14 January 2002, another experienced observer again reported seeing a small lone killer whale in southern Puget Sound. The report was made to the Center for Whale Research by phone and the public via the internet (orcanetwork.org). On 15 January, Ken Balcomb accompanied biologist Mark Sears by small boat to the area where the whale was reported, and both videotaped and photographed the small killer whale confirming its species identity and solitary situation. The individual identity could not be determined at that time due to the whale's distinguishing characteristics being masked by naturally sloughing skin. It appeared and behaved like a "resident" killer whale, though apparently it was not a southern resident. Resident killer whales live in very stable kin groups called matrilines. A whale born to a matriline rarely if ever strays for long from this group, especially in the case of young animals. This lone small whale situation is extremely unusual, although we know that there is currently one other example (L98 see accompanying backgrounder), and two historical incidents that bear some resemblance .

It is not known how this small lone killer whale came to be in this situation, nor is it known how long it has been alone in the Puget Sound area. Perhaps it has been in the region since November, but we know it has been there at least two weeks. It currently appears to be in good health. Photographs (by Mark Sears) and acoustic recordings (by Joe Olson, ACS) of this whale have been forwarded to our colleagues, John K.B. Ford and Graeme M. Ellis at the Pacific Biological Station, DFO Canada for analysis.

Future Plans

We will continue weekly field trips to monitor the small lone killer whale in Puget Sound. Its behavior and appearance will be documented with photographs and video. Members of the public are advised that this whale is in US waters and it is a member of a protected species that should not be approached closer than 100 yards. Due to the potential for disturbance, it is not in this whale's best interest to have the public launch multiple vessels in an attempt to see it from any distance. Contact NMFS for guidelines and update on this whales status between now and mid-February.

SUMMARY REPORT FROM A SCIENTIFIC PANEL
Feb 28, 2002

Introduction:

On February 22, 2002, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) convened a scientific advisory panel to seek professional opinions on a list of questions regarding the unusual occurrence of a solitary juvenile. killer whale in central Puget Sound. Following a discussion of the available data, panel participants were polled for their opinions. NMFS staff then summarized the opinions received into the following list of responses to the questions. The responses are being used in the development of possible intervention options for the welfare of the animal under Section 109 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Background data:

The juvenile whale, thought to be a female based on observations of external morphology, was first discovered by a local researcher on January 14, 2002, in central Puget Sound near the Fauntleroy/Vashon Island ferry route. Photographs were taken and compared with the photo identification catalogue of the Southern Resident Community with no matches found. Audio recordings of the whale's calls were made by local researchers and analyzed by researchers in the U.S. and Canada who agreed the calls are an acoustic match for a pattern (dialect) known in the Northern Resident Community. Further analysis of photographs yielded a possible match with photos from the Northern Resident Community. The identification of the animal as A73 was later confirmed by a match with photographs taken of Northern Resident whales in Southeast Alaska. Further analysis and matching to archived genetic data in Canada is being done. Assuming confirmation via the genetics analysis the whale has been identified as a calf of Northern Resident female A45 from the 2000 season. A45 was not observed during the 2001 census, is missing and presumed dead. The calf was subsequently seen by Canadian researchers during the 2001 season in the company of another female belonging to a different pod and in a different acoustic clan. Orphaned calves usually accompany siblings but may occasionally accompany surrogates for a time following the disappearance of the mother and sometimes females nearing reproductive age will temporarily "adopt" or "babysit" calves from other females. However, there is no documented evidence of calves leaving their natal pod and subsequently rejoining the pod or successfully being accepted as a member of another pod.

Observations made by two independent veterinarians, who visited the animal in late January and early February, indicate that the whale is underweight and is exhibiting the skin lesions described as whale pox (a common affliction). The animal is believed to be feeding based on observed defecation and sightings of predation events. Members of the public reportedly observed a predation event and collected scraps of fish at the scene, which were subsequently given to NMFS for identification. In general the animal appears to be bright, alert and responsive at this time. Veterinarians report however, that the whale's breath has a ketone (alcohol like) aroma indicating that it may not be consuming sufficient prey to maintain itself over time and is metabolizing its own fat reserves at some rate or is consuming some novel prey items that may contribute to the odor. Sample collections and analysis of respiratory gases will be attempted to confirm these observations.

Consultation on the Questions:

Based on the veterinary field observations, observed behavior, age and what is known of the animals history, NMFS polled the panel participants for their opinions on the following questions.

What is your assessment of this animal's current health (medical/behavioral), and what additional diagnostic information is necessary to make a more informed assessment? Group Response: In general, the group expressed the opinion that the current condition of the animal is poor and that the prognosis for the future is also poor. The length of time for the deterioration of the animals health to become acute can not be predicted but several participants indicated that the observed condition is likely a downward spiral. Time estimates for the duration of the deteriorating condition, when offered ranged from weeks to months. The group suggested additional data collection through longer observation sessions to determine levels of feeding. The use of tags or a "crittercam" for data collection was also suggested. Most of the outstanding medical questions would likely require handling of the whale.

What is the probability of it surviving and/or reuniting with other killer whales if current conditions continue? (Consider the potential for habituation to humans.) Group Response: The group expressed the opinion that the likelihood for long-term survival is low and that the animal is unlikely to reunite with its pod or join a surrogate. Among the reasons given for pessimism were observations that;

the animal did not join up with Southern Residents when they passed the area;

early observations, during the live capture era, of individual animals left behind when their respective matrilines were removed, indicate that reuniting or joining a pod is unlikely;

body condition needs to improve to ensure viability and the age of the animal makes it unlikely that it has sufficient skills to find foraging areas;

Northern Residents do not frequent the Sound and the animal shows no sign of moving back to its normal range; and

the animal formed a temporary association with another pod but subsequently separated. There is no historic, behavioral or genetic evidence for resident calves leaving a pod then rejoining to it later or for joining a new pod and thriving.

What is probability for the long-term survival of this animal if short-term, moderate intervention is used? Group Response: The group was mixed in its opinion on whether moderate or "in situ" intervention would enhance long-term survival. Some expressed concern that short-term feeding may produce behavioral dependence while others suggested that the animal's current condition did not mean irreversible decline and that feeding could help. Unless intensive efforts are made to reduce the tendency for habituation, there is a strong possibility that the whale could be "fattened up" but this would only restart the downward curve and the problems of reuniting the animal with its pod would still exist. The possibility that an "all or nothing" approach would be needed was introduced.

What are the risks/benefits of capturing this animal? Group Response: The group expressed the belief that capture could be accomplished with relatively low risk to the animal, provided a good strategy and people are used. The risk of capture may be outweighed by the low expectation for survival. Some cautions were made that the timing of capture be considered because the animal's condition is declining and risk could go up. The risk associated with transporting the animal will likely compound the risk of capture.

If rehabilitation is attempted what needs to be done to minimize potential dependency on humans without compromising the health of the animal? Group Response: The group expressed support for the concept of minimizing potential dependency such as reducing "dead fish diet" and there have been some successful re-introductions of odontocetes but no real suite of procedures were offered to eliminate the animal's dependency on people at the far end of rehabilitation.

Would rehabilitation and release likely change the probability of it surviving and/or reuniting with other killer whales if current conditions continue? Group Response: The group was mixed in its opinion on whether rehabilitation would improve the probability of survival. However, the general "feel" was that the probability for survival under current conditions is so low that rehabilitation is unlikely to make it lower, i.e., net effect of rehabilitation may be positive but habituation and dependency are major issues.

In addition to the current releasability criteria, what additional factors should be used to determine whether this animal is releasable following rehabilitation? Group Response: The group recognized the international implications of this trans-boundary stock . In addition, it was recommended that timing a release to coincide with local prey abundance and availability of con-specifics from the natal pod are important considerations. One participant emphasized that answering the questions posed by the release criteria before intervention is initiated would be a valuable way to gauge the likely success of an intervention effort.

Panel Participants:
Teri Rowles, DVM, NMFS, Marine Mammal Health & Stranding Response
Lance Barret-Lennard, Vancouver Aquarium
David Huff, DVM, Vancouver Aquarium
Dr. Marilyn Dahlheim, National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML)
Graeme Ellis, Dept. of Fisheries & Oceans, Canada
Dr. John Ford, Dept. of Fisheries & Oceans, Canada
Dr. Dave Bain, University of Washington
Bill Walker, NMML, Consultant
Frances Gulland, DVM, The California Marine Mammal Center
Jim McBain, DVM, Busch Entertainment
Steve Jeffries, Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife
Dr. Brad Hanson, NMML
Dr. Steve Kalinowski, Northwest Fisheries Science Center

Invited but Not Present for the Discussion:
Ken Balcomb, Center for Whale Research
Jeff Foster, Consultant