DFO Looks Over Three Proposals to Move Luna

Wednesday, October 15, 2003
VANCOUVER, BC - Several proposals have been put forward in a bid to relocate an orca known for bumping noses with boats off Vancouver Island to the delight of tourists and horror of wildlife activists.

Three proposals have been received for reuniting four-year-old Luna with his pod, which frequents the waters off Vancouver Island and the Juan de Fuca Strait, said Deborah Phelan, a spokeswoman for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

"Perhaps next week we'll be able to see what the next step would be," said Phelan, adding the department is well aware of time constraints involved with moving the whale.

She would not name organizations that made applications, but a spokeswoman for the Vancouver Aquarium confirmed Wednesday that officials at the popular facility submitted a plan at the last minute.

A Tuesday deadline was set by the federal department for organizations to submit applications.

"The Vancouver Aquarium was working until the end of (Tuesday) and did submit a response to DFO's request with some limitations," said spokeswoman Angela Nielsen.

She said the aquarium could provide staff and technical expertise, but couldn't afford to finance the move itself.

The ability to cough up cash for the whale's move is one of the federal department's main criteria for applicants to move Luna, also known as L-98.

"There may be a way that we can combine several proposals and maybe there can be some creative solutions to fundraising projects and that sort of thing," said Phelan when asked if the aquarium's financial limitations would disqualify its proposal.

"But the third party who carries out the relocation program does need to have the financial capability of doing it," she said.

As a non-profit organization, that's just not something the aquarium can afford, said Nielsen.

"If we learned anything from Springer, it was an expensive exercise," said Nielsen, referring to the aquarium's role in reunited a sick orca with its pod last year.

That move cost about $600,000, with $100,000 coming from the aquarium's coffers.

"No one knows for sure how much it's going to cost (to move Luna), but we know it's going to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars," said Nielsen.

The aquarium has only managed to raise about $2,000 in donations so far, she said.

Luna, a four-year-old, one-tonne killer whale, is famous for socializing with boaters near Gold River on Vancouver Island.

While the orca's antics have endeared her to tourists, wildlife activists have raised an alert over reports that his socializing is causing him harm.

There have been reports of people trying to pour beer down his blow hole and trying to brush his teeth. Run-ins with boats also left two deep gashes on his head.

Scientists have said if the whale cannot be relocated, extreme options for its future include captivity or euthanasia.

For More Information: