Thibault Announces Contribution to Luna Relocation Project

The Minister also confirmed that after consulting with a variety of experts, he was advised that the chances of L98 (Luna) successfully reuniting with his pod will be greater in the spring. Extensive preparations are necessary in this type of operation to maximize the chances of success. A relocation is best done in the spring when weather and the proximity of the pod are optimal.

As a result, no attempt will be made to remove the whale from the Nootka Sound area, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, throughout the winter.

“I recognize the tremendous Canadian and international interest in the well-being of this animal,” said Minister Thibault. “My preference is to give Luna the opportunity to reunite with his pod. It will be a complex process, and leaving the whale in Nootka Sound over the winter gives us time to work with other interested partners to come up with the right solution with the best chance of success.”

DFO will collaborate with the National Marine Fisheries Service in the United States and other partners to explore ways to successfully reunite L98 with his pod. All planning efforts will be undertaken in consultation with independent scientific advice and will take into account the well-being of the animal, the likelihood of a successful relocation and the safety of the public. A plan to monitor and protect the whale and the public during the winter months will also be implemented.

“Given that the opportunities for L98 to connect with his pod diminish rapidly as winter approaches, our best chance for a successful reintroduction will be to wait until the spring when L98’s pod returns to these transboundary waters,” explained Dr. John Ford, head marine mammal scientist with DFO’s Pacific Region. “Our goal is to undertake the relocation in a manner that will maximize the likelihood of a successful reintroduction. Rushing relocation at this time presents a very uncertain outcome.”

If reintroduction fails, the Minister said other alternatives, such as captivity, will need to be explored.

L98 is a solitary killer whale that has been frequenting the waters of Nootka Sound at the mouth of Gold River since the spring of 2001. The four-year-old whale is a member of the Southern Resident L-pod.

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