Springer Returns Again To Johnstone Strait

Monday, June 28, 2004
HANSON ISLAND, BC - 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 Island's OrcaLab research station around 1am, and eventually her distinctive "open saddle patch" was spotted by observers from B.C. Park's 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.

The return of Springer lends considerable support to the notion that the solitary orca Luna, now in Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island's west coast, can succeed in returning to the company of his Southern Resident orca community. Luna has been living alone in Nootka Sound since he first showed up in the summer of 2001. Like Springer, no-one knew who Luna was when first seen, but "ID" photographs soon proved him to be a member of the Southern Resident community's "L2" matriline. Unlike Springer, Luna's mother is still alive, so scientists believe his chances of reuniting with his orca kin are good. "Luna actually has a better chance than Springer," said OrcaLab's Dr. Paul Spong. "Orcas are bonded for life, and the closest bonds are between mothers and their offspring. I don't have any doubts about Luna's future, once he returns to the side of his mum."

How Luna came to be in Nootka Sound is a mystery. Local First Nations people believe that he embodies the spirit of Chief Ambrose Maquinna who died a few days before Luna showed up. At that time, Luna was a baby, but he is now a rambunctious 5 year old whose antics have caused government officials to become increasingly concerned about public safety issues. The upshot was a plan to reunite Luna with his orca community via a Springer-like project that would see him captured, held, tested, and then transported via truck to southern Vancouver Island waters where he would ultimately be released. Nootka Sound First Nations have opposed the official plan but offered a compromise in the form of a "canoe follow" which would bring Luna to within acoustic range of his pod. "If he can get that close, his chances will be excellent," said Dr. Spong. "After that there will certainly be problems because of Luna's huge attachment to people, but I am confident that, like Springer, the other orcas will take over from there."

Further information:

Dr. Paul Spong/Helena Symonds
Address: P.O. Box 510 • Alert Bay, BC • Canada • V0N 1A0
Tel: (250) 974-8068
Email: orcalab@island.net