Natives Want Luna To Spend Second Summer
In BC Sound

Saturday, January 1, 2005
GOLD RIVER, BC – Safety versus spiritual needs divides the guardians of a lonely killer whale off Vancouver Island.

Area aboriginal people want to ensure the dangerously boisterous orca remains in Nootka Sound until a ceremonial potlatch in November. But residents of Gold River, who have watched with increasing alarm as Luna toys with boats and floatplanes, are worried what another summer with their huge guest will mean.

The local native band believes Luna is in Nootka Sound because he embodies the spirit of their late chief. They say he will not be trucked away from the area at least until after the important potlatch, or feast, to celebrate the chief's life.

Even after that date, the Mowachaht-Muchalaht First Nation says it will continue to object to the technique planned to reunite the whale -- known to them as Tsux'iit -- with its family pod in U.S. waters.

"Putting it in a truck and then having it travel all the way down the road . . . we find it's really disrespectful for the whale," said Jamie James, the band's fisheries manager.

He also said the band would prefer a natural reunion.

"Let nature take its course. When the whale wants to leave, he'll leave. We don't object to him reuniting with his pod."

John Ford, a marine mammal scientist with the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, said a natural reunion between Luna and his pod is unlikely.

"His pod's never been spotted in that area. This is part of the mystery," he said.

An effort to move the five-year-old orca back to his family pod this summer failed when natives lured the whale away from a capture pen.

The Mowachaht-Muchalaht later signed a stewardship agreement to watch the whale in exchange for $10,000 from the DFO.

Having the whale spend another summer in busy Nootka Sound on the west side of Vancouver Island concerns Marilyn Joyce, the DFO's marine mammal co-ordinator.

"We've been saying public safety is the department's No. 1 concern," she responded when questioned whether safety overrides the wishes of natives.

"These other factors of what's going to happen to Luna now and what are the First Nations issues has to be woven in there," Ms. Joyce said, adding she is hopeful of finding a solution that can satisfy everyone.

But there is also a lot of emotion around the whale's three-year stay in the sound.

Just before Mowachaht-Muchalaht Chief Ambrose Maquinna died three years, ago he predicted he would return as a killer whale. A few days later, Luna showed up in the sound.

For others, the hurt is more financial and frightening.

Kjell Aalhus was fishing for salmon in the sound last summer when Luna started "hammering away" at the rudder under his 12-metre boat.

"He just wouldn't leave. We tried everything to get away," he said of the persistent whale. Mr. Aalhus's insurance company paid the $3,200 damage bill.

"They said this is the first time they had a whale claim."

The band's Mr. James agrees there have been some close calls between boaters and Luna.

"He is a danger, but not on purpose," he said. "He's still a wild whale, young whale, and not many people realized how big he is getting."

The DFO's Mr. Ford acknowledges the whale is a bit "obsessive compulsive" when it comes to his attraction to some boats, but the scientist is more concerned for Luna's well-being.

"The concern really is that because he's so boisterous and assertive that accidents could happen."

While Luna has been a great tourist draw for the economically depressed community of Gold River, even the local chamber of commerce acknowledges it may be safer to relocate the whale.

"If [Luna's] being hurt or hassled or stressed, then no, we don't need that for tourism," said Elayne Roberts, the chamber's treasurer.

She said having a small whale in the community's backyard has been wonderful, but "I don't own a boat in the marina and I don't have him harassing me."

The owner of Air Nootka, the floatplane service in and out of Gold River, refuses to use Luna to promote his business.

Grant Howatt agrees the whale has become trouble in the sound "because so many people disregarded the law which says you're not supposed to have contact with the whale."

He said Luna "thinks it's his right to go visit with people and play with their boats."

His advice is to ignore the whale and he will go away, but Nootka Air, too, has sustained some damage from the pesky orca..

Mr. Howatt said he believes someone could eventually be hurt or killed, especially in a canoe or kayak.

"Nobody really knows what would happen if somebody got in the water with him. He could easily just want to play with them, or who knows what?"

The human-whale interaction is a chief concern for the DFO's Ms. Joyce as well.

"The more habituated he becomes to people . . . you know the concern is that might decrease his chances of reintegrating successfully," she said.

And as the whale becomes more curious, Mr. Ford's concerns grow for both Luna and the public.

Source: The Globe and Mail

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