|
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
HANSON ISLAND, BC - After a 5 month absence, Springer and her adoptive family, the A11s, returned to Johnstone Strait in mid February. We first heard “A4” calls on February 15th. This was the first time we had heard resident orcas since mid November, just 2 days after Orca-live closed for the 2004 season. We heard the calls on our “Critical Point” hydrophone – they sounded loud enough to suggest that the orcas were near Robson Bight. The whales appeared to be headed east in the Strait, and were soon beyond the range of our hydrophones. We heard them again two days later, returning to western Johnstone Strait. They stayed only a short time before heading back to the east again. On February 21st we heard them once more, and decided to go out in our vessel, June Cove, to find out which A4s were there. We landed on Izumi Rock near Vancouver Island to observe the group. To our delight, we saw that the orcas were the A11s, and that Springer was with them! She was swimming close beside A56, exactly where she was when last saw her, on September 11th, as the A11s headed “out” of the core area with several other groups. It was wonderful to see Springer looking so relaxed and so clearly at home among the other whales. She has grown perceptibly since we last saw her. When we took our boat closer to take photos, she ignored us completely… more good news!
Source: OrcaLab
|
