Springer (killer whale) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Two- year- old Springer in Puget Sound. Springer (born late 1.
Also known as killer whales, they are icons of the Pacific Northwest, and the signature species of The Whale Trail. Three kinds of orcas live in the Pacific. The Center for Whale Research is dedicated to the study and conservation of the Southern Resident Killer Whale, Orca, population in the Pacific Northwest.
A7. 3, is a wild orca (also known as killer whale) from the Northern Resident Community of orcas which every summer frequent the waters off the northern part of Vancouver Island, British Columbia (BC). In 2. 00. 2, Springer, then a calf, was discovered alone and emaciated some 2. Experts identified Springer by her vocal calls that is specific to her pod and by examining photographs of her eye patch. They were also able determine where Springer's pod was currently located.
Months of heated public debate ensued until the United States National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) made the decision to capture the young orca and try to reintegrate her into her pod. On June 1. 2, 2. 00.
The killer whale (Orcinus orca) is a top predator and one of the most contaminated marine mammal species in the world. Due to different prey preferences and life styles, killer whale populations accumulate persistent pollutants differently, and therefore are exposed.
Springer was captured and moved to a seapen in Manchester, Washington. On July 1. 3, after medical treatment and rehabilitation, Springer was transported to Johnstone Strait, BC and held in a seapen at Dongchong Bay, Hanson Island and released the next day.
Springer (born late 1999 or early 2000), officially named A73, is a wild orca (also known as killer whale) from the Northern Resident Community of orcas which every summer frequent the waters off the northern part of Vancouver Island, British Columbia (BC). Killer whales mainly come in black and white color combination, with the round patch behind the eyes, lower jaw to the anus and lower flanks towards the tail being white, a grey saddle patch behind the dorsal fin with varying shapes, and other parts black. KILLER WHALES (Orcinus orca) - Physical Characteristics.Discover animal, environmental, and zoological career facts as you explore in-depth topic coverage via SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, and Discovery Cove's on-line information books. 50 the study of geographic variation in killer whale saddle patch pattern (Baird & Stacey 1988, M. Individuals that died or were missing for a while were also included in this study. Most of the variation.
The following July, she returned to Johnstone Strait with the same orca pod. At that time, she was 1. Orcas are rarely observed alone, and mothers never leave young offspring unattended. Each of the approximately 5. Birth records of each orca have created detailed family trees. They are the most- intensively studied and best- known marine mammal population in the world.
Orcas in the region's inner coastal waters take two forms, . The different orca pods have developed their own unique vocalizations, using distinctive sets of calls, known as . From these recordings and photographs, Helena Symonds of Orca. Lab and Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Canada biologist John Ford determined that the orca belonged to a pod of around 2. Northern Resident Community, ranging some 2. Puget Sound area.
Resident orcas leave the coast each fall; their migration routes are still relatively unknown. It was known that A4. A7. 3 had not returned to Johnstone Strait the previous summer and were both thought dead. Assessment of Springer's dialect confirmed she was A7. Her closest maternal relatives are other members of the matriline (subpod) known as A2.
A4. Like many regional orcas, she is named after a geographical feature . One local Seattle- based group, Project Sea. Wolf Coastal Protection, led by whale advocate Michael Kundu, Seattle media personality Bob Mc. Laughlin, and Robert Wood of the American Cetacean Society, began regularly observing and tracking the calf on the water, and documented a number of orca- boat interactions, including potentially dangerous interactions with private boats and a Washington State ferry.
Her attraction to boats and floating logs was attributed to needing social interaction and touch. John Ford observed later that, . Orcas are highly social and form extremely strong family bonds. Resident orcas remain with their mothers and maternal relatives their entire lives. Public debate. Some feared Springer might be removed to a captive- display facility, even though a Stipulation of Dismissal in the 1. Washington v. Don Goldsberry, Sea. World, et al legally prohibited marine parks from capturing wild orcas in Puget Sound.
Some argued that federal authorities should not intervene and rescue the young orca, even if the animal was likely to die. Media reports soon revealed that OCA was deep in debt and bound by an agreement with the Free Willy- Keiko Foundation (FWKF) that Keiko's former tank, built by FWKF, could never again house a wild orca. Furthermore, growing scientific opinion was that rehabilitating Springer in a concrete tank would further acclimate the orca to humans and likely result in permanent captivity. OCA withdrew its offer.
The Seattle- based non- profit Orca Conservancy, which later emerged as the lead U. S. They repeatedly called upon authorities to immediately rescue Springer and return her to the A2. Johnstone Strait. As reported on KING 5 News (NBC Seattle), the group initially proposed a . Washington State Ferry workers were the first to see and report the young orca to researchers, and kept a watchful eye on her throughout her stay in the big city.
NMFS officials chose not to intervene, stating it lacked the funds or the confidence that a rescue, translocation and reunion was possible. No cetacean had ever been re- integrated into a wild pod after human intervention. Scientists considered the possibility that Springer had been rejected by her pod (although resident orcas had never been known to do this).
Springer's pod might respond to her reappearance by a physical attack. Also, the increasing habituation with humans and vessels could jeopardize a successful return to the wild and humans could be endangered by Springer's close contacts with small boats. Springer's uncertain health was also a concern; Canadian officials refused to accept an orca with any communicable diseases. Returning Springer to her home waters would require the political, scientific, logistical and financial cooperation of federal agencies and multiple organizations in two countries, as well as the consent of the First Nations. Local media continued covering the situation, with advocates demanding immediate government action to save the orca.
Public sentiment strongly favored rescue as Springer's health deteriorated and her attraction to boats and people increased. Monitoring program. Project Sea. Wolf, a Marysville, Washington- based marine advocacy group spearheaded by A.
Michael Kundu (previously the PNW Director for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society), Seattle media personality Bob Mclaughlin, and Robert Wood, had logged more time on the water with Springer than any government or non- government group, tracking her movements, alerting ferry captains of her presence, keeping curious boaters at a safe distance away, as well as shooting and distributing to the media footage of the orca rubbing against boats. The highly experienced monitoring team included photographer and marine advocate Kelley Balcomb- Bartok, son of noted orca researcher Ken Balcomb of The Center for Whale Research, and members of the Friday Harbor- based boater education program, Soundwatch. The monitors took shifts monitoring Springer and keeping the public away, but the growing number of onlookers were making the effort unsustainable.
As the orca's prognosis worsened, the idea of returning her to her pod in Canada was gaining strong public support. On March 1. 3, KOMO 4 News (ABC Seattle) reported a .
NMFS announced it supported the combined seapen rehabilitation/translocation/reintroduction plan, with Vancouver Aquarium as the lead non- government organization on the Canadian side. Shortly after the NMFS announcement and without explanation, Vancouver Aquarium backed out of the coalition, affecting the project's funding. Prescott Grant and Orphaned Orca Fund.
NMFS agreed to the plan. Applications were made for two $1. USD grants, with a requirement that both be triggered by 1/3 matching contributions, or a total of $6. USD. NMFS invited five non- profit organizations to form the . Free Willy- Keiko Foundation/Earth Island Institute and Friends of the San Juans would soon join OOF. The new coalition immediately passed a Motion that stated that . Project Sea. Wolf continued providing technical and fundraising expertise, assisting the Springer project in many material and tactical ways, particularly when the time came to rescue and repatriate and move the orca calf back to her home waters in British Columbia.
The public response to helping Springer was overwhelming. In a matter of weeks, OOF successfully raised the matching funds triggering the Prescott grants. There was now approximately $2. USD in cash and in- kind services and equipment available to the project, by most accounts more than enough to get Springer home. Namgis First Nation enlisted to catch wild salmon for Springer.
Spong and Orca. Lab to use OOF funds to contract commercial fishermen from the Namgis First Nation of Johnstone Strait, BC, to catch and provide wild salmon for Springer while she was in her seapen in Dongchong Bay, Hanson Island, the repatriation site and territory of the Namgis. If the money were approved, Dr. Spong would help arrange an out- of- season fishing permit from DFO, and Namgis Chief Bill Cranmer would put together a boat and crew. A member of OOF, together with a representative from NMFS present at the meeting, urged instead the use of farmed Atlantic salmon provided by a local aquaculture company, even though the First Nations in the region were adamantly opposed to fish farms in their waters. It was argued that the logistics of feeding Springer wild fish was too much to take on for the team, particularly this close to the capture date. The NMFS suggested it would agree to the Namgis contract if the OOF provided a metal detector to screen the wild salmon for fish hooks which could pose a danger to Springer.
After OOF members pledged they would inspect the mouth of each fish for hooks prior to their placement into the seapen, the motion passed and the Namgis were contracted. On June 1. 3, Foster's team placed a rope around her tail, moved her into a sling and hoisted her into the boat.
For four weeks, she was fed live salmon and medically evaluated. Human contact was kept to a minimum in order to avoid the orca developing a dependency on humans. Her food, sometimes laced with medication, was delivered at random times via a chute to prevent Springer from seeing the person providing it. As her health improved, her appetite increased to approach the 6. After medical tests revealed no genetic disorders or communicable diseases, Springer was cleared for return to Canada. A means to transport the orca 2.
Trucks and airplanes were ruled out. Project Sea. Wolf's directors Kundu, Mclaughlin, and Wood, persuaded a boat building company from Whidbey Island, Nichols Brothers Boat Builders, to donate use of the Catalina Jet, a 1.
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