'We Are Very Happy'
A professional photographer took several pictures of what he believed was the juvenile orca, known officially as A-73, travelling with the A-11 pod near Port Hardy at the northernmost point on Vancouver Island.
The photos were sent to Dr. Paul Spong at OrcaLab on Hanson Island who made a positive I.D. He says the sighting means the orca survived 7-months in the open ocean and is still swimming with her re-adopted family.
"This is great. This is a great experiment that is a success. We are very happy," said Michael Harris with the Orca Conservancy. "What a test for a small orca like that who's spent so much time in a ferry lane in urban Puget Sound is now back. She's with her family now, she's fat, she's happy. We've been holding our breath for a long long time and this is great news."
Springer did spend several weeks alone in Puget Sound last year swimming back and forth between West Seattle and Vashon Island frolicking in the wakes of pleasure boats and ferries until U.S. and Canadian scientists agreed to intervene. They worked together to lift her from Puget Sound, place her on a fast-moving ferry for a 10-hour trip to Johnstone Strait, and re-introduce her in her native range.
Springer's apparent success also gives some orca groups ammunition to seek a second attempt. Luna, a lone male orca, continues to frolick with boaters in Vancouver's Nootka Sound. As recently as last May Canadian scientists decided not to interfere and let nature take its course. The Orca Conservancy for one hopes that Springer's return proves the same course could be taken with Luna to re-introduce him to his native L-pod.
"We hope that we give Luna the same chance that we gave Springer. Let Luna hear his family. Give him a chance to repatriate with other orcas, away from humans, and every time they choose other orcas."