Story Published:
Apr 3, 2004 at 5:20 PM PDT
Story Updated:
Aug 31, 2006 at 1:27 AM PDT
VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA - It's time for a wayward whale to go home.
For three years, Luna the orca has been a rowdy teenager harassing boaters off Vancouver Island. But he belongs in Puget Sound.
There is a new plan to send Luna home, but money could be an obstacle.
Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans will be ready by mid-May to move Luna back to his Puget Sound orca family.
"We have every reason to think that Luna will want to join up with his pod," says Vancouver Aquarium's Lance Barrett-Leonard, "as Springer did."
Springer was the Northwest's first attempted killer whale relocation. The orphaned orca was sick and making a nuisance of herself in Elliott Bay.
The U.S. and Canada successfully re-introduced her to her orca pod in Canada. Now they'll try the same thing in reverse with Luna because alone in Canada's Nootka Sound, he has also become a nuisance and a danger.
So, here's the plan: DFO will capture and hold Luna in a net pen in Nootka sound. Vets will check Luna to make sure he isn't carrying any diseases. That should take a week to 10 days.
After that, and once they determine that Luna's family "L" pod is back in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, they'll start the move. Luna will likely travel overland to the south end of Vancouver Island and another net pen. The team will hold Luna there until he makes contact with his family and can be released.
"I think we're prepared for it to take a while," says Barrett-Leonard. "Last time Springer took a week or so to really join up with other killer whales, Luna could take longer."
The entire operation is expected to cost about half a million dollars. Canada and the U.S. have each contributed $100,000. The rest must come from private donations and in-kind contributions.
The next few weeks are the critical money weeks. The Canadian government says if it can't raise the $300,000 it won't go ahead with this orca rescue.
The other critical factor: people. They must stay away.
"As attractive as it is to go and see a killer whale up close," says DFO's Marilyn Joyce, "we know that that is not good for the whale."
After-release enforcement of a keep-away zone for Luna will be handled by U.S. authorities and will be critical for the success of the operation.
Re-locating Luna is still risky, but both the U.S. and Canada are committed, because they believe leaving Luna in Nootka Sound for another summer, is just too dangerous.
Donations for the Luna move can be made to either the Vancouver Aquarium in Vancouver, B.C. or to the Whale Museum in San Juan's Friday Harbor.
