User:Clayoquot/Springer

Two-year-old Springer in Puget Sound

Springer (born 2000), officially named A73, is a wild Orca (killer whale). In 2002, she was discovered orphaned and alone in Puget Sound, Washington State. Six months later, after being treated for medical conditions and given extra food, she was transported to Johnstone Strait, British Columbia, and released near her close relatives.

As of 2007, Springer has been seen, with her relatives, each year in Johnstone Strait. She is the first Orca to be successfully re-integrated into a wild pod after human intervention. The work of rehabilitating Springer involved scientists from both sides of the Canada-U.S. border, and crystallized decades of research into the social structure of the Orcas of the northeast Pacific.

Nudging a floating log in Puget Sound

Springer was draped with a wet cloth during the 13 hour-journey, to keep her skin from drying out or becoming sunburned.

Discovery in Puget Sound

Springer was spotted on January 2, 2002 near the Vashon Island ferry dock.

Approximately two years old at the time, Springer was no longer dependent on her mother for milk. However, Orcas are highly social, and the bond between Orca mothers and their offspring is the strongest in the animal kingdom. Resident Orcas stay with their mothers and their maternal relatives for their entire lives. Springer's habit of rubbing against boats and floating logs was attributed to a need for social interaction and touch.

It was obvious that Springer was thin had some health problems, including a skin condition.

A northern resident whale

In February, researchers recorded Springer's underwater calls to determine her dialect.

A4 pod, the group which contains her grandmother.

member of the A11 matriline

<describe social nature of orca society> <number of orcas in Northern Resident population, each one named and identified>

There are no known cases of a resident orca being cast out from its pod.

Rehabilitation

The decision to return Springer into her native waters was complex. It was also not certain whether a young, orphaned whale would be accepted into her pod after a long absence. If reintegration had failed, the fallback plan was to allow Springer to be purchased by a marine park and live as a captive whale.

For over two months, scientists, conservation groups, and citizens debated the options for Springer's future. Opinions were largely, and strongly, against the idea of sending Springer to live in an marine theme park. However, Springer's prognosis in Puget Sound was poor, as she was thin, in poor health, lonely, and at high risk of being hit by a vessel in the busy area. She had ketosis, an itchy skin condition, and worms. She also had a habit of approaching boats and rubbing against them.

Whale experts from the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and the Vancouver Aquarium, gradually put together a plan to move Springer to Canadian waters and reunite her with relatives. At the time, it was not at all certain that this would be achievable. There was the possibility that Springer had been rejected by her pod, although resident Orcas have never been known to do this. Springer's health was uncertain, and Canadian officials refused to accept a whale with any communicable diseases.

As the weeks unfolded, Springer's health improved and officials chose not to intervene. However Springer's medical problems, combined with the fear that she would be accidentally killed by a boat or that her quality of life as a lone Orca would be poor, led to a decision to intervene.

“ As a northern resident orca, A73's natural place is with other northern residents, especially her remaining family. She still retains her matrilineal vocal traditions. She is far from home in her present location. How she got there is a mystery, but what we do know tells us that Springer is a survivor, that she must have a strong will to live. ” — Paul Spong and Helena Symonds, April 17, 2002

On June 13, Springer was captured and placed in a net pen at a research station in Puget Sound. For four weeks, she was given live fish and tested for medical conditions. To avoid creating a dependency on humans, staff kept their contact with her to a minimum and released food into her pen at different times of day.

Return to Johnstone Strait

Springer was brought to a net pen in a bay off Hanson Island, in Johnstone Strait, close to where the A24 and A12 subpods were known to be travelling. She spyhopped (raising her head out of the water), pushed at the net, and called loudly. "She was vigorous and vocalizing and obviously interacting with the other whales. We were listening practically with our mouths hanging open (Saturday) night," said researcher Paul Spong. When the gate on her net pen was opened, Springer went "charging off."

At first, Springer had a habit of breaking off from her pod to rub against boats, especially when the other whales were swimming at high speeds. Boaters were asked to slowly back away from her when approached.

Springer formed a bond with A-51, a 16-year-old female killer whale from a different pod who had no calf of her own. "When the young whale took up her old habit of approaching a boat to rub against its hull, the older orca, known as A-51, swam over and seemed to guide Springer away from the boat and back to the other whales."

Springer's story raised hopes that Luna, another young whale separated from its pod and living in Nootka Sound, could also be re-integrated. Unfortunately, Luna died in 2005 before consensus was reached on whether to move him.

Springer has been sighted each year with her pod in Johnstone Strait. By all indications, she is healthy. In July 2003, Paul Spong said in press release, "Springer is in excellent condition. There can now be no question about the success of the return project as it is clear that Springer has resumed living a normal social life among her kin and community."

References

• {{cite news}}: Empty citation (help)
• Lavoie, Judith (2007-07-13). "Springer's back so you better get this party started". Victoria Times Columnist. Retrieved 2007-07-14. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

See also

• Keiko (Orca)
• Luna (L98)

External links

• Video of Springer's return to her home waters in 2002
• Photograph of Springer and A71 in 2006
• Closeup of Springer's dorsal fin and saddle patch in 2006

Category:Famous orcas Category:Fauna of British Columbia

Stuff

Scientists observing her "It's something she did a lot in Puget Sound because she didn't have whales to associate with down there, so boats sort of became a replacement for that for social reasons," said Dr. John Ford of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.