Springer, also known as A73 and a member of the Northern Resident Orcas, was just two years old when she was discovered in early 2002, separated from her pod and alone after losing her mother.
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Springer, the orphaned orca who returned to her pod in a dramatic rescue two decades ago, is celebrated this week as an example of what humans can do when they cooperate.
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Springer, also known as A73 and a member of the Northern Resident Orcas, was just two years old when she was discovered in early 2002, separated from her pod and alone after losing her mother. She was severely malnourished and beginning to bond with humans.
She was seen in various areas hanging around marinas, rubbing against boats and letting people, even dogs, touch her nose.
An unprecedented rescue and rehabilitation followed, involving the US and Canadian governments, scientists, marine mammal specialists, private boats and volunteers, many of whom are gathering starting Friday at the Whales at Telegraph Cove in the North Island.
Events include a team presentation and discussion at 11:30 am, children’s activities, and an eco-fair with ocean-focused nonprofits from 11-4 pm.
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In June 2002, Springer, more than 500 kilometers from her North Island home, was hoisted in a sling to a holding pen off Manchester, Washington.
He was eating 100 kilograms of salmon a day and began to gain weight. She left Washington a month later aboard a jet catamaran headed for the waters north of Vancouver Island.
Scientists, unsure if Springer’s pod would be in the area, released the young orca on July 14 as her pod swam past. Vocalizations indicated that Springer and her pod immediately recognized each other, and Springer went straight for them.
She has thrived ever since, with two calves of her own: Spirit born in 2013 and Storm born in 2017. They are often seen off the north central coast of British Columbia, returning to Johnstone Strait most summers.
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“The Springer story is inspiring on many levels,” said OrcaLab’s Paul Spong. “He proved that an orphaned orca, alone and separated from her family, can be rehabilitated and returned to a normal productive life with her family and community; and showed that disparate parties with diverse interests can come together and work together for the common goal of helping a small whale.”
Donna Sandstrom, director of the Whale Trail who wrote a children’s book called Orca Rescue! published last year about the Springer rescue and reunion, said it is the only project of its kind in history.
“First of all, there was a rare combination of government agencies, non-profits, First Nations and volunteers who volunteered to work together… it was like a relay race where everyone had a role,” he said in one interview on Wednesday.
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“Secondly, the exceptional risk and courage of governments and the Vancouver Aquarium to save this little whale was unprecedented. And third, the reaction of the whales in his pod was something that no one could predict. They showed up and accepted it.”
Sandstrom said Springer’s continued success gives hope to all of us and “inspires us to address the issues facing killer whales today with the same commitment, urgency and resolve.”
In his book, he notes that Springer’s great-grandmother, A10, and a new calf were shot to death in Robson Bight on Johnstone Strait in 1983. Most people assume the matriarch was killed by a disgruntled fisherman, but there is no evidence. conclusive.
“Fifty years later, we went to extraordinary lengths to try and fix it,” Sandstrom said. “At the time, they were also capturing killer whales for aquariums.”
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Lynne Barre, orca recovery lead at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s West Coast Fisheries regional office in Seattle, said Springer’s success story remains an inspiration to all who work in conservation in the Salish Sea.
“The partnerships created during the Springer rescue provide a strong foundation for international cooperation and coordination among government, state, tribal and nonprofit groups to benefit resident killer whales to the north and south,” Barre said.
The northern resident killer whale population is doing much better than their southern counterparts. In 2019, data showed the 26 northern pods had around 300 killer whales and the population was on an upward trajectory, increasing by about four percent a year.
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They are similar to southerners in that they travel in large family groups and are fish eaters, with a preference for Chinook salmon.
But they are not genetically related to the residents of the south, whose population is in danger and is reduced to only 74 individuals in three herds. A new baby in K-Pod, the first in the pod since 2011, and another in J-Pod were discovered this summer but are not yet counted in the census.
Mary Borrowman, director of the Whale Interpretation Center and co-organizer of the Telegraph Cove events, said meeting rescuers every five years has been inspiring. She called Springer’s dramatic reunification with her pack “a miracle” that should be celebrated.
“Springer’s incredible success continues to inspire,” said Borrowman.
