Orca Aware
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Orcas in the Wild
  • Orca Captivity
  • Orca Research
  • Orca Resources
  • Interviews
  • Blog

Northern Resident Orca 'Springer' Update

9/7/2013

0 Comments

 
ORCA SPRINGER UPDATE: Great news via Orca Network andOrcaLab from veteran orca researchers John Ford and Graeme Ellis:
Northern resident orca Springer (A73) has had a baby. In Winter 2001/2002, female calf Springer was found swimming in the Puget Sound area, separated from her mother who was believed to have passed away. She was captured, rehabilitated and relocated back to her home waters where she was released near Johnstone Strait (Canada) in July 2002. Eleven years later, Springer is still being resighted yearly, successfully reintegrated with family members from A clan pods.
WOW! Amazing, wonderful news from up north!

Hi folks,
Graeme Ellis and I wanted to let you know that Springer was observed last Thursday, July 4th, off the BC central coast and she was accompanied by a new calf. Brian Falconer and a UBC sea lion research team on the SV Achiever found the group of whales near the Gosling Rocks, and radioed Graeme and James Pilkington, who were nearby on the Roller Bay. They were able to meet up with the group and identify the whales present. Springer and her calf were travelling with the A35 matriline, part of her natal pod. Both mother and calf were looking good -- a photo is attached. At 13 years old, this is about the normal age for Springer to have her first calf (average for northern residents is 14 years, range 10 to 21).

This is great news for Springer given all she went through as an orphaned calf, her rescue in Seattle and her successful release back to the wild. Let's hope both she and her calf continue to thrive!

John Ford, Pacific Biological Station, DFO, Canada
Photo by Graeme Ellis, Pacific Biological Station, DFO, Canada

Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Back

    Archives

    January 2017
    June 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012

    RSS Feed

British Divers Marine Life Rescue

An organisation dedicated to the rescue and well-being of all marine mammals in distress around the UK.
© 2022 BDMLR Orca Aware. All Rights Reserved.
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Orcas in the Wild
  • Orca Captivity
  • Orca Research
  • Orca Resources
  • Interviews
  • Blog