Springer (killer Whale)

Springer (killer Whale)

Springer (born late 1999 or early 2000), officially named A73, is a wild killer whale from the Northern Resident Community of orcas which every summer frequent the waters off the northern part of Vancouver Island, British Columbia (BC). In 2002, a year after her mother had died, Springer was discovered alone and emaciated by researcher Mark Sears from The Center for Whale Research off the waters of Seattle, Washington, some 250 miles from home. Because the killer whales of the region have been studied extensively, experts were able to identify Springer by listening to her distinctive vocal calls and examining photographs of her eye patch. They were also able to quickly determine the location of Springer's remaining family.

After months of heated public debate, a decision was finally made by the United States National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to capture the killer whale and attempt to reunite her with her family. On June 12, 2002, Springer was captured and brought to a seapen in Manchester, Washington. On July 13, after being treated for medical conditions and given extra food, Springer was transported to Johnstone Strait, BC and put into her seapen at Dongchong Bay, Hanson Island. The next morning, Springer was released near her close relatives. In October, Springer headed out with her family to the open ocean. The following July, she returned to Johnstone Strait with the same group of whales she followed out to sea.

As of 2013, Springer has been seen with her relatives each year in Johnstone Strait, becoming the only whale in history to be successfully re-integrated into a wild pod after human intervention.