Springer (killer Whale) - Life in Community

Life in Community

At 3:30 p.m. on July 14, Springer's keepers opened the gate on her net pen as other killer whales went by, and Springer went "charging off." She swam straight towards the other killer whales. However, their reaction to Springer's sudden appearance was initially to bunch together silently in confusion and alarm. After a few minutes, Springer and the others swam off in opposite directions.

Transmitter devices had been attached to Springer's back with suction cups, but were designed to fall off after a few days so that she would look like a normal whale. Thereafter, scientists and volunteers did their best to observe Springer visually. Project SeaWolf kept a vigilant watch on the water. In the first days, she was seen trailing her pod, keeping a distance of about half to three quarters of a mile.

However, Springer's old tendency to interact with boats remained a problem. On July 16 she positioned herself near a small boat so that it could not move without hitting her. The boat had to be towed away from Springer at high speed. Boaters were asked to stay away from her. It is also likely that Springer's early encounters with other killer whales were difficult—she was later seen with teeth-rake marks covering her body.

Soon, however, Springer began to travel consistently with members of the A4 pod (her mother's closest relatives), and her distant cousins in the A5 pod. It was hoped that Springer would form a bond with a mature female who would act as a surrogate mother. The killer whale known as A51 or "Nodales," a 16-year-old female from the A5 pod who had no calf of her own, appeared to take that role. In August, A51 was observed following Springer and guiding her away from boats, which Dr. Barrett-Leonard described as a sign of "reciprocalness in the relationship. It convinced me this is not just a case of A73 finding a placid female she's following around." The bond between Springer and Nodales turned out to not be as strong as a normal mother-offspring bond in killer whales, however. Springer has since often been seen with Nawitti, a 12-year-old female from the A4 pod, and with Springer's great-aunt Yakat.

"I've been more than amazed," said Dr. John Nightingale, Director of the Vancouver Aquarium, on ABC World News Tonight With Peter Jennings. "I've been a fascinated spectator, watching these whales get used to each other and her integration into her larger family group."

Springer has been sighted each year with A-clan killer whales in Johnstone Strait. By the summer of 2013, Springer's 12th season back with her wild family, researchers hope she'll be ready to have her first calf.

"Springer is in excellent condition," reports Dr. Spong in an OrcaLab press release. "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."

"This is a great experiment that is a success. We are very happy," said Orca Conservancy's Michael Harris on KOMO 4 News (ABC Seattle). "What a test for small orca like that who's spent so much time in a ferry lane in urban Puget Sound, swimming about a mile a day, to keep up with her family traveling 75 miles a day in the big ocean. She's with her family now. She's fat, she's happy. We've been holding our breath for a long, long time and this is great news."

KING 5 News (NBC Seattle) reported, "It was a daring, dangerous and highly publicized effort, and now it appears it worked."