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Index of stories about orcas (killer whales) in the San Juan Islands

Soundwatch to monitor young orphaned orca

contributed photo

posted 04/10/02
Kari Koski and Dr. Richard Osborne of The Whale Museum's Soundwatch Boater Education Program will be keeping boaters away from an orphaned orca juvenile in lower Puget Sound this month. The National Marine Fisheries Service has contracted with The Whale Museum to observe the whale, as well as to educate boaters and urge them to stay away from her.

A research team working for NMFS has been monitoring A-73 for several weeks. Although they say they have some concerns about her health, she is active and feeding herself.

Brent Norberg of NMFS said, "Soundwatch has conducted education programs to instruct boaters about appropriate whale watch etiquette and safe operation of watercraft around marine wildlife for many years . . . making them the most qualified, if not the only, domestic organization suitable for this contract."

"With so much media attention, we hope people won't get in their boats to go see the whale," said Koski. "She seems to be doing well but we don't know enough about her situation and she could become stressed by the presence of boats. She has been seen consistently from the Fauntleroy-Vashon ferry and from shore, so there really is no need to get in a private boat to see her."

The female orca, know as A-73 or Springer, was discovered alone in mid January. According to whale researchers, she is almost two years old and is a member of the Northern Resident Community of orcas, which spends its summers in the Johnstone Strait area of British Columbia. Not only is it extremely unusual for a Northern Resident to be so far south in the inland waters, researchers say it is also odd that a member of such a highly social species is alone, especially one so young. (Coincidentally, L-98, a juvenile Southern Resident orca, has been living alone in British Columbia for several months.) The Northern Resident Community is expected to return to Johnstone Strait in late June or early July.

Soundwatch will be back in the San Juans monitoring whale-watch activities in May, said Koski. More information is available on the at The Whale Museum's Web site.

PREVIOUS STORIES ABOUT SOUNDWATCH

Soundwatch Boat needs new motor

posted 08/09/01
The Whale Museum's Soundwatch Boater Education (Soundwatch) boat Raydiance is down for motor repairs and will not be out on the water until this weekend. Donations are needed to purchase a new motor.

Soundwatch educates whale watchers on how to behave around whales. The presence of the boat deters boaters from going to close to the whales according to The Whale Musuem staff. Last year more than half a million people went whale watching on commercial vessels in the San Juan Islands. Another estimated 3,000-8,000 engaged in whale watching from pleasure boats and 10,000 from kayaks. The statistics are from The Whale Museum's Web site.

Besides educating boaters, Soundwatch also patrols the boundaries of marine protected areas, such as National Wildlife Refuges, conducts bird surveys, and operates the San Juan County Bottomfish Recovery Program. The Soundwatch boat also responds to stranded marine mammals.

Contributions can be made online to Soundwatch.

Soundwatch boat needs help

posted 07/01
Deborah Hopkins (left) of Roche Harbor Resort and Bill Wright (center) of San Juan Safaris recently donated $900 to The Whale Museum’s Soundwatch Boater Education Program. The companies donated their proceeds from the Third Annual Return of the Orca Festival held in May at Roche Harbor Village. Accepting the donation were Whale Museum Board Chair Nan Simpson, and museum staff members Clark McAlpine, executive director, and Rich Osborne, research director.

The Soundwatch program teaches boaters on the water the least intrusive way to watch whales, and relies solely upon donations for its operation. The Soundwatch boat has been out of service twice already this summer because of mechanical problems, and Soundwatch personnel say the need for a second boat is a critical. For more information, call Soundwatch Coordinator Kari Koski at 378-4710, ext. 33. Or learn more about Soundwatch by visiting The Whale Museum Web site.