My one and only shot of Springer. She is an orphaned northern resident killer whale that was lost in Puget Sound and successfully relocated back with her pod. We hope to see the same for Luna one day.

The gallery has been updated.

Northern resident killer whale photos and slideshow composed with thier calls.

Photographic Catalogue of Humpback Whales in British Columbia

Recordings of British Columbia Northern Resident Killer Whales in the Robson Bight-Michael Bigg Ecological Reserve rubbing at the beaches and travelling west up Johnstone Strait.

I would like to pay my respects to Poco a creature that has touched the hearts of so many people worldwide. Similar behaviour of this beluga is reflected in other lone marine animals. I have worked with two members of this unique crowd. The first, West Coast Willy, a lone false killer whale that resides along the coast of British Columbia. This animal lost his family group in 1987 as they washed up on various beaches. The second, Luna (L98 / Tusxiit) the lone killer whale in Nootka Sound. During 2003 I was a steward for the whale in Gold River. These creatures bring our worlds closer together sparking a profound interest to understand the reasons for their predicaments. Poco's legacy can continue through environmental education and conservation efforts.

WSP NOAA

Black bear photos and a show from Gold River taken during a May 2004 road trip.

Luna presentation will be shown at the Way Of Whales workshop.

L98 incident report for 2003

Lots of new photographs in the Gallery and a page dedicated to T14.

Johnstone Strait slide show (5Mb) and Chantelle's photos.

A start to my journal from working up in Johnstone Strait on West Cracroft Island.

I am currently at Orca Lab working on their Luna recordings. I arrived yesterday from West Cracroft Isalnd after finishing work for the Northern Resident Killer Whale Vessel Interaction study.

I will be away on Cracroft Island observing northern resident killer whale behaviour until September. When I get back I will be extending my acoustic research on Luna by analyzing Orcalab's recordings (about 110 hours). Have a great summer!

Springer (A73) returns! She was identified in the Robson Bight Michael Bigg Ecological Reserve with her great aunt Yakat (A11) who has two offspring and the three adult males (the A36 matriline). She was photo-identified by the park wardens and acoustically identified by Orcalab.

Our 2003 Luna Stewardship Journals are now online.

Luna's calls

My initial reporton Tsuxiit's discrete call use. Luna is using an acoustic signature that can be used to locate the whale after relocation release.

Please email me for full report: griffinr at gmail dot com

Luna was captured today by DFO and the Vancouver Aquarium scientists. Tsux-iit later was seen outside of the net pen seeminly to have escaped.

I am part of a group of ecologists and reseachers that have put together a non-profit organization called the Ocean Society.

Luna Stewardship Project lectures at the University of Victoria.


May 17, 2004

The Luna Stewardship crew just got back from a road trip to the American and Canadian whale museums. A great trip across the San Juan Islands with views of Steller sea Loins and harbour porpoises. Upon arrival at Friday Harbour we were greeted by Erin O'Connell and Kari Koski from Soundwatch. We all went for a fabulous lunch of curry and noodles. At the Whale Museum we met with David Howatt and Dr. Richard Osborne. After the meeting, on our war to the Center for Whale Research, we were graced with the presence of J pod. A baby was still pink and breaching lots. There were blows all around us. We then headed north the next day with a stop into Vancouver. The Bones Project at the Killer Whale Interpretive Centre in Telegraph Cove were grateful for delivery of whale-watch guideline brochures. We stayed at the campsite and had a relaxing day at the beach. The next morning we were blessed with the presence of over 200 eagles. They seem to be flying the heat waves from large wood chip piles. Next we went to Port McNeil to have lunch with Jared Towers and his girlfriend Erin. After fueling up for the road we headed to Gold River to met with the Mowachaht-Muchalaht First Nation Chief Mike Maquinna and give him First Nation Luna respect campaign T-shirts (Esa/wkuuqwit Kakawin - Respect Killer whale) and guideline brochures. We tooklots of photos of black bears grazing on the estuary grasses. There was lots of fish-farm equipment was being loaded into Nootka Sound. Luna was reported Grant, from Air Nootka, to be by himself in a regular spot up the Inlet.

During my tour of duty with the Luna Stewardship Project as coxswain and research biologist I initiated an acoustic study on Luna and found the whale using three main calls that may be used to track him after relocation to the Juan de Fuca Strait. I have studied at Bamfield and identified seven new offshore killer whale calls. I have posted some photos of a lone Pseudorca named Willy I found this cetacean significantly changing behaviour around moving vessels that emit sound. I have studied bottlenose dolphin signature whistles in Mexico for an independent field research project. I have posted some recordings of their whistles along with gray whale calls and the sounds that snapping shrimp make with their claws. There are also photos of wonderful experiences in the Gray whale breeding lagoons of Baja California, Mexico.

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