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INTRODUCTION

Learn about Luna, a juvenile male killer whale, and the Luna Stewardship Project's efforts to protect and conserve his unique family group. Discover the threats facing killer whales and how you can contribute to their recovery.

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INTRODUCTION

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  1. INTRODUCTION Killer Whales / Orcas Luna (L98 / Tsuxiit) Luna Stewardship Project LUNA THE KILLER WHALE Photo - Jared Towers Video - Chantelle Tucker

  2. Male KILLER WHALES Female • Largest dolphin (cone shaped teeth) • Live in all cold oceans of the world • Rounded head and indistinct beak • Male dorsal fin grows to 6 feet; female dorsal fin grows to 3 feet and are more curved • Maximum: length for males is 32 feet and 28 for females; weight 22,000 and 16,000 lb respectively • Equivalent to the weight of 4 to 5 rhinos L2 A32 Photo - Jared Towers

  3. Model of an adult male killer whale dorsal fin A33 • Killer whales are fully grown at 20 years of age Photo - Chantelle Tucker

  4. BC KILLER WHALES • Transients • eat meat • unpredictable year-round range • Residents • eat fish • inhabit the coast during the spring, summer, and fall months • unknown winter range T14 Photo - Rachael Griffin Photo - Jared Towers

  5. 214 threatened whales BC RESIDENT KILLER WHALE RANGE 87 endangered whales Map - Modified from Ford 1991 Video - Chantelle Tucker

  6. RESIDENT KILLER WHALE SOCIAL STRUCTURE • Longevity - males live up to 50 years old (ave 30) and females live to 90 years (ave 50) • Matriline - mother and up to 4 generations of her offspring, stay in acoustic contact all their lives • Pod - a group of related matrilines • Clan - pods that share similar vocal calls Photo - Jared Towers

  7. THREATS • Decrease in fish stocks • Pollution • Vessel interactions Photo - Jared Towers Video - Chantelle Tucker

  8. VOCALIZATIONS • Echolocate - prey and the marine environment • Calls – maintain group cohesion and convey pod identity Audio - Rachael Griffin Video - Chantelle Tucker

  9. LUNA • Five years old (b. Sep 1999) • L pod member (L98) • L2 matriline (family) Photo - Rachael Griffin

  10. The southern resident killer whale community (J clan) consists of 3 pods (J, K, and L) There are 12 matrilines in L pod L pod lost 5 members over the 2000 - 2001 winter season including Luna / L98 and his uncle Orcan / L39 LUNA’S FAMILY Ford et al. 2000

  11. LUNA’S HISTORY • 2001 - Identified in Nootka Sound. Muchalaht/Mowachaht First Nation of Gold River recognize the whale as embodying their late chief Ambrose Maquinna and name him Tsuxiit. • 2002 - Luna Stewardship Project begins monitoring as interactions with the juvenile whale increase. • 2003 - Department of Fisheries and Oceans decide to reunite Luna for public and whale safety. • 2004 - Attempts to move Luna are put on hold. Photo - Rachael Griffin

  12. Vancouver Island Luna is here in Nootka Sound Luna’s family lives in the Juan de Fuca Strait Map – Advanced Satellite Productions

  13. LUNA STEWARDSHIP PROJECT (LSP) • Monitoring • Education • Research LSP LSP LSP Video -Chantelle Tucker Photo - Rachael Griffin

  14. LUNA GUIDELINES: • Do not approach or interact with Luna • Do not stop or slow down around Luna • Maintain vessel speed and direction Photo -Rachael Griffin Video- Chantelle Tucker

  15. ACOUSTIC RESEARCH • Over 200 calls analyzed • Luna uses three family calls

  16. L98_1 is repeated twice Luna’s First Call in Nootka Sound (L98_1) Sound frequency (kHz) versus time (s) graph of Luna’s first call (L98_1) Audio - Rachael Griffin

  17. Luna’s Second (L98_2) and Third (L98_3) Calls L98_2 L98_3 • L98_2 is emitted before L98_3 Sound frequency (kHz) versus time (s) graph of Luna’s second call (L98_2) Sound frequency (kHz) versus time (s) graph of Luna’s third call (L98_3) Audio - Rachael Griffin

  18. SUMMARY • KILLER WHALES - males grow to 32 feet long, live up to 60 years of age, and live in family groups all their lives. • LUNA - juvenile male endangered killer whale alone in Nootka Sound, his mother is alive and he is making family calls. • LSP - crew go out on the water to educate boaters and encourage them to stay away from Luna.

  19. ORCA RECOVERY ACTIONS • Promote conservation awareness • Help clean up salmon watersheds • Use biodegradable products • Learn more about stewardship • Volunteer www.lunastewardship.com Photo - Jared Towers

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