From WTVJ-TV, Miami, Jeff Burnside's ECOWATCH:
Free Willy star almost free
There's a real-life drama playing out right now over the whale "Keiko," who starred in the movie Free Willy. As you know, researchers are trying to teach Keiko how to be a wild whale again. With just days to go before the wild whales leave for the year, Keiko is on the verge of deciding whether to join them for good. Keep tuned!
Clicking on the video feed at the WTVJ-TV web site (above) lets you see for yourself the first time that anyone has seen Keiko interacting with wild whales far away from human contact. They’re cavorting and chasing each other.
Keiko leaves for days at a time now ten days straight at one point. "So, first, he is initiating separation from us. Secondly, he is initiating contact with wild whales, not once in a while but regularly," said Charles Vinick of the Ocean Futures Society (www.oceanfutures.org).
Since their interactions are almost all under water, scientists are using sophisticated hydrophones to record what Keiko and the wild whales are saying to each other. If only we knew what they were saying. Top scientists are trying, but each pod has its own distinct language. So Keiko sounds strange to them. But they've found a pod or two that sound nearly identical to Keiko. It may, may - be his original family.
When Keiko starred in the movie "Free Willy," kids around the world sent in donations. The movie producers and corporations gave millions. But the true "money angel" has been the family of Craig McCaw, the private Seattle billionaire who pioneered cell phones.
"So they've gone way beyond what anyone would have thought was possible and I think they'll make every effort to continue to do so. But this project is very expensive," said Vinick. Expensive may be an understatement. It’s been about $20 million so far to do something critics thought could never be done, and it’s on the verge of happening. “Yes, we are extremely pleased," said Vinick. Famed conservationist Jean Michel Cousteau leads the Keiko project and says it goes beyond just one whale. "There's a lot we're learning.
And hopefully what we're learning there will help any orca population or any whale population - particularly when it comes to communications and these sounds, which are so critical in their life," he said. But Keiko's window of opportunity is closing any day now. Because the wild whales leave Iceland before August ends. If Keiko chooses not to go right now, this week, his handlers will need to keep him until next summer. And that means money they don't have.
"So, to do this again next year we'll have to raise funds from the public, we'll have to have support from a wide variety of sources, rather than the rather limited sources we've had this season," said Cousteau. To fight the pressure they feel, scientists try to focus not on the human calendar but on the whale calendar. After 30 years of performing tricks in a tank, it takes time to learn how to be free again.
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Free Lolita Update #39 – Bjossa 'gravely ill' in San Diego
August 21, 2001
Dear Friends of Lolita,
Bjossa 'gravely ill' in San Diego
Vancouver Sun, Tuesday 21 August 2001
Note: Bjossa is a 23-year-old female orca dying at Sea World from infections against which she presents little or no defenses. She was moved from Vancouver Aquarium in April this year because it was impossible to purchase a companion for her despite three years searching.
Bjossa had a good appetite on her arrival at Sea World but that has changed. She has stopped eating and her trainers are alarmed.
Bjossa, Vancouver's favourite killer whale, is "gravely ill" and has not been responding to treatment for a recurrent lung infection, a spokesman for San Diego's SeaWorld said Tuesday.
Bob Tucker said the prognosis is "not good" for the 25-year-old orca, despite round-the-clock medical care and visits from her former trainer, Brian Sheehan, who worked with her when she performed at the Vancouver Aquarium.
"She's hung on pretty well, but in the last few days things have not been looking good. She hasn't been eating and has displayed listless behaviour," said Tucker, adding that the whale normally consumes about 45 kilograms of fish each day.
SeaWorld veterinarians will keep a constant watch on their new addition and are trying to stay positive.
"We're just hoping for the best, and we're not giving up by any means," Tucker said.
Bjossa lived at the Vancouver Aquarium from 1980 until earlier this year. Left without the company of other whales when her partner, Finna, died in 1997, she was transferred in April to SeaWorld because a companion could not be found for her here.
But the move from Vancouver had nothing to do with the flare-up of what amounts to a chronic condition, Tucker said.
"She just really blew everyone away with her rapid social adjustment to her new surroundings, but she just never came out of this illness, so medically, her health has always been a concern and never saw any improvement."
Tuesday morning, SeaWorld veterinarians transferred Bjossa from a public pool to a private, intensive-care pool in the back of the aquarium.
"That was an indication of how concerned the veterinarians here are about her condition. They want to be in an area where they can closely monitor her and access her quickly if they have to," Tucker said.
Bjossa became ill last week, when Tucker said she stopped responding to her trainers, lost her appetite and spent more time swimming near the pool's surface.
Bjossa weighs about 2,500 kg, and her sheer size makes it difficult to determine what is causing the infection, said Clint Wright, vice-president of operations for the Vancouver Aquarium.
"It's very difficult to even pinpoint exactly what's going on inside her. Something like an ultrasound, in a person, you can get a good look at the lungs, but with a whale, because their lungs are so huge and their body is so immense, it's extremely difficult to get a good picture. It's really a bit of a guessing game."
Bjossa fell ill with the lung infection in March 2000, but seemed to recover. This time, the problem is lasting longer and seems less responsive to treatment, Wright said.
Sheehan and Wright travelled to San Diego last week when they first heard Bjossa was ill, but saw her health take a quick upswing. Confident she would recover, Wright said he returned to Vancouver. On Sunday, Bjossa began to get worse, and Wright will return to the tourist park today.
Aquarium staff were pleased with her progress in California, Wright said.
"She looked like she was having a great time down in San Diego. She seemed to be doing very well. She started putting on weight and we were very happy with the whole thing. It seemed like it was a great decision to move her there."
Although he called Bjossa's condition a "blow" to staff of both facilities, Wright agreed the transfer was not responsible.
"I really don't believe it has anything to do with the move. She was in good shape to move, and if there was anything associated with the move, it would have showed up early on, but in fact, she did really well."
But Annelise Sorg, director of the Coalition for No Whales in Captivity, said she believes that the Vancouver aquarium sent Bjossa to SeaWorld to die.
"They really pawned her on SeaWorld in her last months of life," Sorg said. "I think they wanted to avoid the public relations nightmare that the death of Bjossa would cause in Vancouver."
Sorg said the whale lost three babies and two mates during her life in Vancouver, then endured a traumatic move and the loss of her companion, a dolphin named Whitewings.
"Her life has been a tragedy one after another," Sorg said.
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Free Lolita Update #38 – Keiko stays with wild whales
August 20, 2001
Dear Friends of Lolita,
Whale may soon live a wild life
Keiko consistently stays with pods for extended periods of time and travels with them.
August 18, 2001 (Seattle Times)
Keiko's keepers are not ready to shelve the Hollywood ending.
The orca star of the 1993 movie "Free Willy" frolicked for several hours amid wild killer whales in the North Atlantic this week, as he has often in the past 30 days. The spurts of adventurous, independent behavior have given Keiko's human crew hope that he could be on the verge of joining his own species for good.
"It's possible he will leave with them this year," Charles Vinick said in a telephone interview from Iceland. Vinick is executive vice president of Ocean Futures, the nonprofit organization attempting to reintroduce the long-captive show whale to the wild.
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Free Lolita Update #37 – New Coalition
August 11, 2001
Dear Friends of Lolita,
On August 8, 2001, the 31st anniversary of Lolita's capture, about sixty people joined Florida State Representative Gus Barreiro, the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida (ARFF) and Orca Network (ON) in front of the Seaquarium in a demonstration of our commitment to return Lolita to her home waters. Back in Washington, on the evening of August 8 a commemoration ceremony was held at the Captain Whidbey Inn on Penn Cove, the site of Lolita's capture in 1970.
These events followed a fascinating week that began when Rep. Barreiro paid a courtesy call to Arthur Hertz, owner of the Seaquarium, to let him know he was initiating a high-profile public awareness drive to gain Lolita's freedom. Mr. Hertz quickly countered with a media event of his own, in which he once again loudly proclaimed his promise to build Lolita a new tank, a vow he has made and broken repeatedly for over 20 years in an effort to avoid enforcement of Animal Welfare Act, under which his present tank is illegally small.
Mr. Hertz' attempt to fool the media backfired when reporters contacted ARFF and OC and were told that it was not economically possible for Mr. Hertz to build a $17.5 million tank that will be useless as soon as Lolita departs one way or another. Lolita is the oldest orca still surviving in captivity, and it is no longer possible to purchase a captive orca. Heather Lischin of ARFF also informed the media about our August 8 demonstration. Mr. Hertz' media gathering thus provided a venue to publicize our demonstration!
The demo was energetic and well attended, showing the fruits of the new coalition of ARFF, OC and Rep. Barriero. Mr. Hertz added to the crowd with his own spies and a publicist who attempted to sway the media with the moldy old falsehoods about Lolita's supposed inability to return to her home and his ficticious plan to build a new tank.
On the eve of the demo Miami TV carried the news that Keiko was happily swimming free in his home waters in Iceland and showing no need for dead fish or human company. Since August 1 Keiko has remained up to 35 miles from the boats day and night, his whereabouts known only by blips from his satellite tag and the occasional helicopter overflight as he cavorts and socializes with wild orcas.
It's not known if Keiko has located his close family members at this point, but he's clearly preferring to be with free-ranging orcas rather than his human trainers. It's still too early to declare Keiko completely free of human control, but within a few weeks the decision will have to be made whether to attempt to coax him back to the bay pen at Klettsvik Bay with an acoustic signal. If called back to the pen it will then be up to Keiko to decide whether to be confined again for the winter or remain with his wild counterparts on the open sea. Watch this space for more news about Keiko!
After the demo, veterinarian Greg Bossart, Mr. Hertz' hired mouthpiece, was trotted out once again to repeat his sing-song propaganda to discourage and confuse the public. "Unethical, inhumane and irresponsible" sang Bossart, ignoring Kieko's progress reported days earlier. Bossart repeatedly demonstrates the marine park industry's desperate attempts to block all proposals to release captive orcas. He once even wrote an article in Marine Mammal Science to mislead the scientific community and the public by falsely claiming Keiko carried a virus. A team of six veterinarians appointed by the USDA examined Keiko and determined that he carried NO dangerous virus.
But regardless of Hertz' fallacious media blitz, plans are underway to demand that the USDA remeasure the obsolete and illegal tank Lolita has been forced to live in 24 hours a day for the past 31 years. Simply by enforcing existing regulations contained in the Animal Welfare Act, the USDA could shut down the Seaquarium's whale stadium and force Lolita to be moved to a more humane home. The best possible home for Lolita is, of course, her real habitat and extended family in Puget Sound, Washington.
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Free Lolita Update #36 – New developments
August 3, 2001
Dear Friends of Lolita,
- 21 year old female orca dies at Sea World in Texas
- Ocean Futures clarifies Keiko's fantastic progress
We have two stories to share with you on this eve of the August 8th demonstration at the Seaquarium, which could be a very major event to kick off a sustained public awareness drive in Florida.
Haida II, a 21 year old female orca at Seaworld in San Antonio, has died of undetermined infections. This sad captive death demonstrates two things. One is that orcas in captivity seldom live into their twenties, and two, it demonstrates that there will be no surplus orcas on the market for the Seaquarium to buy, as Hertz claims. For a female orca to die for no apparent cause is similar to a human at the same age dying from unknown internal causes.
Haida II, by the way, was one of the orcas who drowned a trainer in Victoria in 1991.
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Houston Chronicle
Aug. 3, 2001, 108PM
SeaWorld biologists baffled by killer whale's death
Associated Press
SAN ANTONIO -- The oldest of SeaWorld San Antonio's five killer whales died this week, leaving park marine biologists baffled as to what killed her.
SeaWorld staff performed a necropsy on Haida (pronounced hide-uh) on Thursday but do not expect to know a cause of death for at least a month. Tissue samples and various organs were sent to independent laboratories, park spokesman Bob McCullough said.
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KeikoWatch: August 3, 2001
IN THIS ISSUE:
-- August - a window of opportunity for Keiko to join whales this season -- Ocean Futures Press Release: Successes Seen as Summer Reintroduction Efforts Continue for Keiko
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Reporting from the field: Charles Vinick, Executive Vice President,
Ocean Futures
August - a window of opportunity for Keiko to join whales this season
The reintroduction team's energy is totally focused on keeping Keiko among whales for the weeks ahead while wild Orca remain in the waters of the Westman Islands. It has been fascinating to see how closely the migration
patterns of the wild whales mirror the behavior we observed last year. For the last two weeks we have had very few whale sightings in the area. Our aerial surveillance teams traveled in a radius of more than 75 miles from Vestmannaeyjar without seeing whales for day after day. In checking our records from the summer of 2000, we noted that we had a similar absence of whales during the latter part of July.
Exactly like last year, the whales returned during the last week of July and we now have 40 or 50 wild killer whales in the area. From experience, we know that the whales are likely to leave the area for the year shortly after the middle of August and that is the window of opportunity for Keiko to join whales this season.
We are very encouraged by the frequency of the interactions Keiko has initiated with the wild whales. In these next few weeks the effort will be focused on allowing Keiko to be with whales without our presence nearby to
impact the interaction in any way. We will monitor Keiko with the VHF radio transmitter and his satellite tag, as well as with visual observation from our helicopter team.
Can Keiko truly join a pod of whales? We cannot know. Based on three years of observational data, we know that the killer whale pods are very cohesive. These animals live in the same pod for life. Each pod has its own dialect.
Humans know very little about the social structure of the pods and we do not know what it will take for a pod to allow Keiko to bond with its members.
To us, it may seem like the reintroduction process is taking a long time. But in reality, for Keiko and the whales, the process may not have been long enough. Each summer season, the wild whales are in the area intermittently
for about 90 days. With the constraints of weather, equipment difficulties and the vagaries of locating the whales, Keiko spends no more than 60 days in
their vicinity. Over the last two summers, he has spent less than 3 months actually in the presence of other whales and this may indeed be a very short time for Keiko and whales to feel comfortable enough with each other to allow
him to permanently join a pod.
I think we too often try to evaluate the reintroduction process and its timetable in human terms without remembering that it is Keiko and the whales that must decide the real schedule. During these coming weeks we will continue to give Keiko every opportunity to join whales and we will observe and evaluate what takes place.
Only when the whales have moved on in their annual migration will we be in a position to evaluate what has occurred and make plans for next year. To be well prepared, we are already making sure that Klettsvik Bay is ready for another winter. In the months ahead we will also need to look to gathering the necessary infrastructure, human and financial resources to both give Keiko every possible chance for reintroduction and to ensure that he can
always have the quality of life he has in the natural environment of Klettsvik Bay.
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Free Lolita Update #35 – Media heats up for Aug 8 demo
August 2, 2001
Free Lolita Update #35
Dear Friends of Lolita,
- August 8th marks 31st anniversary of Lolita's Capture
- Things are heating up in Miami! South Florida residents check your TV news tonight, August 2, for excitement at the Seaquarium as Heather Lischin from ARFF attends Seaquarium news briefing and speaks to reporters.
- Non-news about Keiko sweeping the globe
First, we invite you to join us at one of the following events on August 8th:
~ 7 PM, Captain Whidbey Inn, Penn Cove, Whidbey Island - site of the Penn Cove Captures Wednesday, August 8th, marks the 31st anniversary of the orca capture on Penn Cove where "Tokitae", now known as "Lolita", was removed from her family and shipped to Miami, Florida where she has performed daily ever since.
Orca Conservancy invites you to join us in commemorating the anniversary of the captures on the lawn of the Captain Whidbey Inn, overlooking the shores of Penn Cove where the capture occurred. Of the approx. 45 orcas captured from the Southern Resident Community of orcas (J, K and L pods), Lolita is the sole survivor.
We hope those in the Puget Sound area can attend the gathering on Penn Cove, and we especially encourage those who witnessed the orca captures to come and share your stories and memories. If you can't attend the gathering, but have a story to share with us, please email it to susanb@whidbey.net, or call us at (360) 678-3451.
~ And in Miami Planning is underway for a major demonstration in front of the Seaquarium for Noon to 1 PM on August 8th. Florida State Rep. Gus Barreiro, who represents Key Biscayne, will be leading the charge, with the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida adding logistical force to the demo. Susan Berta and I will be there to represent Orca Conservancy (formerly the Tokitae Foundation). All are invited to join us there!
In an apparent counter-measure, the Seaquarium held a press briefing today, August 2, to declare yet again that they will soon begin construction of a new tank for Lolita. The press release says it will take 18-24 months to complete, will be 3.5 acres and 2.5 million gallons, and cost $17.5 million.
Seaquarium owner Arthur Hertz has promised to build a new tank for Lolita for at least 23 years that we know of. In 1978 Michael Royce, then Lolita's trainer, traveled to Washington DC to testify before the USDA that the tank was woefully inadequate. He was reassured that even though the tank was too small, the Seaquarium told the USDA they would soon be building a new tank. Architects' models have graced the Seaquarium grounds during previous rounds of the "new tank" promise. In June, 1999, right after our big Mother's Day demo at the Seaquarium, Mr. Hertz went on Miami TV himself and said he would begin construction that fall. It looks like the same old shtick to dampen criticism before our demo Aug. 8th.
It's not likely the Seaquarium is going to spend $17.5 million on a tank that will be useless as soon as Lolita leaves, one way or another. Whale tanks are not the same as smaller, shallower dolphin tanks. Lolita is going to leave Miami, either alive to return to her family, or when she finally succumbs to captivity. At about 35, she's long past the normal lifespan of a captive orca, but as a young adult in the wild she could live well past 50 and have another calf or two, if allowed to rejoin her family.
Mr. Hertz might say he plans to purchase another captive orca, but it's impossible to buy an orca on the market, as the Vancouver Aquarium recently found out. They tried to buy one for three years after the male Icelandic orca Finna died, but finally gave up and sent Bjossa (captured along with Keiko in 1978, and also an excellent candidate for release) to San Diego SeaWorld a few months ago. Angela Nielsen, spokeswoman for the Vancouver Aquarium said "Killer whales are very social and very vocal and we couldn't bring another one here so we wanted to send her where she could be with others of her own kind."
Deaths are outpacing births in captivity. Fifteen orcas have died in tanks worldwide in just the past eight years, while only twelve were born in captivity. The most recent capture in Japan in 1997 created such an international uproar that no further captures are contemplated by the marine park industry. SeaWorld, which owns almost half of all captive orcas worldwide, is not about to sell one.
So what would Mr. Hertz do with a $17.5 million dollar tank after his main attraction has gone away? Revenues will surely drop when Lolita goes away, with or without a new tank. Hertz is compelled to repeat the promise to build a new tank for Lolita because it's obvious even to pro-captivity people that the tank is extremely small for an adult orca, but we predict his business training will prevent him from actually spending $17.5 million on a tank that will be largely useless after Lolita departs.
Another incentive for Hertz to once again announce plans for a new tank The Animal Legal Defense Fund is preparing a suit against the USDA for failure to enforce the Animal Welfare Act in regards to the horizontal dimensions of the present tank. The USDA has always accepted the Seaquarium's own measurements, which are drawn over the concrete wall and slide-out platform to include the small medical pool behind the show pool in order to arrive at a legal measurement. All that is needed is a court judgement or sufficient political pressure on the USDA to uphold its obligation to enforce the spirit and the letter of the Animal Welfare Act. The Seaquarium whale stadium could be condemned for public display overnight. The Seaquarium is scrambling to misinform and dampen that political pressure.
Now on to Keiko ~ News headlines have been proclaiming that "Keiko seems unwilling to return to wild" and "Killer Whale Star May Never Be Free." Dire predictions and alarming rumors have consistently made headlines since the movie Free Willy was released in 1993, but really, nothing has changed in recent months. In stark contrast to his captive years, Keiko is far healthier and more active in his native waters and is continuing to progress toward complete freedom.
As always the contingency plan for Keiko is a baypen or a feeding station somewhere in his home waters. The problem is to find his immediate family. In 1988 the total Icelandic population of killer whales was estimated to be between 4,000 - 6,487 whales, but nothing is known about social or family groupings. It is not even clear whether there are distinct sub-populations of killer whales in Icelandic waters. Only a few hundred orcas have been in the vicinity since Keiko has ventured out to sea, so he's barely begun to survey the Icelandic orca population himself.
Lolita, however, has no such problem. Her family members, the Southern Resident orca community, are all known individually by ID photograph and by sight about six months of every year. They frequent the inland waters of Washington and British Columbia and are observed almost every day from May to October. So the news about Keiko is not discouraging, and does not apply to Lolita in any case.
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Free Lolita Update #34
June 21, 2001
Free Lolita Update #34
Dear Friends of Lolita,
- Lolita campaign expands - Demo planned for Aug 8
- Keiko is bounding across the Atlantic, making new orca friends
- Southern Resident orca community suffer seven losses over winter
- Orca Conservancy events coming up
- New Orca Conservancy web site
Reinforcements are arriving to expand the Lolita campaign! The Animal Rights Foundation of Florida, (ARFF), the long-time leader in animal rights issues throughout Florida, is teaming up with Orca Conservancy (formerly the Tokitae Foundation) to take the Lolita campaign to a new level of intensity. With our two organizations working together, and with the enthusiastic participation of Florida State Representative Gus Barreiro, plans are now underway for a major demonstration at the Miami Seaquarium, and a public awareness drive across Florida. The demonstration is scheduled for August 8th, the 31st anniversary of Lolita's capture from Penn Cove, Whidbey Island, WA. You'll be hearing more about this as plans develop. This is wonderful news and a huge boost for the campaign, and the timing couldn't be better for maximum effect, as...
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Media stories about Keiko's fantastic progress are coming out almost daily. He's in top physical condition, he's roaming the North Atlantic, and he's meeting up with wild orcas virtually every day.To read about Keiko's latest romps about the North Atlantic, go to Ocean Futures.
The NBC station in Miami ran a great story linking Toki and Keiko. The story is on their website, at www.nbc6.net, then go to EcoWatch (listed midway down the page), then click on Keiko video.For an audio update on Keiko, Ocean Futures Executive Vice
President Charles Vinick reports from Iceland on Keiko's many encounters with wild whales! Click here to listen to the Real Audio Report.
We have to keep in mind that there are still plenty of unknowns about Keiko's prospects, such as whether his immediate family survived the systematic killing of 2,435 North Atlantic orcas by Norway between 1938 and 1981, according to published research. Researchers also don't know much about the family structure of North Atlantic orcas. Surveys conducted in 1987 suggested a population of at least 4,000 killer whales, but only a few hundred of those have been photo-identified and cataloged. Reports say that North Atlantic orcas exhibit "fission/fusion" behavior, meaning they often regroup into new traveling associations. This indicates that families and communities are probably quite large. This bodes well for Keiko, because he is more likely to be accepted into a larger, more fluid group. This is in contrast to Lolita's family, which are small, tight matrilineal pods. Lolita would have no problem finding her family, since researchers are very familiar with them and routinely monitor them from May through September.
All this serves to show that the time has come to bring Lolita home - and not only for her own welfare, but for the survival of her family. The 2001 census of the Southern Residents by the Center for Whale Research began in mid-May this year and the news is not good. Early results show that seven orcas are missing and presumed dead since last summer, leaving only 78 in the community. That's more than a 20% decline in the past six years. The causes are not precisely known, but there are strong indications that the main culprits are a decline in salmon runs (nine species of which have been declared endangered), in combination with heavy loads of toxic contamination that accumulates gradually over decades. The Center for Whale Research press release gives the details. We're happy to report that the newest orca baby, K33, who we told you about in Lolita Update #33, is doing well.
On May 1, 2001, a petition to list the Southern Resident population of killer whales under the Endangered Species Act was filed by the Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Whale Research, the Whale Museum, Ocean Advocates, Washington Toxics Coalition, Orca Conservancy, American Cetacean Society, Friends of the San Juans, People for Puget Sound, Cascade Chapter of the Sierra Club, and Ralph Munro. The petition can be found on the Center for Biological Diversity Web Page.
We expect that the Seaquarium will use this sad news and say that with her family facing hard times Lolita shouldn't be returned to their damaged habitat. In fact, however, as noted in the recently filed petition to list the Southern Residents as an endangered species, Lolita's return is all the more important for conservation reasons alone, so she can help replenish her family with her own presence and possibly the addition of a calf or two. The problems facing the Southern Residents have built up over decades, so Lolita would not necessarily have high PCB loads in her system, and could give birth to healthy offspring.
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For those of you in the Puget Sound region These and a range of other issues are the topic of Orca Conservancy's monthly meetings. The next meeting, on the evening of June 27th on Whidbey Island, will be about orca behaviors. Contact susanb@whidbey.net for more information.
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Orca/Salmon Celebration, Tuesday, July 31st Freeland, Whidbey Island WA, 5 - 9 p.m. Orca Conservancy is pleased to join forces with the Maxwelton Salmon Adventure for this exciting evening of celebrating two of our favorite northwest species - orca and salmon. This event will focus on the important inter-connections between orca and salmon, and their habitats, and raise money to support these two non-profit educational organizations. Salmon writer/poet Tom Jay will be on hand to speak about salmon, and Kenneth Balcomb of the Center for Whale Research will share the latest information on our Southern Resident Community of orcas, J, K and L pods. Join us at the beautiful Freeland Hall on the shores of Holmes Harbor for a silent auction, displays, cocktail hour, dinner, and fascinating presentations on the Pacific northwest's two favorite icons, the orca and the salmon. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Susan Berta.
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Also, anyone in the Puget Sound region who would be interested in helping with a gathering or event on Whidbey Island's Penn Cove to commemorate the 31st anniversary of Lolita's capture on August 8th, please contact Susan Berta at susanb@whidbey.net. Since we will be in Miami for the demonstration that day, we are hoping there may be others out there wishing to do something on Whidbey Island, or anywhere in the Puget Sound area. Let us know if you would like to help or if you'd like to sponsor an event or activity on that day.
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Free Lolita Bulletin — Keiko Interacts with Wild Orcas!
June 13, 2001
Dear Friends of Lolita,
Keiko interacts with wild orcas off Iceland's coast
Keiko has been in physical contact with whales almost every day, according
to Charles Vinick, Ocean Futures' executive vice president. "He's
approaching them, they're approaching him, so it's very positive in every
sense," he said. This is a "huge difference" over last year, he added.
"There's quite a difference in his interest in the other whales, his
willingness to engage with them and them to engage with him," Vinick said.
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Free Lolita Update #33
May 23, 2001
Dear Friends of Lolita,
Two items for this Free Lolita Update:
1) Keiko is out on the open ocean to go anywhere he wants.
2) J's, K's and part of L pods meet in Haro Strait, Washington
1) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (need we say more?)
23 MAY 2001
Ocean Futures
VESTMANNAEYJAR, ICELAND
CONTACT: HALLUR HALLSON: 354-898-9898
CHARLES VINICK: 354-698-3304
Keiko will inaugurate the summer research season today by swimming out of Klettsvik Bay in Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland accompanied by his trainers on board "Daniel", a 13.6 meter vessel that is the "walk" boat this research season. Ocean "walks" will continue throughout the summer, as every effort will be made to allow Keiko to bond with free ranging whales.
In the coming weeks, the research plan is for Keiko to spend as much time as possible at sea, acclimating to the ocean environment in proximity of wild whales. "The intent of this approach is to allow Keiko to be near other orcas for days and even weeks at a time," said Jeff Foster, Director of Research and Field Operations, "so that he can become accustomed to wild whales at his own pace and they can be accustomed to him."
To enable the Ocean Futures Society team to stay at sea near Keiko, the Society has acquired "Daniel", an ocean going rescue style craft that can effectively handle the ocean conditions in the waters around Vestmannaeyjar. In addition, the "Gandi", a 30 meter fishing boat, will be the at sea research and staging platform for the team. "Gandi" will provide living quarters for the crew of the vessels and will serve as the primary tracking vessel to monitor Keiko by VHF radio signals and satellite signals that will be transmitted from the tags that have been fitted to Keiko.
In addition to the research that will be conducted on Keiko's reintroduction throughout the summer, Ocean Futures staff will be engaged in research on the whales native to local waters. These projects include photo identification, genetic sampling, time and depth studies, acoustics and migration studies.
Keiko, which means "Lucky One" in Japanese, was captured in Icelandic waters more than twenty years ago at the age of two. Taken to perform in the marine park industry, Keiko was first sent to Canada for a few years and then transported to Mexico City, Mexico where he became the only killer whale to perform in Mexico or Central America. Languishing in an inadequate facility, Keiko nevertheless became the star of the hit film, "Free Willy" where more than 1.2 million individuals--mostly children--worldwide learned of his plight and demanded, through an outpouring of letters, emails, drawings and donations that he be set free.
"This summer is the culmination of all the hard work on behalf of everyone at Ocean Futures for almost three years since Keiko's return to Icelandic waters. By moving the project out to sea we are giving Keiko the choice to return to the wild", said Hallur Hallson, spokesman for Ocean Futures in Iceland.
Ocean Futures provides the global community with a forum for exploring issues affecting the ocean. Through research and education efforts, Ocean Futures addresses the following critical marine issues: Protecting and Understanding Marine Mammals, Protecting and Improving Water Quality, Protecting and Preserving Coral Reefs, Protecting and Restoring Coastal Habitats, and Promoting Fisheries Management. Ocean Futures is a non-profit organization formed as a result of the merger of the Free Willy Keiko Foundation and the Jean-Michel Cousteau Institute. Membership in Ocean Futures Society is free and open to all.
2) Superpod get-together in Haro Strait on Sunday; J's and K's together on Wednesday. Here's the latest on the Southern Resident Community from the Center for Whale Research:
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Wednesday, May 23rd: J & K pods went past the Center for Whale Research (west side of San Juan Island) 11:30 am - 12:30 pm, heading north. J's continued on north, & K's turned south, seen at Eagle Pt. (southwest side of SJI) at 6:30 pm still heading south.
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And more details on Superpod Sunday (May 20th):
Center for Whale Research staff have a few more details on who was at the "Superpod Sunday" off the west side of San Juan Island:
- J-pod: All present
- L-pod: Members of the L2's, L9's & L35's (sub-pods of L-pod) were seen. The L25 sub-pod was not present (L pod is large & the sub-pods don't always travel together).
- K-pod: We're sad to report that K32, calf of K16, born between Nov. 4th & 13th, 2000, was not present.
But the GOOD news is that there was a new calf with K pod! K33, born to 14 year old K22 (Sekiu), is K22's first calf and the newest member to the Southern Resident community.
To find more information about J, K & L pods, & to see field guides for each pod, go to The Center for Whale Research
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Free Lolita Update #32
May 16, 2001
Dear Friends of Lolita,
The Mother's Day demonstration was a great success and a good time. About 30 people and as many signs paraded in front of the Seaquarium for an hour and a half on Mother's Day, demanding that Toki (Lolita) be allowed to return to her home and family, and throwing another wave of paranoia into the Seaquarium compound.
We joined Lynn Wedekind to sing her song "Tokitae" to Toki, and about every third car honked in response to our "Honk 4 Lolita," sign, including a fire truck. Ric O'Barry, the former Flipper trainer, was there with his family. We made contact with Toki supporters from way back and some new ones. All in all, we kept the drumbeat going and let them know we haven't gone away. We'll have photos of the demo on the new web site early next week. We thank everyone for all the support and letters to the Seaquarium and the Miami Herald.
The place looks more rundown than ever. The I-beams holding up the roof over the whale stadium are rusted through in places, the paint is peeling, the drains are clogged and there are cracks in the plaster around the tank. The people of Key Biscayne reportedly would like to see the SQ just go away. They're tired of the traffic and noise, the obsolete roadside attraction on their causeway, and the endless battles with the unscrupulous Mr. Hertz. There's a computer printout sign saying a new tank is being built for 2002, as there have been architect's models and elaborate descriptions of a "new tank" for public consumption for at least 15 years.
News from Iceland continues to be encouraging. Reports say three pods of orcas have come into the area around Westmanjar Island, where Keiko waits in a cove the size of twelve soccer fields, while the staff prepare a large ship for a cruise that may last all summer, or may be over much sooner, whenever Keiko locates his family members. He'll know because he'll share a vocal repertoire with them. We'll let you know what we hear, but I'd love to hear what Keiko hears!
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Free Lolita Update #31
May 1, 2001
Dear Friends of Lolita,
IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER MOTHER'S DAY DEMONSTRATION AT THE MIAMI SEAQUARIUM!
At Noon on Sunday, May 13, all are invited to meet at the Seaquarium to let Miami know that Lolita needs to come home to her family in Washington, and that she can be safely relocated in her home waters.
We urge all of you in the Miami area, or those able to travel there, to please join us for a peaceful, lawful demonstration beside the front entrance of the Seaquarium. This will be the third annual demonstration at the Sequarium. Karen Munro, wife of former Washington Sec. of State Ralph, encouraged us to have this demo and planned to attend, but unfortunately got tangled between a horse and carriage and won't be able to join us. So let this demo be for Lolita and for Karen Munro, who we know will be there in spirit.
IF YOU CAN'T BE THERE IN PERSON, JOIN THE CHORUS BY SENDING A MOTHER'S DAY CARD OR LETTER IN LOLITA'S HONOR To:
The Miami Seaquarium, 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway - Miami, Florida 33149-1095.
Tel. (305) 361-5705 - Fax (305) 361-6077.
Mother's Day is appropriate for a letter to the Seaquarium, because Lolita's natural place is beside her mother, who is probably still living. She should have the chance to have young ones of her own as well, to help her family, the Southern Resident community, to rebound after losing many members in the past six years.
But since chances are there won't be any announcement from the Seaquarium about the volume of letters for Lolita,
please cc your letter to:
Tom Fiedler, Editorial pages editor of the Miami Herald, at HeraldEd@herald.com
Let Mr. Fiedler and his readers know there are many of us who believe strongly that Lolita, aka Tokitae, has a right to be home with her family, and that she is fully capable of making the transition back to her home waters. Lolita has performed daily for over 30 years - it's time to let her retire. Give Lolita the chance to reunite with her family in the wild, or at least the option of a long term residence in a baypen or a netted off bay in her home waters, much like Keiko's present accomodations in Iceland. This may help the people of Miami understand that it is indeed possible to transport Lolita back home safely, and that in fact, it is staying in Miami that is not safe for her. We thank you, and Lolita would thank you I'm sure. While you're emailing, please cc us at howard@orcanetwork.org
If you can come to Miami, please email tokitae@pugetsound.net, or call (360) 678-3451.
The Everett Herald has a story on Lolita and the Mother's Day demonstration in today's edition.
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At last report things are still quiet in Iceland as the crew waits for better weather to embark on what may be Keiko's final ocean walk. Any day now they plan to accompany Keiko across the North Atlantic if necessary to find his family. Last summer he met up with wild orcas on fifteen occasions, often swimming along with them for several minutes, then peeling off to go explore more ocean. Those orcas were apparently not his immediate family, but chances are he'll find them sometime this summer. We're all eagerly awaiting their joyful reunion!
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WE NEED VOLUNTEERS THIS WEEKEND - For those of you in the Seattle area, please join us May 4th - 6th at the Best of the Northwest Art Show, at Seattle's Sand Point/Magnusen Park. The organizers of the show have invited Orca Conservancy to have a booth at the show, along with Orcalab's "Freedom Bus", which is adorned with beautiful color murals of Lolita and Corky. We'll be able to share Lolita's story with a huge crowd, and educate people about the wonders of the orcas of Puget Sound. If you live in or near the area, and would like to volunteer to help us booth sit or sell drinks, please contact us via email (susanb@whidbey.net) or phone (360-678-3451) - thanks!
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The petition to list the Southern Resident community, Lolita's family, under the Endangered Species Act was in the news today. The petition advocates "the release and reintroduction of captive whales taken from this population." That means Lolita of course, because she's the last surviving captive from her family.
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The Orca Network Sightings Network on Whidbey Island has shown that Southern community orcas are around Whidbey Island and Puget Sound a lot more than people expected. On New Year's Day all three pods gathered for a "superpod" greeting for several hours. Hundreds of residents and all the regional research organizations are learning much more about the winter and spring travels of orcas and gray whales from the Sightings Network. Last Wednesday, we had the pleasure of kayaking in Saratoga Passage in front of Orca Network's headquarters, while Lolita's extended family swam by in the distance. The best news is that many recent sightings have included stories of orcas munching on abundant salmon runs.
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