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CNN Live Today

Scientists Race to Return Orca to Pod

Aired July 12, 2002 - 10:14   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We are going to head back West for this next kind of heartwarming story. It's about a young killer whale who is finally going home. Experts believe that the Orca lost her way and ended up in Puget Sound last January, after her mother died. This hour, though, the two-year-old begins a 400-mile journey back to Canadian water.

Our Lilian Kim is in Manchester, Washington with the latest, Lilian, good morning.

LILIAN KIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. Unfortunately, this operation is on hold. The catamaran that will transport the whale back to Canadian waters is experiencing mechanical difficulties. Crews will be looking at the problem and, hopefully, it will be fixed by the end of the day. As for the whale, she is currently residing in the net pen behind me and she appears to be in great shape, ready for her long journey home.

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KIM (voice over): Her worms are gone. So is her bad breath and her itchy skin condition has disappeared. In fact, this two-year-old orphaned Orca is so healthy; she's heading home to Canadian waters.

Scientists call her A73, but she's also known as Springer or Boo, short for Baby Orphaned Orca.

DAVE HUFF, VANCOUVER AQUARIUM SCIENCE CENTRE: We screened exhaustively for virtually every pathogen imaginable in killer whales and she came out perfectly clean.

KIM: The young killer whale first appeared near Seattle in January, after being separated from her family around the time of her mother's death. Last month, scientists captured the orca, then moved her to a sea pen to give her medical attention.

Now, with a clean bill of health, A73 will embark on a 350-mile journey in hopes of reuniting with her pod of extended family members.

MARILYN JOYCE, MARINE MAMMAL COORDINATOR, FISHERIES & OCEANS, CANADA: We want it insure her health is well enough that she can withstand the transportation, the relocation, and that she can go on and live without any human intervention for the rest of her life. KIM: The 1,200-pound orca will be taken by boat to northeastern tip of Vancouver Island. The trip will take at least ten hours. Scientists will place the whale inside this fiberglass and steel tank, which will be mounted on this high speed catamaran.

MATT NICHOLS, NICHOLS BROTHERS, BOAT BUILDERS: he house is completely mounted separately from the hull, so there is no noise or vibration that comes up, which should also keep the whale very calm and be a comfortable ride for the whale.

KIM: When A73 eventually reaches her Canadian destination, she will be placed in a holding pen. Scientists will then release her after her grandmother's pod is spotted in the area and that could happen in a matter of days. But again, at this point, this operation is on hold due to mechanical problems on that catamaran -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Yes, and that's so disappointing for those of us who were looking forward to following this journey, and I'm sure for Boo and Springer, it's disappointing too. What exactly is wrong with the boat and how serious do they think it is?

KIM: Well apparently, it is going only half the speed it can go. It can go 40 knots and it's going much slower than that, and the problem with that is they don't want to put the whale on the boat for such a long period of time. That's why they wanted this high-speed catamaran to expedite the trip and get her there as fast as possible.

KAGAN: Well, we will keep our fingers crossed and we'll check back in with you, and check on the boat and the whale. Lilian Kim in Washington State, thank you so much.

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