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INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION. Killer Whales / Orcas Luna (L98 / Tsuxiit) Luna Stewardship Project. LUNA THE KILLER WHALE. Photo - Jared Towers Video - Chantelle Tucker. Male. KILLER WHALES. Female. Largest dolphin (cone shaped teeth) Live in all cold oceans of the world

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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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