LUNA’S STORY: CLASH OVER A LOST WHALE YV Introduction

In the predawn light, Corky and Orky, kayak, nearly caused a floatplane crash, Focus two killer whales, would play a game— and interfered with salmon fishers. This News in Re- their own game. They’d choose a spot So, in June 2004, 25 orca experts view story focuses on the side of their tank, blow water at gathered to enact what they considered on the ongoing it, and then touch it gently with their to be a solid plan that held little risk for story of Luna, a lost killer whale (orca), tongues. When dawn broke, the first Luna and would be best for both the and the debate beams of sunlight invariably hit the animal and the public. They planned to about whether or spot. As the year went on, the spot lure Luna into a net, complete medical not we should would move, yet the whales always tests to ensure he was healthy, put him interfere with predicted correctly. in a tank on a truck, place him in a net nature to reunite Humans have learned through close enclosure, and then let him loose when him with his family. observation that the killer whale is his pod came near. Luna would be intelligent, loyal, talkative, and playful— equipped with a tracking device that not just a “killer.” We have learned these would aid in the scientists’ understand- Further Research things, however, because we have taken ing of whale behaviour during the To learn more about the DFO and whales from the wild and put them in winter months when they disappear its policies and aquariums. There are many games that from local waters. programs, visit Corky and Orky could not play because Everything was on track. Then, 17 www.dfo- those games required an ocean. members of the Mowachaht-Muchalaht mpo.gc.ca. There is Should we be interfering in wild First Nation climbed into a traditional excellent informa- killer whale populations? Despite the dugout canoe, and, by banging on the tion about species good that comes when children see a sides of their canoe, beating drums, and at risk and even a killer whale up close, despite the ben- singing traditional songs, lured Luna— fun page of activi- efits to scientific knowledge, is it right whom they call Tsu-xiit—away from ties for students. to keep a whale in an aquarium? There the scientists trying to capture him and are many valid arguments on both sides. toward Yuquot, a traditional village. YV Sections One group that believes we shouldn’t Within 10 days, they’d accomplished marked with this be interfering with killer whales at all is their task: the operation was indefinitely symbol indicate the Mowachaht-Muchalaht First Nation. delayed, and the Department of Fisher- content suitable for In summer 2004, they made a stand. ies and Oceans (DFO) agreed to work younger viewers. Luna was born September 19, 1999. with them. In the eyes of the Mowachaht- His mother is Splash; his grandmother Muchalaht, they had accomplished a great is Grace. He has three brothers: Orcan, thing: they had kept Luna free. Gaia, and Wavewalker, and they all They had also won the right to par- belong to L pod in southern B.C. wa- ticipate in discussions with the DFO to ters. Luna got lost near Golden River, create a new plan for the whale. People B.C., and over the course of three years whose ancestors had travelled and he was so friendly with humans that he fished upon the waters of Nootka Sound became a danger to himself and to for thousands of years were taking a step people. He seemed to like boats, rub- in what they viewed as their rightful shoes bing against them like a cat. He has as stewards of that environment. disabled some boats, prevented others Yet Luna still posed a danger to the from docking, nearly overturned a public. What could be done? To Consider 1. What potential benefits could come from putting whales in captivity? What harm could come from it?

CBC News in Review • September 2004 • Page 43 LUNA’S STORY: CLASH OVER A LOST WHALE YV Video Review

Part I Complete the questions in Part I 1. Why are killer whales known as one of the most ferocious predators of of this exercise the sea? while reviewing the video. Later you can attempt the 2. What is the killer whale’s other name? ______second part of the exercise. 3. How do killer whales stay together?

Further Research 4. After Luna got lost, what community did he go to? To learn more about whales in general, visit 5. What did Luna do to become a nuisance? The Whale Mu- seum: www.whale museum.org 6. What plan did the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) come up Orca Lab: with to solve the problem? www.orcalab.org The Centre for Whale Research: www.whale research.com. 7. Why did the Mowachaht-Muchalaht First Nation oppose the DFO plan?

8. What other whale was moved in recent years? Was that operation a success? Why or why not?

9. How did the Mowachaht-Muchalaht First Nation frustrate the DFO plan?

10. What did the Mowachaht-Muchalaht First Nation propose as an alterna- tive to the DFO plan?

11. What happened at a Texas SeaWorld Adventure Park in July 2004?

12. What does the SeaWorld incident reveal about the potential risks of human-whale interaction?

CBC News in Review • September 2004 • Page 44 13. What did the DFO and Mowachaht-Muchalaht First Nation agree to do in the short term?

14. In your opinion, what should be done with Luna? Explain.

Part II For each of the following in column A, choose the right answer from column B, and write its number in the blank on the left. The first one has been done for you.

A B

_2 _ what killer whales eat 1. Ky ____ the First Nation that protested 2. fish, squid, sea birds, seals, polar the DFO plan to move Luna bears, other whales ____ Luna’s adopted home 3. Mowachaht-Muchalaht ____ what the Mowachaht-Muchalaht 4. 50 kilometres an hour learned 5. more understanding of bureaucracy ____ how fast a killer whale can swim 6. junk food and beer ____ how the DFO and Mowachaht- 7. more understanding of Muchalaht plan to look after Luna Mowachaht-Muchalaht traditions and together culture ____ what people have been feeding 8. the town of Gold River Luna 9. joint stewardship plan ____ the killer whale who behaved aggressively at a Texas SeaWorld Adventure Park ____ what the DFO officials learned

CBC News in Review • September 2004 • Page 45 LUNA’S STORY: CLASH OVER A LOST WHALE YV Profile of the Killer Whale

It may seem surprising that the killer offspring of her daughters and grand- Definitions whale—which is quite small, as whales daughters. Males and females mate with Orcinus orca: the go—is considered the supreme predator whales from other pods during huge genus and species of the killer whale of the seas. The baleen whales, though social gatherings a few times a year, but orca: another name much larger, are filter feeders. They always leave these gatherings with their for killer whale strain huge mouthfuls of water through own pod. So whales grow up with their cetaceans: all baleen—fringed whalebone plates—to mothers, aunts, sisters, uncles, and whales, dolphins, catch truckloads of tiny krill (shrimp- brothers, but not their fathers. and porpoises. like creatures) and tiny fish. These sea mammals have little hair, The killer whale, on the other hand, Communication forelimbs that serve has teeth. It hunts the oceans in packs, What helps killer whales maintain such as flippers, teeth, like wolves do on land. Of all the strong social bonds? Communication is and a flat tail. creatures in the ocean, only the killer the key. Killer whales, like other whale has the audacity and the capabil- whales, have a highly evolved capabil- ity to hunt down a great blue whale, the ity to communicate through sound. largest animal on Earth. They squeal, groan, whistle, and click Although they are one of the smaller to tell each other what is going on. For whales, orcas still appear massive— example, they might say that they see especially when seen up close. Females plenty of fish over here, or that they’re can grow to seven metres in length and not feeling well. Orcas are in almost 4 000 kilograms in weight. Males can continual communication with one grow to nine and a half metres and another, even when far apart. 8 000 kilograms. A male’s dorsal fin Whales also make sounds to navigate can stand nearly two metres tall. Orca the ocean depths. They use echoloca- calves are usually more than two metres tion—bouncing sound off objects—to long at birth, and weigh about 150 tell how far away objects are, much like kilograms. That’s some big baby! bats do when they fly at night. The killer whale’s echolocation capability is A Social Animal staggeringly accurate. They navigate Orca social bonds begin at birth and last through pitch-black water with ease and their whole lives. A baby orca will start recognize individuals by their “sound swimming behind its mother’s dorsal pictures.” fin, where it nurses, and where it will Although killer whales can swim continue to swim for its whole life. virtually anywhere in the ocean, they do Orca society is matrilineal. That means have limitations. Unlike fish, they that both male and female offspring cannot stay underwater continually. always stay with their mothers, through Because they are mammals, they must their whole lives. It is common for a breathe air. However, they swim female to be faithfully flanked by one quickly, at up to 50 kilometres an hour, or two gigantic male orcas—her sons. and can hold their breath for as long as Groups of whales, called pods, are 15 minutes, so they don’t have to usually led by a grandmother, and surface often. In fact, they spend 95 per include all her offspring, and all the cent of their time completely submerged.

CBC News in Review • September 2004 • Page 46 Breathing is the rhythm of life for an • To stalk a mature sea lion takes more Further Research orca. Mother and child breathe together stealth. Killer whales will dive to- To view orcas live from the very beginning, the calf gether, remaining silent so as not to in their natural habitat, check out breathing in lock-step with its mother. alert their prey. After maybe 15 www.orcacam.com. The action of breathing together en- minutes of stalking, one of them will gages all members of a pod in a sort of launch the attack by grabbing and dance, with the whales co-ordinating tossing through the air a bull that Did you know . . . their actions to create a rhythmic pat- could weigh as much as half a tonne. Scientists catalogue tern of breath. The ocean explodes as the whales try all resident killer to land blows with their powerful whales? They Deadly Predators photograph the heads and tails while trying to avoid dorsal fin and the Orcas are highly social, loyal, “talk- the huge tusks of the sea lion. saddle patch (the ative” creatures, but we should make no • By comparison, catching fish seems a grey patch behind mistake; they are also deadly, ferocious bit of a lark. When the whales find a the dorsal [top] predators. In fact, their social character- school of herring, their first goal is to fin). These two istics make them good hunters. Using features are like corral the fish into a smaller space. fingerprints—no echolocation, they find prey. By “talk- The whales take turns dashing around two are alike. ing” together, they can alert one another the school, literally scaring them into Scientists give each to a potential meal, and tell each other a smaller and smaller ball. Then they resident killer where it is. Their social awareness take turns smacking the ball with their whale an alphanu- allows them to co-ordinate their efforts, tails and eating the stunned fish. meric code. For in the same way that a pride of lions example, Luna is L98. He is the 98th stalks its prey. Three Types of Killer Whales documented mem- Killer whales tend to live in cooler Killer whales come in three distinct ber of L pod (a oceans, and prefer continental shelves. types: residents, transients, and particular group of They hunt a variety of sea mammals and whales). offshores. Little is known about the fish, depending on the food source that is offshores, largely because they live far plentiful in the area where they live. from shore. The three groups are very • To hunt seal pups, killer whales distinct, and they rarely interact. They approach the shore cautiously. One of do not mate with one another, and have them will swim directly in front of the not for perhaps a thousand years. How- shore to distract the prey, and then ever, the only thing keeping them apart another will throw itself on shore, is cultural differences. Here are the catch a pup in its teeth, and then throw main differences between residents and itself and the pup back into the water. transients:

Resident Whales Transient Whales • eat fish, such as salmon • hunt sea mammals such as seals, sea lions, dol- • vocalize often phins, and other whales • live in large pods of up to 50 whales • vocalize infrequently—probably because elocu- • travel predictable routes in search of food tion would tip off their prey. • remain with their mothers for life • live in smaller pods—five or fewer • live inshore, e.g., between Vancouver Island • don’t travel in predictable routes and the mainland • hunt in a loose pack • are very playful—they jump, splash, tail-slap, • have a more pointed dorsal fin and a longer saddle and play games patch

CBC News in Review • September 2004 • Page 47 Activities 1. Scan the previous two pages and make a list of killer-whale facts. What fact did you find most surprising? Most interesting? Explain your choice.

2. How are killer whales similar to humans? How are they different?

3. Considering the differences between transients and residents, which group do you think whale-watching tourists go to see? Why?

4. Describe any experience you have had in viewing whales either at sea or in an aquarium.

CBC News in Review • September 2004 • Page 48 LUNA’S STORY: CLASH OVER A LOST WHALE YV Environmental Challenges

Wild orcas are the second most widely environment. Because the killer whale Did you know . . . distributed species on Earth, after is at the top of the food chain, it absorbs Canada’s one killer humans and before rats. They are not in the chemicals all the way up the chain. whale sanctuary is Robson Bight danger of extinction. They are unchal- The southern resident population has Ecological Reserve, lenged as the top predator of the ocean, the highest levels of PCBs of any located on the east and killer whale populations were never marine mammal: 1 000 parts per mil- side of Vancouver decimated by the whaling industry, lion (ppm), compared with a Canadian Island? A very which preferred capturing the large human average of 0.8 ppm. Birth rates detailed profile of baleen whales. are down and mortality is up in J, K, the reserve is available at http:// Not all orcas are alike, however, and and L pods. wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/ some pods are in great danger of extinc- bcparks/ tion from a variety of causes. For Captures for the Aquarium eco_reserve/ example, Vancouver Island’s southern Trade robsonb_er.htm resident population has been drastically J, K, and L pods were only recently reduced. These whales, made up of J, recovering from captures in the 1970s, Quote K, and L pods, swim in Haro and Juan when 50 animals were taken for “What is good for de Fuca straits, in southern B.C. waters. seaquariums. The population recovered the whales is good By 2002, the population had dropped somewhat by 1995, but has now for everyone: clean from 100 to 78 within six years. (Note: dropped again because of environmen- water, abundant Luna belongs to L pod.) tal reasons. sea life, and ex- This group of whales was protected panse of pristine wilderness.” — under Canada’s Endangered Species Depletion of Food Sources Alexandra Morton, Act in 2001, and also under Washington Fish populations around the world have marine biologist in State’s environmental laws. However, it been reduced, not only through over- Life Among the is not on the U.S’s Endangered Species fishing, but also because of dams, Whales, Smithsonian, List, even though scientists predict that logging, and development. A sharp 1994, v25, n8 the group will be extinct by the end of decline of salmon and herring has this century. Endangered status is a affected the number of resident orcas. powerful way to protect species, but it Transient orcas are fish eaters too, so can be excessively costly to govern- they are affected as well. ments because habitat preservation becomes a priority. Noise Interference Boat motors are designed to make their Toxic Waters noise underwater. This design benefits The threats to wild killer whales are humans. It does not benefit killer many. Perhaps the most insidious threat whales, who have to listen to all of it, is the toxic contaminants building up in and may not be able to communicate as killer whale fat tissues. Polychlorinated well with each other as a result. In biphenyls (PCBs) are the worst because places, the ocean sounds like a city full they affect immune and reproductive of cars without mufflers. It would help systems. PCBs were used widely in if boat engines were mounted with electrical equipment and transformers elastic shock absorbers, but these are until the 1970s, when they were not mandatory. banned. But PCBs still persist in the

CBC News in Review • September 2004 • Page 49 In addition, navy ships and subma- ber of trips to see whales jumped from Further Research rines use sonar that is excessively loud. 1 400 in 1987 to 8 000 10 years later. The Whale Watch- The frequencies they use appear to To be fair, the tourists who go to see the ing Guidelines are available at www- frighten or disorient killer whales and whales love them, and so do the tour comm.pac.dfo- other sea mammals, and may damage operators. Many tour operators donate mpo.gc.ca/pages/ their hearing. The U.S. navy is trying to money to whale research and adhere MarineMammals/ avoid using sonar when whales are strictly to the whale-watching guide- view_e.htm. nearby. lines. However, when wild animals are continually accompanied by scores of Whale Watchers boats, their hunting and other The whale-watching industry is taking behaviours can be seriously affected, off. In Victoria, for example, the num- often in ways we do not know.

Activities 1. Write one sentence to describe each of the major environmental chal- lenges for killer whales. Rank these challenges from most to least serious. Discuss your choices.

2. David Suzuki recommends that people stop pouring things like paint down the drain. What else could be done to reduce the level of deadly chemicals in our natural waters? What might you personally do to im- prove our water supply?

Extension 1. Let’s see how human activity in one area can seriously affect the killer whale’s food source, and in turn affect a whole marine ecosystem. We’ll take the example of what scientists think happened on a 600-mile stretch of the Aleutian Islands, 2 000 kilometres west of Alaska.

Things you’ll need to know: • Transient killer whales usually hunt seals and sea lions. • Without this food source, the whales turn to sea otters. • Sea otters eat sea urchins. • Sea urchins eat kelp (seaweed). • Kelp provides habitat for fish. • Fish provide food for eagles and other fish-eaters.

Let’s say that humans overfish a particular ecosystem, and the fish stocks drop.

Without fish, the numbers of seals and sea lions drop drastically. What happens to the ecosystem? Describe the “domino” effect step by step.

2. Think about the problems that whales face in their natural environment. Choose one that you would like to research. Find out more about it, and then write a convincing letter to a politician who might be able to help solve the problem.

CBC News in Review • September 2004 • Page 50 LUNA’S STORY: CLASH OVER A LOST WHALE YV Aboriginal Peoples and Killer Whales

Coastal Aboriginal peoples around the The belief system of this people is tied Quote world revere killer whales, especially deeply to the environment that provided I’m very happy on the Pacific Northwest Coast of North such plenty. The two most important today. These are tears of joy. It’s America, where orcas populate the figures in that nature were the wolf, been really emo- inland ocean waters for many months of which Mowachaht-Muchalaht consider tional these past 10 the year. Aboriginal people may have the caretaker of the land, and the killer days and I’m proud different names for orcas but they share whale, which they consider the care- my son and our a deep respect and love for these crea- taker of the sea. In fact, the killer whale Nation didn’t give tures. It is out of this powerful connec- is known to the Mowachaht-Muchalaht up. — Gloria Maquinna, tion that the clash over Luna developed. as the kakawin, or the “wolf of the sea.” Mowachaht- The wolf, kakawin, and humans all Muchalaht elder, The Origins of Orca hunt creatures much larger than them- on learning that According to a Haida myth, a clever selves, and they all hunt in co-ordinated the DFO had can- pack of wolves lived along an ocean packs. All three are supreme in their celled its plans to shore and learned how to go to sea and move Luna domain, at the top of their respective (www.westcoast hunt the giant baleen whales. They food chains. Humans hunted the same aquatic.ca/article_ became so good at this that the shores prey as the wolf on land (elk, deer) and mowachaht_ were soon littered with rotting whale the same as kakawin on the ocean (the free_Luna0704.htm) corpses. The Creator became angered at baleen whales). The Mowachaht- this waste and created a huge storm to Muchalaht recognized all three beings punish the pack of wolves. They were as highly intelligent, social creatures. Further Research caught out at sea, unable to reach shore. They all become very attached to their To view profiles of And so they were condemned to stay kin, and all three live in highly ordered the many different forever in the ocean, and they became Aboriginal commu- societies. nities in B.C., visit skaana (killer whale): the first wolves the Web site of the of the sea. Luna/Tsux’iit B.C. First Nations at Another First Nation, the The Mowachaht-Muchalaht identify so www.B.C.fn.org/ Kwakwaka’wakw, hold mahk-e-nuk closely with these animals that they profiles. (orca) in high esteem precisely for believe the spirits of their chiefs return being able to exist both in the three- to the world as either a wolf or a killer dimensional sea world, but also in the whale. Both animals are therefore world of air. Mahk-e-nuk may swim far accorded great respect. The spirit of and deep, but must always rise to the Tyee Ha’wilth (Grand Chief) Ambrose surface to breathe air. The ability to Maquinna is believed to be in Tsux’iit exist in both worlds reveals the killer (Luna). By capturing Tsux’iit, the DFO whale’s great power. would be capturing Ambrose Maquinna, The Mowachaht-Muchalaht people a situation his people cannot accept. have lived for 4 000 years on the north- The Mowachaht-Muchalaht worried west coast of Vancouver Island. Theirs that Luna would go into an aquarium if was a land of great abundance. Women things didn’t work out. The collected shellfish and herring eggs Mowachaht-Muchalaht want Luna while men hunted for grey and hump- free—free of tags, free of capture, free back whales. of aquariums, free of human interference.

CBC News in Review • September 2004 • Page 51 It really comes down to respect. The Mowachaht-Muchalaht do not Quote When asked to explain his people’s reject the DFO’s goal of getting Luna “We have gone actions, Mike Maquinna, grand chief of back to his pod. They just don’t like the through a lot of trauma as Nuu- the Mowachaht-Muchalaht, explained way the whale would be “captured” and chah-nulth since that the capture of the whale would be “transported.” With their long tradition you guys hit our disrespectful. “What we’ve been saying of respect for the killer whale, these shores. Only 52 all along is that nature must be allowed actions are simply not acceptable. If, on Mowachaht sur- to take its course, but nature has been the other hand, the whale chooses to vived the smallpox lost in all of the process. We’re stand- leave Nootka Sound to find his family, infestation from a pre-contact popula- ing with the whale, and will do every- then the Mowachaht-Muchalaht are in tion of 70 000. We thing we can to ensure its safety” full agreement. They have even offered have very strong (www.westcoastaquatic.ca/ to lead Luna 330 kilometres down the and ancient beliefs article_mowachaht_free_Luna0704.htm). coast of Vancouver Island in their around killer traditional canoes. whales, and we get our strength from our beliefs. It may Analysis seem superstitious 1. The DFO did not rule out the possibility that, if the reunification plan did to you guys, but to not work out, Luna could end up in an aquarium. Explain why the us it’s real.” — Mowachaht-Muchalaht would find that unacceptable. Mowachaht Ha’wiih Jerry Jack, 2. Find out about the stewardship plan that was agreed to by both DFO and (www.nuuchahnulth.org/ the Mowachaht-Muchalaht in the summer of 2004. It can be found at hashilthsa/ www.westcoastaquatic.ca/Luna_stewardship.htm. Summarize the various aug2604.pdf) components. Explain whether you support or reject this plan.

CBC News in Review • September 2004 • Page 52 LUNA’S STORY: CLASH OVER A LOST WHALE YV Issue: Killer Whales in Captivity

Orca Stats stopped making orcas perform tricks. Further Research • Orcas in captivity world-wide: 49 Then in 1996, under great public pres- Consider a visit to sure, it decided against bringing any the Vancouver • Orcas in captivity in Canada: 7 new whales to the aquarium. Finally, it Aquarium at: • Number pulled from B.C./Washington gave its last killer whale away in 2001 www.vanaqua.org/ waters between 1961 and 1977 for mmrr. so that it could have company. aquariums: 56 • Number of those still living: 2 A Tale of Two Whales Quote • Estimated number of resident orcas in Bjossa “We just don’t B.C./Washington waters in 2001: 285 Bjossa was the last great orca to live in believe that ani- • Status: in decline mals ought to be the Vancouver Aquarium, and was taken from the Source: Beautiful British Columbia, Fall beloved by many Canadians. Unfortu- wild and kept in 2001, vol. 43, no. 3, p. 44 nately, she lost three calves, and her captivity to enter- mate of 17 years, Finna, who died of tain us. These Despite its dreadful name, the killer pneumonia in 1997 at the age of 22. In animals have been whale is not adversarial toward humans. 2001, the aquarium gave her to the San taken from their Like other cetaceans, such as dolphins societies. They are Diego Marineland in California so that used to do tricks and porpoises, killer whales do not see she could have company. After only six for us for profit. humans as prey, and they tend to ignore months there, she died at the age of 25. That’s an exploita- us, avoid us, or simply tolerate us. In the wild killer whales live up to 80 tive, cruel relation- Although for centuries people have years of age. The Vancouver Aquarium ship.” — David feared killer whales, the display of Phillips, biologist has no orcas at this time, and does not orcas in seaquariums has transformed and animal rights intend to acquire any. activist quoted by public perception. The scientific world Chris Wood in “A now recognizes killer whales as highly Keiko Whale of a De- intelligent and sociable animals. Orcas Should we simply return all killer bate,” MacLean’s, even seem to have a sense of humour! May 8, 1995 whales back to the ocean? This is also a controversial question. Many orcas now Vancouver Aquarium in aquariums were born in captivity or The Vancouver Aquarium was the first Did you know . . . were captured young, and they know Keiko means to capture a live orca, in 1964. It was by little or nothing about life in the wild. “Lucky One” in accident. They’d wanted to kill one so This was the case with Keiko, the star Japanese? they could make a model of it. The orca of the 1993 Free Willy movie. only lasted three months, before it died Keiko lived for 11 years in a Mexico of exhaustion and a skin infection, but City seaquarium. Children learned that in that time, researchers learned a great he was being kept in a pool that was deal about the species. only 13 metres long and six metres The mandate of the internationally deep. His health was deteriorating. The renowned Vancouver Aquarium is to public rallied around Keiko, and, at a foster public understanding of marine cost of more than $20-million, brought ecology. Over the years its policy in him back to health, trained him to catch regard to orcas has changed dramati- fish, and finally returned him in 1998 to cally. First, in 1992, it stopped accept- Klettsvik Bay in the Icelandic waters ing orcas born in the wild. It also

CBC News in Review • September 2004 • Page 53 where he had been originally captured. they had been his playmates all his life! But Keiko had lost his aggressive- Keiko preferred human company, so for ness. He couldn’t, or wouldn’t, go back five years he lived in the ocean, where to the wild and the company of other people kept him company, fed him, and killer whales. He never even tried to made sure that he was happy. He died capture a dolphin for dinner. After all, of pneumonia in 2003.

Activities 1. Make two timelines, one of Bjossa’s life, and one of Keiko’s life. What lessons might be learned from their lives?

2. In a small group, discuss the pros and cons of each of the following: • taking orcas from the wild to put in aquariums • keeping only orcas born in captivity in aquariums • training orcas to do tricks for human entertainment • releasing existing captive orcas into the wild

Use the space at the bottom of the page to record your points from the discus- sion. Be prepared to share your views with your classmates.

Extension Investigate an incident that occurred in July 2004, in which Ky, a killer whale, bounced around his trainer under water. What do you think may have been the underlying factors that allowed this incident to occur? What do you think might be done to avoid such events from occurring again?

CBC News in Review • September 2004 • Page 54