Nonetheless, if the moneygrubbers viewed him as an impediment to their shekel accumulation efforts, whale-lovers adored him and he soon became famous all over Canada. In particular, he was known to have peeled off the underwater transponders from a number of fishing boats because the radar emitted by fish finders and depth sounders not only irritated him but no doubt interfered with his ability to hunt salmon.
#LUNA NOOTKA SOUND SKIN#
Even before his fatal encounter with the General Jackson cuts were starting to appear in his skin as the result of run-ins with propellers.Īs this life and death drama was being played out over the past few years, Luna's friendliness engendered a slew of complaints from the operators of seaplanes and fishing boats. Deprived of the companionship of his fellow orcas, Luna soon developed an affinity for people and boats and it was this attraction which ultimately cost him his life. For some unknown reason, he became separated from his pod and was discovered all by his lonesome in Nootka Sound in 2001.
Luna, known to scientists as L-98 because he was the ninety-eighth member of the L-pod, was born on Septemnear the San Juan Islands off Washington State. He was just interested in seeing what everybody's doing," Connerty fondly recalled. "He'd go right beside the boom boat and boom the log. Sometimes he even assisted the boatmen by pushing logs into bundles. Barry Connerty of Great Northern Marine Towing of New Westminster, owner of the General Jackson, told the Vancouver Sun on March 14th that the six-year-old whale behaved like a stray dog seeking companionship whenever any of his boats came near. In fact, just before he met his untimely death, he had been fetching sticks for the crew while they photographed him. Ironically, Luna (See photo above) was killed by what might be called "friendly fire" since he and the crew of the General Jackson were old friends. The black and white whale was sliced to pieces when he came into contact with the vessel's powerful propeller sea gulls feasted on his remains. His blithe spirit was permanently stilled on March 10th when he was struck and killed by an American tugboat that was pulling a barge loaded with logs. Luna, the playful orca who for the past five years had delighted whale-watchers and confounded fishermen in Nootka Sound off Vancouver Island, is no more.
#LUNA NOOTKA SOUND FREE#
"I'd rather see him live a short and free life rather than a long and captive one."
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