Canada's Tug-Of-Whale Suspended for Now
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Reuters) - Efforts to capture and relocate a lost killer whale on Canada's Pacific Coast were suspended temporarily Friday following objections from Native Indians who say the animal may be the spirit of a dead chief and who want it to stay where it is.
The tug-of-love between scientists and a native group over the whale created a circus-like scene this week in Nootka Sound, a ocean inlet on western Vancouver Island, where the animal has lived alone since 2001 after it became separated from its family pod.
The Mowachaht-Muchalaht Indians thwarted efforts to capture the whale, nicknamed Luna by scientists and called Tsu 'Xiit (sook-eat) by the natives. They used canoes and traditional singers to lure the curious animal away from the boat officials were using to try to lure it into a capture pen.
Marilyn Joyce of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans said after meeting with the band's leaders that the capture effort had been put on hold until at least early next week to allow the Indians to spend more time with the animal.
"What our operational team would like to do today is respect that the First Nations are practicing their cultural traditions on the water and give them some space to do that," Joyce said in Gold River, British Columbia, where the capture effort is headquartered.
Killer whales, also know as orcas, play a major role in the spiritual culture of native Indians on Canada's Pacific Coast.
Mowachaht-Muchalaht grand chief Mike Maquinna said he was surprised by the department's explanation of the delay, telling reporters he thought the real reason was that animal experts were having problem with the capture pen.
Scientists say the lonely whale has become a danger to himself and to people by seeking out boats and float planes for attention. He was nearly hit this month when he surfaced in front of a airplane as it landed on the water.
The scientists want to capture the whale and transport him more than 350 km (225 miles) by truck to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, off the southern tip of Vancouver Island, where L pod spends the summer. It is hoped that he will rejoin the pod and lose interest in people.
The Indians say if the whale is going to rejoin its family pod it should be allowed to do it on its own.
Maquinna said that while the band is singing to the whale to keep him away from the scientists, they will not interfere if he eventually enters the capture pen.
Fisheries officials have dismissed as unfeasible a suggestion by a Mowachaht-Muchalaht chief that canoes be used to lead the whale to L-pod via the open ocean.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Reuters) - Efforts to capture and relocate a lost killer whale on Canada's Pacific Coast were suspended temporarily Friday following objections from Native Indians who say the animal may be the spirit of a dead chief and who want it to stay where it is.
The tug-of-love between scientists and a native group over the whale created a circus-like scene this week in Nootka Sound, a ocean inlet on western Vancouver Island, where the animal has lived alone since 2001 after it became separated from its family pod.
The Mowachaht-Muchalaht Indians thwarted efforts to capture the whale, nicknamed Luna by scientists and called Tsu 'Xiit (sook-eat) by the natives. They used canoes and traditional singers to lure the curious animal away from the boat officials were using to try to lure it into a capture pen.
Marilyn Joyce of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans said after meeting with the band's leaders that the capture effort had been put on hold until at least early next week to allow the Indians to spend more time with the animal.
"What our operational team would like to do today is respect that the First Nations are practicing their cultural traditions on the water and give them some space to do that," Joyce said in Gold River, British Columbia, where the capture effort is headquartered.
Killer whales, also know as orcas, play a major role in the spiritual culture of native Indians on Canada's Pacific Coast.
Mowachaht-Muchalaht grand chief Mike Maquinna said he was surprised by the department's explanation of the delay, telling reporters he thought the real reason was that animal experts were having problem with the capture pen.
Scientists say the lonely whale has become a danger to himself and to people by seeking out boats and float planes for attention. He was nearly hit this month when he surfaced in front of a airplane as it landed on the water.
The scientists want to capture the whale and transport him more than 350 km (225 miles) by truck to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, off the southern tip of Vancouver Island, where L pod spends the summer. It is hoped that he will rejoin the pod and lose interest in people.
The Indians say if the whale is going to rejoin its family pod it should be allowed to do it on its own.
Maquinna said that while the band is singing to the whale to keep him away from the scientists, they will not interfere if he eventually enters the capture pen.
Fisheries officials have dismissed as unfeasible a suggestion by a Mowachaht-Muchalaht chief that canoes be used to lead the whale to L-pod via the open ocean.
