information from the Whale Trail

Twelve years ago, the orphaned orca Springer (A-73) was discovered in Puget Sound - lost, alone, and 300 miles away from home. Five months later, she was rescued, rehabilitated, and returned to her pod near the north end of Vancouver Island. In July 2013, she was seen with her first calf! The project is the only successful orca reintroduction in history.

Why did this project succeed while others have failed? What did we learn from the Springer project that can help orcas today?

Join us to hear the true story of how Springer went home, from researchers and organizers who were part of the project team. Help us celebrate the 12th anniversary of this historic undertaking, and the little whale who changed our lives!.

This is the first Orca Talk of 2014, hosted by The Whale Trail in West Seattle.

Celebrate Springer! The true story of how an orphaned orca went home.
Presentation by Mark Sears and Donna Sandstrom
Thursday January 30, 2013, 7 -9 PM,
C&P Coffee, 5612 California Ave SW, Seattle WA 98136
$5 suggested donation, kids free.
Tickets available brownpapertickets.com
Presented by The Whale Trail

The event also features updates from Robin Lindsay (Seal Sitters), and Diver Laura James (tox-ick.org and Puget Soundkeeper Alliance).

Buy tickets ahead of time and we'll save you a seat! And hurry - this will likely sell out.

About the Presenters
Mark Sears has been studying and documenting whales in Puget Sound for over 30 years. He was the first researcher to confirm the sighting of the young whale, and monitored Springer daily while she was in Puget Sound.

As part of the Orphan Orca Fund, Donna Sandstrom led community efforts to generate in-kind donations and support for the project. In 2007, she co-authored of a teaching curriculum based on Springer's story, and has also organized 5- and 10- year transboundary reunions for the project team. Donna is the founder/director of The Whale Trail, continuing the partnerships formed during the Springer project.

About The Whale Trail
The Whale Trail (www.thewhaletrail.org) is a series of sites around the region where the public may view orcas and other marine mammals from shore. Our mission is to inspire appreciation and stewardship of whales and our marine environment by establishing a network of viewing sites along the whales’ trails through the Salish Sea and the coastal waters of the Pacific Northwest. Our goals are to: increase awareness that our marine waters are home to orcas and other species; connect visitors to orcas, other marine wildlife and their habitat; inspire stewardship and build community; promote land-based whale watching. Our over-arching goal is to ensure the southern resident orcas do not go extinct.

The Whale Trail provides simple, powerful, and long-lasting reminders to visitors and residents alike that orcas and other whales live in our waters. Through our current sites and signs, including two on every Washington State ferry, we reach more than 22 million people each year. Our near-term goals are to add a site in every coastal county in Washington, and around Vancouver Island, throughout the orcas' range. Together, we will turn the tide for the whales!

The Whale Trail is led by a core team of partners including NOAA Fisheries, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Seattle Aquarium, the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, and the Whale Museum. The Whale Trail is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, registered in Washington State.