Saving Luna

[Sioux]

There is a wall between humans and wild animals.
Luna broke it.

No one expected it. No one planned for it. No one thought it could happen. Then when it did, no one knew what to do. When a baby wild orca showed up in a remote fjord on the West Coast of Vancouver Island and started to make friends with people, no one was ever the same.

What happens when a wild orca tries to make friends with people — not for food, but for companionship? Should humans welcome him or turn away? Saving Luna is a true story about one such killer whale, who was nicknamed Luna. In 2001, when Luna was just a baby, he found himself alone in Nootka Sound, on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, more than 200 miles away from his family. Orcas normally spend their entire lives together, but Luna was lost.

Without other whales, Luna tried to make contact with humans. But law and science told people to stay away. Yet the same social instincts that drove Luna to seek companionship also brought people to him, in spite of the law.

As Luna got close to people, he became both treasured and feared. To natives he was the spirit of a chief. To boaters he was a goofy friend. To conservationists he was a cause. To scientists he was trouble. To officials he was a danger. As conflict and tragedy stained the waters, Luna became a symbol of the world’s wildest beauty: easy to love, hard to save.

A life does not have to be human to be great.

SAVING LUNA Theatrical Trailer
Saving Luna Offical Site

[MoonKit]

Looks interesting.

[Whisperwind]

oh man, ive never heard of it before but i'm already hooked =]

[Sioux]

Same here!

Right now, its only playing in select Canadian theaters, but Mountainside films is going to try to get it shown in the US as well. I've talked with the producer, Suzanne Chisholm, and because Saving Luna is a documentary and not a movie, theaters are very reluctant to show it. Honestly, it may never be shown in American theaters. Nevertheless, Mrs. Chisholm has assured me that it will be sold here on DVD. Possibly later in the year.
I just can wait to see this film though! I mean, it's won 19 international awards and its gotten four out of five stars! Plus, besides the wolf, the killer whale is my absolute, all time favorite animal and I just can't pass up the chance to see a film center around one!

[Whisperwind]

my only worry after looking up the whale's story, is that the ending will be too sad!! being a documentary, i expected it to end with the whale's death, but not such a tragic, brutal one!! as i read what happened, i literally felt like his life was just another example of how human interference in the natural world ruins everything it touches (not referring to the people who went out and played with him, more to the deadly powerful boats out on the water and other machinery in natural settings)

[Sioux]

Whisperwind wrote:as i read what happened, i literally felt like his life was just another example of how human interference in the natural world ruins everything it touches (not referring to the people who went out and played with him, more to the deadly powerful boats out on the water and other machinery in natural settings)

Luna, otherwise know as L98, was apart of the Southern Resident Community which consist of clans, J, K, and L.
The Southern community whales are most often encountered off the southern end of Vancouver Island — including the inland marine waters of Washington state - otherwise known as the Salish Sea which consist of the San Juan Islands and Pudget Sound. These whales are the "resident" type(fish eating only).

There is, by far, less boat activity in Nootka Sound, British Columbia, than there is in San Juan Washington. Nevertheless, boats in general have a negative impact on orca. Most people know it is illegal to harass marine mammals, but I would guess that most may not know the simple pursuit of local whales violates federal law. Both the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act specifically state that pursuit is illegal. This makes sense. Can you imagine an endangered wolf population, being chased all day every day by tourists on all-terrain vehicles? The situation with the Southern Resident orca is not much different.
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In my opinion, I believe some kind of human interference - not boats- is exactly what Luna needed. You see, the plan was to lure Luna into a sea pen and then ship him back to San Juan, place him into a sea pen there, rehabilitate him, and then release him when his family were near.

This plan worked with another orca, Springer. Springer, otherwise know as A73, ended up separated from her family as well. However, Springer is apart of the Northern Resident Community(clans, A, G, and R) and she ended up in Washington State's Puget Sound near Seattle. In addition to some health concerns, A73 became increasingly interested in people and boats. Such behavior threatened her success in the wild, and she needed to be treated for her medical conditions and moved from a busy shipping lane. Luna became increasingly interested in boats and people as well. Even budding up to sea plans as they tried to land.

On July 13, 2002, A73 was picked up from the net pen where she had been tested and treated for the past month. She was loaded onto a catamaran donated by Nichols Bros. Boat Builders and made a smooth trip up the coast to Johnstone Strait between the Canadian mainland and Vancouver Island. At Dong Chong Bay on Hanson Island she was unloaded into another net pen to recover from the trip. A73 recovered quickly, and appeared quite excited to be in the area.

On July 14, 2002, A73 responded excitedly to whales from her pod swimming in the area near the net pen. Officials from the Vancouver Aquarium and Fisheries and Oceans Canada decided the time was right to release her. The gate of the net pen was raised about 2:45 p.m. PDT, allowing the whale to swim free.

The return of Springer lends considerable support to the notion that the solitary orca Luna could have succeeded in returning to the company of his Southern Resident orca community. Luna had been living alone in Nootka Sound since he first showed up in the summer of 2001. Like Springer, no-one knew who Luna was when first seen, but IDphotographs soon proved him to be a member of the Southern Resident communitys L2 matriline. Unlike Springer, Lunas mother is still alive, so scientists believe his chances of reuniting with his orca kin were good. "Luna actually has a better chance than Springer," said OrcaLabs Dr. Paul Spong. "Orcas are bonded for life, and the closest bonds are between mothers and their offspring. I dont have any doubts about Lunas future, once he returns to the side of his mum."

However, many members of the First Nation believe Tsu'xiit(the First Nation name for Luna) embodied the spirit of their former chief, Ambrose Maquinna, who was Mike Maquinna's(who is the current chief) father. Apparently, Ambrose Maquinna died in July, 2001, a few days before Luna's first appearance in Nootka Sound.
Many members of the First Nation opposed Luna's capture so, to prevent it, they went out in canoes, beat their drums, and lured Luna away from the sea pen several times before the DFO gave up. They believe that, in the case of Luna, nature should takes it's coarse. "We have always said 'Let nature take its course,' " Maquinna said. "It is clear that Tsu'xiit needs help from too much human attention so he can be free to make his own choices. We intend to give him that choice." So, in their mind, if he stayed, he stayed. If he leaves, he leaves.

I will admit that Ambrose's death and Luna's appearance do coincide uncannily. But I still don't fully understand how Luna could be Ambrose recarnated when Luna was born in 1999 and Ambrose died in 2001. If it were the other way around, then I might consider it a possiblity. Can someone really be recarnated before they die?
Regardless, there are less than 88 members in the Southern Resident Community. Their numbers were just about wipped out in the 60's and 70's due to captures for aquariums. They went from 150 - 200 whales to less than a hundred by the mid-70's and scientist speculate that they could very well become extinct in a hundred years or so. Today, the SR population has a hard time growing now due to over-fishing and pollution. Luna could have fathered many calves and ultimately contribute to SR population growth. Also, many thought that him rubbing up to boats, plans, and people showed he was incredibly lonely and couldn't adequetly recieve the attention he most desperately craved and needed from a species not of his kind. The First Nation thought otherwise. "It is our most sacred thing that we have. The killer whale. And lonely? You’re telling us he’s lonely? He is not lonely! We are there, keeping him company." - The late Chief Jerry Jack, Mowachaht Muchalaht First Nation


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Sorry, I didn't mean to...basically go off the deep end here. I'm just as passionate about orcas as many here are about wolves.

[John Wolf]

Real shame I thought this would be about Wolves.

[Sioux]

No, it's not about wolves. But, that doesn't mean the film isn't going to be good. I encourage you to go see it regardless.