MOBY DOLL ORCA SYMPOSIUM :REFLECTIONS ON CHANGE
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MOBY DOLL ORCA SYMPOSIUM
THEN :REFLECTIONS ON CHANGE
NOW SATURNA ISLAND MAY 24–26,2013
Moby Doll’s brief life in captivity
nearly 50 years ago triggered a series
of fascinating events that resulted in
profound changes in the relation-
ship between humans and Orcinus
50 YEARS
orca. It’s a whale of a tale, and it all
PHOTO: MILES RITTER began on Saturna Island.
AN ACCIDENTAL INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SUPER-STAR
Moby Doll was harpooned at East Point, Saturna Island in July
1964 but the shot was supposed to end with a kill, not a capture.
The Vancouver Aquarium wanted a dead killer whale for study
and to model for a large sculpture that was to hang in the new
aquarium’s foyer.
The harpooned whale was only injured, however, and
Vancouver Aquarium director Dr. Murray Newman quickly
decided to lead the wounded orca to Vancouver Harbour for
study. Moby Doll thus became the first killer whale to be
captured and displayed in public but the orca survived for just
under three months.
However, during that brief time, Moby Doll became an
international media super-star. Life Magazine, Reader’s Digest,
The Times of London, major television networks as well as
many Canadian newspapers, magazines and television stations,
sent reporters and correspondents to Vancouver to tell this
whale of a tale to world-wide audiences.
More importantly, Moby Doll’s capture marked the
beginning of a world-wide scientific quest to learn more about
orcas. And today, because we know so much more about this
beautiful, majestic animal, we’re well on our way to making sure
that orcas continue to thrive in their natural habitats and thrill
many of our future generations.
WAITING FOR A WHALE cAMP SET uP ON EAST POINT BLuFFS wITH HARPOON ON THE ROckS
It was July, 16, 1964 and Sam Burich has his harpoon gun on
Saturna Island’s East Point bluff loaded and ready as a pod of
killer whales approached close to shore.
“I picked out one that seemed a little smaller than the
others,” he later told reporters. “It looked me right in the eye
and I looked right back. I just let her have it.”
The 15-foot orca struggled for over two hours and several
of its pod-members pushed Moby Doll to the surface so it
could breathe. Burich and his helpers suddenly had a change of
heart and after a quick call to their boss, Dr. Murray Newman
of Vancouver Aquarium, it was decided to lead the wounded
whale back to the harbour in Vancouver.
Moby Doll was first housed in a make-shift pen at Burrard
Drydock where the harpoon was removed and antibiotics
administered. Soon the orca’s surprisingly gentle behavior in
such close quarters encouraged the scientists to learn more.
Already, you see, attitudes were beginning to change.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t until almost two months later that
it was learned that Moby Doll only ate certain types of fish,
including ling cod. Despite quickly consuming more than 100
kilograms of fish daily, sadly, the orca died from a skin disease
due to low salinity of the harbour water. The subsequent autopsy
revealed that Moby Doll was male.
Josef Bauer was there with Sam Burich in 1964. He will be lead-
ing a walking tour of the capture site and will tell us the tale as
seen through his eyes.
IT WAS A DIFFERENT TIME
There’s a good reason why Moby Doll was named after Moby
Dick, the famous fictitious white sperm whale of early American
literature. Up until the time of the seven-year-old orca’s 1964
capture off East Point Light Station, killer whales in particular
were thought to be a dreaded species as vicious as literature’s
Moby Dick and more than capable of devouring a human.
In fact, the same year that Moby Doll was captured there
were 864 whales killed off the British Columbia coast. It was
also a time when killer whales were thought to number in the
thousands and were seen as a threat to the B.C. fisheries. This
made them an easy target for culling, or elimination. That was
then but now, nearly 50 years later, so much as changed —
mostly for the better.
Most of what is now an extensive knowledge base on orcas
is the result of many years of work by a surprisingly small group
of dedicated scientists here on the West Coast. We now know,
for example, how many whales are in our resident pods, when a
baby is born and when a whale dies. Remarkably, we also know
that some killer whales can live as long — or longer — than
humans! We also know there are significant differences among
resident, transient and offshore orcas. Of course, whale watching
in local waters is now a big business, drawing thousands of
tourists annually from the world over.
Yes, we’ve come a long, long way in our understanding of
killer whales but there are many more mysteries to solve, such
PHOTO: MILES RITTER
as where they go during the winter months. There are other
challenges to overcome as well before we can guarantee that
these magnificent mammals survive in perpetuity.
MOBY DOLL ORCA SYMPOSIUM:REFLECTIONS ON CHANGE
Moby Doll’s brief life in captivity nearly 50 years ago Friday, May 24th 12:15 – 1:00 pm 5:30 pm
Saturna’s local Lighthouse Pub hosts Orca Night LUNCH catered by Wild Thyme VISIT TO EAST POINT BLUFFS
triggered a complex and fascinating sequence of events Tour bus and car pool depart for a walking tour with
Saturday, May 25th 1:00 – 2:45 pm Josef Bauer who was part of the 1964 expedition that
which profoundly changed the relationship between
all events at Saturna Island Recreation Centre AFTERNOON SESSION ONE captured Moby Doll. Saturna Heritage Centre in the Fog
humans and Orcinus orca. Where are We Now? Alarm Building will be open.
8:30 am Doors Open • Dr. John K. Ford
To acknowledge that past, celebrate the present Head of the Cetacean Research Program, Department of 6:45 pm
Early morning mingle, coffee + muffins available,
and ensure its future development, two dedicated displays open for viewing Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Research Station, Nanaimo Bus and car pool return to Rec Centre
community groups – the Saturna Heritage Committee • Dr. Kenneth Balcomb EVENING ENTERTAINMENT
9:00 – 10:00 am Registration Open
and the Saturna Island Marine Research & Education Please register at www.saturnaheritage.ca Director of the Center for Whale Research on San Juan Island at Saturna Island Recreation Centre
and foremost expert on the Southern Resident Pods
Society – are hosting this very special event. 6:30 pm
10:00 - 10:15 am
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION 2:45 – 3:00 pm DRINKS Cash Bar
PROGRAMME
• Richard Blagborne Symposium Convenor AFTERNOON BREAK
7:30 pm
10:15 – 12:15 pm 3:00 - 4:45 pm DINNER catered by chef Hubertus Surm
MORNING SESSION AFTERNOON SESSION TWO
History of BC Whaling, Conditions in 1964 Future Challenges 8:00 pm
• Kathy Heise • Dr. Lance Barrett-Lennard SPY HOP Live Music and Dance
Research Associate at Vancouver Aquarium with an expertise Head Cetologist at Vancouver Aquarium Memories of You – Barry Gough Jazz Quartet
on Pacific White-sided Dolphins and underwater noise.
• Dr. Peter Ross Sunday, May 26th
The Capture — Close Encounters of an Former head of Marine Mammal Toxicology, at East Point, Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Unexpected Kind Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), Sidney
• Dr. Murray Newman 10:00 am FOG ALARM BUILDING open
Past-Director of the Vancouver Aquarium, Curator in 1964, 4:45 – 5:15 pm 1:00 pm 2013 Season Opening Ceremony
commissioned the expedition, attended the capture and PANEL SESSION
oversaw Moby Doll’s captivity. All speakers available for questions
TICKET PRICES
• Dr. Patrick McGeer 5:15 pm
Symposium: $25 Lunch: $10
International scientist and B.C. politician, as a UBC Professor CLOSING REMARKS
Dinner & Entertainment: $30
of Neurology and Aquarium Board Member, attended the
capture, helped care for Moby Doll and performed the autopsy.
register at www.saturnaheritage.ca
OUR PRESENTERS
EYE-WITNESSES IN 1964
Dr. Murray Newman
As a boy in Chicago, he kept tropical fish and from that
point forward, Dr. Newman’s life, the oceans and marine
science were permanently woven into a singularly
Dr. Patrick McGeer 1
Well known as both a scientist specializing in neurological
research and a long-serving provincial politician, Dr.
McGeer was part of the Vancouver Aquarium research
50 YEARS
accomplished career. team that took part in the Moby Doll capture off Saturna
MuRRAY NEwMAN FEEDS A FISH TO MOBY DOLL PATRIck McGEER INJEcTS PENIcILLIN INTO MOBY DOLL
He graduated from the University of Chicago in Island’s East Point in 1964.
zoology, served three years in the U.S. Navy during World Much of Dr. McGeer’s research has been done at the
War II in the South Pacific, returned to his studies at University of B.C.’s School of Medicine and he served as
the University of California at Berkeley and came to an MLA for several Social Credit provincial governments
Vancouver in 1953 for doctoral studies at the University from 1962 to 1986. He also served in cabinet for 10 of those
of B.C. years and his portfolios included education, universities,
It was here on the B.C. west coast that Dr. Newman science, communications and international trade.
made his mark. Hired as the founding director of the He graduated with honours in chemistry from UBC
Vancouver Aquarium in 1955, he held that high-profile in 1948, received his PhD in chemistry from Princeton
post for the next 38 years while building the aquarium University in 1951 and his MD from UBC in 1958.
into a world-recognized public facility and research
organization. In 1995, the Murray A. Newman Award was Josef Bauer
created in his honour and is given annually in recognition He was part of the expedition to capture Moby Doll in
of significant aquatic research and conservation work in 1964. He camped on Saturna along with Sam Burich
British Columbia. (deceased), the sculptor, and was an intrinsic part of the
It was Dr. Newman who in 1964 commissioned harpooning and capture of Moby Doll.
the Moby Doll Expedition and, on the day of the
harpooning, he immediately flew to Saturna Island’s East
Point Lighthouse. He quickly saw the many scientific
benefits of bringing the wounded whale to Vancouver
Dr. Newman and Dr. McGeer will be discussing their experiences
for study. During Moby Doll’s short life in captivity, Dr.
with Moby Doll and their reflections on how Moby Doll affected
Newman says he became very attached emotionally to the
them personally and professionally.
magnificent animal.
OUR PRESENTERS + SPECIAL GUESTS
TODAY’S SCIENTISTS
Dr. Kenneth Balcomb
This highly-influential U.S. scientist has been studying
the Southern Resident Orcas since the 1970’s and is the
Dr. John K. Ford
He joined Fisheries and Oceans Canada in 2001 as head of
the Cetacean Research Program at the Pacific Biological
Dr. Peter Ross
2
He is the former head of Marine Mammal Toxicology
at Fisheries and Oceans’ Institute of Ocean Sciences
foremost expert on them. He’s Executive Director of Station in Nanaimo. He is also an Adjunct Professor in at Sidney, B.C. He has actively researched the effects of
the non-profit Center for Whale Research on San Juan the Department of Zoology and the Fisheries Centre persistent environmental contaminants on the health of
Island, which he founded in 1985. He’s a pioneer in photo- at the University of B.C. Dr. Ford’s areas of research marine mammals and the sources, movement and fate of
identification of cetaceans and also founded Orca Survey, a include the life history, ecology, behaviour and acoustic environmental contaminants in marine food chains. An
study of Pacific Northwest killer whales, in 1976. communications of cetaceans — especially killer whales. Adjunct Professor at Simon Fraser University, Dr. Ross
obtained his PhD from the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences
Dr. Lance Barrett-Lennard Kathy Heise at Utrecht University in The Netherlands.
He’s the current head cetologist at Vancouver Aquarium, She began her involvement in cetacean research over 25
Adjunct Professor in the Department of Zoology at UBC years ago as a lightkeeper, listening for the sounds of killer Graeme Ellis
and has been an active collaborator in ongoing studies whales using a permanently-mounted hydrophone. She He has been actively involved in the long-term study of
of behaviour and population genetics of killer whales in returned to UBC to study the ecology of Pacific white-sided killer whales in the northeast Pacific since 1973, when
B.C. and Alaska since 1984. Some of his findings served dolphins. Kathy is interested in the resident dolphins in he started working for the Department of Fisheries and
as a basis for the Committee on the Status of Endangered the Strait of Georgia, particularly their foraging behaviour Oceans. Graeme is involved in orca population monitoring
Wildlife in Canada’s listing of southern resident killer and prey choice and the effects of underwater noise. She is and studying aspects of their diet, distribution, genetics
whales as an endangered population. a Research Associate at the Vancouver Aquarium. and contaminant levels. Graeme has co-authored books
about killer whales with John Ford and Ken Balcomb.
VANCOUVER AQUARIUM vINcE PENFOLD, ASSISTANT cuRATOR AT THE vANcOuvER AquARIuM IN 1964, AT vANcOuvER’S
JERIcO BEAcH, LISTENING TO MOBY DOLL’S vOcALIzATIONS BY HYDROPHONE.
For more than 60 years the Vancouver Aquarium,
set on 0.85 picturesque hectares in world-renown
Stanley Park, has been the pride and joy of British
Columbia.
It’s certainly Canada’s largest aquarium and
contains more than 70,000 animals, including over
300 species of fish as well as invertebrates, reptiles,
amphibians, birds and mammals.
This living population requires roughly 9.5
million litres of water, approximately 300 full-time
staff and an army of more than 800 active volunteers.
The direct benefactors are the more than one million
annual visitors.
But the Vancouver Aquarium is much more than
a place for adults and children to come and observe
life below the waves. It also runs countless programs
for education, scientific research, conservation, and
wild animal rescue and recovery services.
It has been particularly active in conducting
research on dolphins, porpoises and whales
(collectively known as cetaceans).
This, of course, includes a great deal of research
on killer whales, who face increasing threats from
pollution, over-fishing of salmon, increasing boat
traffic and other human activities.
Learn more about the Vancouver Aquarium at
www.vanaqua.org.
SATURNA ISLAND
Just 31-square kilometres and now nearly half of it set SATURNA HERITAGE COMMITTEE
aside as part of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, This is a group which founded and now operates an
Saturna remains relatively untouched and is a mecca for interpretation centre in the refurbished Fog Alarm
hikers, bikers, photographers, paddlers and many other Building (FAB) at East Point in the Gulf Islands National
kinds of outdoor enthusiasts. Park Reserve. The centre focusses on the history and
It was a favoured ancient fishing and gathering heritage of Saturna Island through public displays.
location for First Nations groups. European explorers first It’s also building an impressive collection of historical
set eyes on Saturna when the 36-foot Spanish schooner images through digitizing and proper filing of old photos,
Santa Saturnina passed East Point on June 15, 1791. documents, etc. The FAB also serves as a meeting and
European settlement on the island began in the early event location for the community. You can learn more on
1870’s. Throughout the 20th Century and even today, this website: www.saturnaheritage.ca.
Saturna islanders are known for their pioneering spirit
SATURNA ISLAND MARINE RESEARCH
and a rugged individualism that’s tempered by a sense of AND EDUCATION SOCIETY (SIMRES)
community and willingness to help a neighbour — or a Its primary goal is to attract marine researchers and
stranger. educators to the island and promoting Saturna as an ideal
Many community events are held throughout the year venue for scientific research and learning.
hosted by a variety of groups such as the Lions Club and the Saturna is one of the best places in Canada to see
Saturna Arts & Concerts Society. The most famous event the Southern Resident orcas from land. East Point is a
is the Community Club’s Saturna Lamb Barbecue which birthing place for harbour seals in the summer and a haul-
has been held for 63 years every July 1st. It’s a country out place for sea lions in the winter. Harbour porpoise
fair-like outdoor picnic with childrens’ games, live music are summer regulars, minke and humpback whales are
and a beer garden. Many boaters make this an essential occassional visitors. Many marine birds and intertidal
event on their summer calendar, filling Winter Cove with invertebrates are found here, all within easy reach of
their activity. The Barbecue is entirely organized and run Vancouver and Victoria.
by Saturna volunteers. This ubiquitous community spirit is To that end, SIMRES is seeking partnerships with
reflected again in the two volunteer groups organizing the broad and diverse organizations such as universities,
Moby Doll Symposium : Reflections On Change. aquariums, eco-tourism groups, etc. There’s more
information on: www.saturnamarineresearch.ca.
photos by Miles Ritter a special selection of miles’s magnificent orca photos taken at east point, saturna island, will be shown at the moby doll symposium splash!
A POIGNANT GIFT
A large modern petroglyph marks the spot on the East Point
bluffs where Moby Doll was harpooned. It was created by
sculptor Samuel Burich during the orca expedition in 1964,
while waiting for whales to appear. In all these years, it has
weathered, is covered with lichen and one has to look carefully
to find it. Yet, it remains etched in stone, as Moby Doll is etched
in the memories of those who were there.
Moby Doll changed the lives of all those who were involved.
Samuel’s widow Helen says, “What happened with Moby Doll
changed how Samuel felt about killer whales and changed us all.
We became more interested, more caring.”
SAM BuRIcH wITH MOBY DOLL ScuLPTuRE
50 YEARSPROGRAMME SNAPSHOT A special thank you to the Saturna residents who have donated VOLUNTEER ORGANIZING
COMMITTEE
Friday, May 24th funds to make this event possible:
Saturna’s local Lighthouse Pub hosts Orca Night EVENING ENTERTAINMENT RICHARD BLAGBORNE Convenor
at Saturna Recreation Centre Marty & Sue Abegg, Paul Brent, The Chase Family, Bill &
PAT CARNEY Advisor
Saturday, May 25th 6:30 pm DRINKS Cash Bar Deborah Gibson, Marcia Harter, Jim Hope, Joan Hoskinson, NANCY ANGERMEYER Meals
all events at Saturna Recreation Centre 7:30 pm DINNER
Pam Janszen, Charles Reif & Ellen McGinn, Keith & Pauline MICHELE BUCHIGNANI Displays
8:00 pm SPY HOP Live Music and Dance
Memories of You – Barry Gough Jazz Quartet Preston, Denis & Joyce Sjerve, Loren Smith, Sharon Wagner, EVA HAGE Volunteers
8:30 am Doors Open
9:00 – 10:00 am Registration Open BRIAN LEWIS Writing & Media
Glenn Welton, Maureen Welton
10:00 - 10:15 am WELCOME Sunday, May 26th LARRY PECK Accommodations
• Richard Blagborne at East Point, Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
MICHAEL PIERCE Audio/Visual
10:00 am FOG ALARM BUILDING open A whale-sized thank you to all Saturna businesses and residents
BOB BRUCE Transportation
10:15 – 12:15 pm MORNING SESSION 1:00 pm 2013 Season Opening Ceremony
who are volunteering their resources and time for this event. SHEILA WALLACE Registrar
• Kathy Heise
• Dr. Murray Newman TICKET PRICES GLENN WELTON Venues
• Dr. Patrick McGeer symposium $25 lunch $10
MAUREEN WELTON Marketing
dinner & entertainment $30
JUDE WHITE Film Coordinator
12:15 – 1:00 pm LUNCH
1:00 – 2:45 pm AFTERNOON SESSION ONE
• Dr. Lance Barrett-Lennard
• Dr. Kenneth Balcomb
2:45 – 3:00 pm AFTERNOON BREAK
3:00 - 4:45 pm AFTERNOON SESSION TWO
• Dr. John K. Ford
register at www.saturnaheritage.ca
• Dr. Peter Ross
4:45 – 5:15 pm PANEL SESSION SATURNA HERITAGE COMMITTEE
www.saturnaheritage.ca
5:15 pm CLOSING REMARKS
SATURNA ISLAND MARINE RESEARCH
& EDUCATION SOCIETY (SIMRES)
5:30 pm VISIT TO EAST POINT BLUFFS www.saturnamarineresearch.caYou can also read
