"In June, an oceanic battle took place. While scientists from the DFO and the Vancouver Aquarium tried to capture Luna, Mowachaht-Muchalaht members paddled their canoes out to stroke and scratch Luna's considerable belly, luring him away. The DFO backed off and in mid-September a joint stewardship was set up between the DFO and the Mowachaht-Muchalaht. The stewardship will focus on ways to keep humans from bothering the whale. Its downside is that no date has been set for his relocation, in spite of the fact that the next few weeks - as boating season dies down - would be opportune.

It is hard to believe any community other than a native group would be given such power. Expressions of guilt - some sincere, some not - over past injustices have created an environment, at least in Canada, where anything short of concurrence with native ideas is seen as arrogance. Killer whales may well be important in native mythology. And there are more things in heaven and earth, and all that. But Luna is not a mythological whale, he's a real one. Perhaps a simple, "We're sorry we stole your land, but the whale needs its pod" is in order."

Get the Story:
Rondi Adamson: Canada's whale of a dilemma (The Christian Science Monitor 10/4)

Relevant Links:
Mowachaht Muchalaht First Nation - http://www.yuquot.ca
Reunite Luna, pro-move campaign - http://www.reuniteluna.com

Related Stories:
First Nation to have role in killer whale's future (07/29)
Scientists support First Nation plan for moving orca (07/01)
First Nation wants official fired over orca move (6/25)
First Nation boaters prevent capture of killer whale (6/24)
First Nation boaters try again to stop capture of whale (6/23)
Scientists delay capture of orca for First Nation (6/21)
First Nation continues to sing to killer whale (6/18)
British Columbia First Nations thwart move of orca (6/17)