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Two Transient whales captured, subsequently released in 1976
One of two Transient Killer whales captured in 1976 is transported in a sling on the aft deck of the fishing vessel "Genius." The two Killer whales were captured in Budd Inlet, near Olympia Washington, back in early 1976. Though the whales were originally intended to be captured for aquariums, the politics in Washington State changed dramatically in the mid-70's and captures of Killer whales in Washington State was ended. These two animals were subsequently transported to San Juan Island for a short period, fitted with tracking devices, and released back into the wild. Both whales not only survived the capture, but were seen regularly throughout the decades following. The Transient female T-13 (aka: US-1; aka: O-5) was last seen in 1998, while the Transient male T-14 (aka: US-2; aka: O-4) survives to this day. Though we do not condone Orca captures, these amazing photos are provided as a valuable piece of Killer whale history that should never be forgotten... Photograph by Kenneth C. Balcomb, III. All Rights Reserved. Courtesy of the Center for Whale Research. |
