Springer’s story: why dolphins belong in the sea
With half-term upon us, let’s encourage everyone not to visit dolphin shows. The true tale of a special orca reminds us why these sentient beings shouldn’t be kept in tanks.
Springer (c) J Towers
Can you help spread the word? Please inspire your family and friends to go Tank Free this half-term holiday.
Highly intelligent, sensitive and self-aware, orca and other species of dolphins and whales suffer in captivity. They don’t belong in concrete tanks or shallow sea pens, as you know. Born Free’s new Tank Free campaign is urging holidaymakers not to visit shows, pay to ‘swim-with’, or take selfies with captive dolphins.
The remarkable true story of Springer, the orphan orca, reminds us why ending captive dolphin exploitation has always been a Born Free priority. Today, this 25-year-old orca lives with her extended family in the ocean off British Columbia, west Canada. She is a devoted mum to Spirit, born in 2013, and Storm, born in 2017.
Springer as a calf (c) OrcaLab
It could all have been so different. In 2002, Born Free received an urgent phone call from our long-term friend and colleague, Dr Paul Spong, Co-Director of OrcaLab. Could we help? A two-year-old baby orca had been found, swimming alone, near Seattle in northwest USA.
This was incredibly unusual. Orca live in close-knit ‘pods’ for life, and everyone plays their part caring for young. They communicate with a family dialect of calls, clicks and whistles, with ‘acoustic traditions’ passing from mother to offspring.
Supported by Born Free since 1994, Orcalab has studied British Columbia’s orcas for 55 years. Back in 2002, Dr Spong told us the little orca’s health was failing, but she had been identified by her unique calls as Springer, a missing member of the A4 pod.
Her mother ‘Sutlej’ had died in 2001, and Springer had been lost ever since. Thankfully, now the two-year old had been found. But, she was hundreds of miles from home, and the captivity industry was suggesting they should capture her to ‘keep her safe’.
Orcalab and Born Free were determined Springer should stay in the wild, where she belonged. A rescue went ahead on July 13th 2002 and, with the help of our funding, Springer was taken 250 miles, by boat, to Orcalab. Like all mammals, orcas breath air, but it was important she was kept damp and calm during her long journey.
Springer with her pod (c) OrcaLab
Once at Hanson Island Springer was placed in a special sea-pen. She soon began calling, but Dr Spong explains what happened next.
“That night, several members of Springer’s family swam near the sea pen, calling to her. Immensely excited she began to call back. The next day, the family returned and we made the decision to release Springer. After her long, strange journey, she was home!”
Springer settled in quickly, with Orcalab monitoring her progress. Over the years, since then, they look out for her at the beginning of each summer season, when the orcas return to feed. It’s fantastic to see what a natural, instinctive mother Springer is, despite having lost her own mother.
Dolphins and orca (like Springer) don’t belong in tanks! Find out why we all need to go Tank Free.
YOU CAN HELP!
If you’d like to help monitor and protect Springer, you can adopt her today. Your adoption will also help Born Free campaign against keeping dolphins and whales in captivity.