Scientists attempt to reunite killer whale Springer with her family pod

WITH a young female killer whale safely returned to her home waters on Canada's Pacific coast, attention yesterday turned to how to reunite her with her family pod something scientists have never done before with a wild orca.

Two Native American canoes carrying signs that read "Welcome Home Baby Orca" were among the boats watching as the whale, officially called A-73 but nicknamed "Springer" was lowered into an offshore holding pen near the northern Vancouver Island hamlet of Telegraph Cove, British Columbia.

Scientists see the effort to reunite the whale, found orphaned near Seattle, with its pod as a three stage process that included nursing it back to health and transporting it 460 miles on board a high-speed catamaran boat.