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: TO ME, HE SEEMS TO BE ON A MISSION.

ONLY HE'S FULLY AWARE OF WHAT IT IS.

: HE'S REALLY PERSISTENT,

AND TRIES LOTS AND LOTS OF THINGS.

AND HE'S EXTREMELY CHARMING.

: WE DO HAVE A PROBLEM HERE.

IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE.

: HE JUST WASN'T JUST A WHALE.

HE WAS BROUGHT HERE FOR SOME REASON.

: THAT WAS MY GREATEST HONOUR,

WAS BEING ABLE TO BE HIS FRIEND.

: MUST HAVE BEEN

LIKE A CHILD GETTING LOST IN A SUPERMARKET.

HE WAS JUST WANDERING UP AN AISLE,

TURNED AROUND...

AND HIS FAMILY WAS GONE.

THEN, HE WENT LOOKING FOR THEM.

NOBODY WAS THERE.

THIS LITTLE WHALE IS SPECIAL TO ME.

HE AND I CAME FROM THE SAME PLACE.

I GREW UP IN CANADA,

ON THE WEST COAST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA,

AND HE WAS BORN IN THE SEA NEAR MY HOME.

WHERE I GREW UP, EVERYONE LOVES THESE ORCAS.

SCIENTISTS KNOW EACH ONE BY MARKINGS.

SO, WHEN THE LITTLE WHALE WAS BORN,

HE WAS GIVEN A NUMBER, L-98, AND A NICKNAME, "LUNA."

MY FAMILY'S LIKE MOST PEOPLE.

WE ALL SCATTERED AS THE KIDS GREW UP,

BUT IT'S NOT LIKE THAT WITH ORCAS.

THESE BIG FAMILIES STAY TOGETHER FOR LIFE...

HUNTING, PLAYING AND WHISTLING THROUGH THE SEA.

AUNTS AND UNCLES,

BROTHERS, SISTERS,

GRANDMOTHERS, DAUGHTERS, GRANDSONS.

PERSONALLY, THIS WOULD DRIVE ME TO THE BRINK OF INSANITY...

BUT, WITH ORCAS, IT'S PERFECTLY NATURAL.

IN THESE CLOSE FAMILIES, NOBODY JUST GETS LOST...

BUT, SOMEHOW, LUNA DID.

IN THE WINTER, THESE WHALES TRAVEL FAR.

PEOPLE DON'T SEE THEM MUCH,

SO NO ONE REALLY KNOWS HOW IT HAPPENED.

BUT, ONE DAY,

IN A FJORD CALLED NOOTKA SOUND,

ON THE WEST COAST OF VANCOUVER ISLAND,

ABOUT 200 NAUTICAL MILES FROM HIS FAMILY'S SUMMER HOME,

LUNA FOUND HIMSELF ALONE.

HE WAS LESS THAN TWO YEARS OLD.

MUCH LATER,

WHEN SCIENTISTS CAME TO LISTEN WITH HYDROPHONES,

THEY FOUND OUT, THAT, IN HIS SOLITUDE,

LUNA CALLED OUT EVERY DAY...

BUT ONLY THE DEEP ROCKS ANSWERED.

ONE DAY, NOT LONG AGO,

JOURNALIST MIKE PARFIT AND HIS WIFE, SUZANNE CHISHOLM,

RETURNED TO THE TOWN OF GOLD RIVER,

ON NOOTKA SOUND.

IT WAS THE LAST OF MANY JOURNEYS

IN THE MAKING OF THIS FILM.

YEARS BEFORE,

THEY'D COME JUST TO WRITE A SHORT MAGAZINE ARTICLE.

NOW THEY WERE COMING BACK TO OLD FRIENDS

AND FAMILIAR PLACES,

AND THE STORY OF A LOST WHALE

WHO CHANGED THEIR LIVES.

WHEN THEY FIRST CAME HERE, YEARS AGO,

THEY HADN'T PLANNED TO MAKE A FILM.

THEY CERTAINLY DIDN'T PLAN

TO GET INVOLVED IN THE STORY THEMSELVES,

AND THEY DIDN'T PLAN TO BREAK ANY RULES...

BUT ALL THOSE THINGS HAPPENED,

AND A LOT MORE THAT NOBODY EXPECTED...

...AND SUZANNE AND MIKE AND I ARE HERE TO TELL YOU WHY.

: THIS IS A PLACE CALLED MOOYAH BAY.

THERE'S A LOGGING CAMP BACK THERE,

AND A KIND OF A WIDE SPOT IN NOOTKA SOUND UP HERE.

AND THIS IS WHERE LUNA SHOWED UP,

OUT IN THIS PART OF NOOTKA SOUND.

: AND IT ALL STARTED RIGHT HERE,

JUST LIKE AN OLD-FASHIONED ADVENTURE STORY.

YOU KNOW-- THE SEA, A SHIP, A JOURNEY.

THE OLD FREIGHTER CALLED THE UCHUCK III

TRAVELS UP AND DOWN NOOTKA SOUND ALMOST EVERY DAY,

BRINGING SUPPLIES TO THE LOGGING CAMPS

AND THE FISHING RESORTS SCATTERED ALONG THE SHORES.

ONE JULY DAY,

DONNA SCHNEIDER, THE SHIP'S COOK,

LOOKED OUT THE GALLEY DOOR,

AND SAW SOMETHING SHE'D REMEMBER FOREVER.

YEAH.

WE SAW HIM RIGHT IN THIS AREA HERE, MOOYAH BAY.

QUITE OFTEN, I LOOK AT WHERE WE'VE BEEN,

I LOOKED BACK,

AND I COULD SEE THIS WHALE IN OUR WAKE...

SO I RAN UP TO SEAN AND HE SAID, "I WAS LOOKING AT THAT,"

AND HE GOES, "I THINK IT'S A PILOT WHALE."

AND THEN WE CAME BACK, AND THEN WE SAW IT,

I SAID, "SEAN, THAT'S NOT A PILOT WHALE,

THAT'S AN ORCA."

SO WE JUST SORT OF SAILED ON BY.

AND YOU SEE HIM, AND THEN YOU THINK,

"OH, WELL, WE WON'T SEE HIM AGAIN."

KEPT SHOWING UP, KEPT SHOWING UP.

THEN, WHEN WE KEPT SEEING HIM,

WE SORT OF WENT, "THERE'S SOMETHING WEIRD HERE."

: MANY PEOPLE HOPE

THAT SOME DAY WE'LL MEET AN INTELLIGENT BEING

FROM ANOTHER WORLD.

HOLLYWOOD TELLS US THIS STRANGER

WILL COME FLYING DOWN IN A SPACESHIP,

AND HE'LL LOOK A BIT LIKE US.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, HE'LL HAVE A MIND LIKE OURS...

AND WE'LL FIGURE OUT HOW TO COMMUNICATE RIGHT AWAY.

BUT MAYBE IT WON'T BE LIKE THAT.

MAYBE IT'LL BE LIKE THIS.

: A FEW MONTHS AFTER LUNA WAS FIRST SEEN,

HE STARTED TO POP UP

AT BOATS AND DOCKS IN MOOYAH BAY,

AS IF TO SAY "HELLO."

HOW ARE YOU? HAVEN'T SEEN YOU FOR A WHILE.

THAT WHALE NEEDS, AND WANTS, AND CRAVES ATTENTION.

IT WAS INCREDIBLY SURREAL,

AND I REMEMBER BEING AMAZED

THAT HE WANTED TO SEE US AS MUCH AS WE WANTED TO SEE HIM.

PEOPLE HERE RESPONDED

WITH A FUNNY COMBINATION OF AWE AND DISBELIEF

AND COMPASSION.

I THINK WHEN THEY SAW THIS LITTLE WHALE ALL ALONE,

THEY RECOGNIZED THAT HE NEEDED SOMETHING.

WE WERE COMING BACK ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

IT WAS IN MOOYAH BAY,

AND HE JUST CAME RIGHT UP TO THE BOAT.

HE WAS UNDER THE BOAT.

HE JUST LOOKED SO LONELY.

IT WAS JUST LIKE A LITTLE LOST PUP.

IT JUST BROKE YOUR HEART, THOUGH, TO LEAVE HIM,

BECAUSE YOU KNOW HE'S ALL ALONE

AND HE JUST WANTS THAT INTERACTION.

: RIGHT OFF THE BAT, YOU'RE GOING,

"OH, MAN, THIS THING ISN'T LIKE A REPTILE OR SOMETHING,

IT'S GOT EMOTIONS."

I MEAN, THAT BIG GUY WOULD LOOK AND BRING HIS EYE RIGHT THERE,

AND HE'S LOOKING AT YOU.

IT WASN'T LIKE A DOG SNIFFING YOUR LEG OR SOMETHING.

HE WAS COMMUNICATING.

HE WOULD COME UP AND ROLL ON HIS SIDE,

AND LOOK RIGHT AT YOU.

: YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT A PREDATOR OR SOMETHING,

THAT'S SOMEBODY JUST WANTING TO BOND.

IF YOU LOOK IN HIS EYE, YOU KNOW,

THERE'S MORE THERE THAN MOST OF MY GUESTS.

: ORCAS LIVE ABOUT AS LONG AS HUMANS,

AND LUNA WAS ONLY TWO.

SCIENTISTS WEREN'T SURE HE COULD SURVIVE ON HIS OWN.

: SUCH A YOUNG KILLER WHALE, ALL BY ITSELF,

RAN COUNTER TO EVERYTHING WE THOUGHT WE KNEW

ABOUT KILLER WHALES.

WE THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE

LIKE LAYING A BABY IN THE FOREST.

HE'S "MOWGLI THE JUNGLE BOY" OF WHALES.

THERE ARE TIMES IN YOUR LIFE

WHEN YOU REACH A POINT AND YOU SAY,

"THIS WILL BE WITH ME TILL THE DAY I DIE."

: FISHERIES OFFICER ED THORBURN WAS TOLD

TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE LITTLE WHALE.

HE'S DEFINITELY PUSHING IT TOWARDS US,

THAT'S FOR SURE.

TRYING TO GET US WET, ARE YA?

IT TURNED OUT

THAT LUNA WAS GETTING PLENTY OF FISH.

HE DIDN'T SEEM HUNGRY AT ALL,

BUT HE KEPT COMING UP TO ED'S BOAT,

DOING THINGS LIKE THIS...

: WELL, WELL, WHAT A SIGHT.

: SO, HE HAD THIS LITTLE PIECE OF WOOD,

SO HE CAME AND HE BALANCED IT ON HIS NOSE,

AND THEN HE'S JUST FLIPPING IT BACK PAST HIS BLOWHOLE...

I WAS THINKING HE WAS ENTERTAINING HIMSELF,

AND I DIDN'T REALIZE

IT WAS PROBABLY SOMETHING TO DO WITH SOCIALIZING AS WELL.

: IF HE WASN'T HUNGRY,

MAYBE HE WAS JUST...

LONELY.

: KILLER WHALES HAVE SOCIAL NEEDS

THAT ARE AS STRONG AS THOSE OF HUMANS,

PERHAPS MORE SO.

IN FACT, I THINK I'D STICK MY NECK OUT AND SAY

THEY REALLY ARE STRONGER THAN HUMANS.

I'M SURE YOU COULD DAMAGE A WHALE PSYCHOLOGICALLY

BY, YOU KNOW, BY DEPRIVING IT OF CONTACT.

: BUT LANCE WAS TALKING ABOUT

CONTACT WITH OTHER WHALES.

THIS LITTLE GUY DIDN'T HAVE ANY WHALES.

SO, HE APPARENTLY DECIDED

THAT IF YOU CAN'T BE WITH THE SPECIES YOU ARE,

MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE SPECIES YOU'RE WITH.

I'D SAY, PERSONALITY-WISE, HE SORT OF KNEW WHAT HE WANTED.

I'D SAY HE WAS SOMEHOW SPUNKY, HE WAS LIVELY, HE WAS ENGAGING,

HE WAS KIND OF PUSHY.

I WOULD SAY HE WAS SORT OF

AN "OUTSIDE THE ENVELOPE" KIND OF WHALE.

I TOUCHED HIM!

NOW I TOUCHED HIM THAT MUCH!

YOU KNOW, YOU JUST...

HOW CAN YOU NOT TOUCH THE WHALE WHEN HE COMES OVER THERE?

MY GRANDDAUGHTER, MY LITTLEST GRANDDAUGHTER--

"I'M THE QUEEN OF THE WHALE-TOUCHERS."

YOU KNOW, IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL FEELING,

COMMUNICATING WITH THAT ANIMAL LIKE THAT.

DID HE SCARE YOU?

DON'T YOU BITE ME...

DON'T YOU BITE ME!

OH, YEAH.

NOW I... NOW I TOUCHED HIM THIS MANY TIMES!

WHOOPS!

: HE WAS VERY GENTLE.

LIKE, HE WOULD--

YOU'D BE PETTING HIM, LIKE, ON HIS NOSE AND STUFF,

AND HE WOULD JUST START TO OPEN HIS MOUTH,

AND THEN I WOULD JUST SLOWLY PUT MY HAND IN,

AND HE WOULD OPEN HIS MOUTH RIGHT UP.

HIS TONGUE IS VERY RASPY.

MY HEART JUST GOES LIKE THIS WHEN I GET CLOSE TO HIM.

ARE YOU RECORDING THIS?

OKAY, WHAT WAS THAT, FRED?

: YOU ALWAYS WISH

THAT YOU COULD COMMUNICATE WITH WILD ANIMALS LIKE THAT,

AND WHEN A WILD ANIMAL ACTUALLY COMES

AND MAKES CONTACT WITH YOU,

IT'S AN AMAZING THING.

[HAUNTING STRAINS OF LUNA'S SINGING]

: THE FIRST THING THAT COMES INTO MY MIND

WHEN I SEE ALL OF THIS

IS THAT, OF COURSE, LUNA WAS LOOKING FOR FRIENDS...

BUT, FRIENDSHIP, THAT'S A HUMAN IDEA.

SCIENTISTS CALL IT "ANTHROPOMORPHISM"

WHEN WE USE HUMAN IDEAS, LIKE FRIENDSHIP,

TO DESCRIBE ANIMALS' FEELINGS...

AND, FOR YEARS, THEY'VE SAID THAT WAS WRONG.

THAT'S ONE OF THOSE WORDS

THAT THE ANTHROPOMORPHIC POLICE WOULD NOT LET YOU USE

FOR A LONG TIME,

WAS SORT OF "FRIENDSHIPS" AND ANIMALS.

: BUT AS SCIENTISTS HAVE LEARNED MORE

ABOUT THE WAY HUMANS AND ANIMALS EXPERIENCE SIMILAR EMOTIONS,

SOME NOW USE WORDS LIKE "FRIENDSHIP" THEMSELVES.

: WHALES HAVE DEVELOPED FRIENDSHIPS,

AND UNDERSTANDING HOW FRIENDS INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER

IS GREAT STUFF.

: BUT HOW SHOULD HUMANS INTERACT

WITH A FRIENDLY WHALE?

NOBODY KNEW.

BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE WANTED TO FIND OUT.

WHEN NEWS OF THE WHALE STARTED TO TRAVEL,

PEOPLE, THEY JUST GOT REALLY EXCITED.

YOU KNOW, THEY'D KNOW WE'D SEEN HIM,

SO THEY'D SAY, "DID YOU SEE THE WHALE?

DID YOU SEE THE WHALE?"

"WELL, YEAH, I SAW HIM!" I'D BE REALLY EXCITED.

YOU KNOW, EVERYWHERE YOU WENT, PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT LUNA.

: LIKE MANY RESIDENTS AROUND NOOTKA SOUND,

LUNA WENT TO WORK IN THE TIMBER INDUSTRY.

SOME OF THE CREWS SAID

THEY OUGHT TO GET HIM GOGGLES AND A HARD HAT,

PUT HIM ON THE PAYROLL.

ED THORBURN STARTED CALLING HIM "BRUNO."

: I THOUGHT, "BOY, LUNA...

THAT'S A GIRL'S NAME."

SO I THOUGHT, WELL, HERE HE IS, PLAYING WITH LOGS,

I MEAN, HE'S PUSHING 40-FOOTERS AROUND,

BUT I JUST REFERRED TO HIM AS BRUNO,

BECAUSE IT WAS MORE APPROPRIATE TO WHAT HE WAS DOING,

AND HE WAS A BOY, AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW?

: ED GOT SO INTERESTED THAT HE DID SOME RESEARCH,

PARTICULARLY ABOUT WHETHER THIS BABY WHALE WAS DANGEROUS.

: I MEAN, THERE HAVE BEEN INCIDENTS

WHERE KILLER WHALES HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR DEATHS,

YOU KNOW, LIKE, IN AQUARIUMS,

BUT THERE IS NO HISTORY OF A KILLER WHALE

EVER HAVING A NASTY EXPERIENCE PURPOSELY

WITH A HUMAN IN THE WILD.

HE LIKES US, IT SEEMS, SO WE LIKE HIM.

BUT YOU COULD NEVER TELL THAT WITH A COUGAR OR A GRIZZLY BEAR,

WHETHER THEY LIKE YOU OR THEY WANT TO EAT YOU.

YOU KNOW

HOW OFTEN IN OUR LIVES DO WE HAVE A CHANCE

TO BE THIS CLOSE TO SOMETHING THIS PHENOMENAL,

AND SHARE SOME SPACE AND SOME TIME AND SOME MOMENTS?

: WE HUMANS BUILD A WALL IN OUR MINDS,

OUT OF FEAR AND RESPECT

BETWEEN OURSELVES AND WILD BEINGS.

LUNA WAS BREAKING IT DOWN.

WHEN HE POPS UP, AND HE LOOKS AT YOU,

YOU CAN SEE, I MEAN...

THE EYES ARE THE WINDOW TO THE SOUL.

WORDS ESCAPE ME SOMETIMES,

BECAUSE YOU'D JUST LOOK AT HIM,

AND HE WOULD LOOK AT YOU IN THE EYE,

AND YOU WOULD BE MESMERIZED OR SOMETHING.

LOOKED LIKE HE WAS JUST LOOKING RIGHT INTO YOU.

YOU KNOW, THE WAY THAT HE REGARDED YOU

IN A FAIRLY STUDIED KIND OF WAY,

AND, UH, IN A SORT OF CONTEMPLATIVE WAY,

YOU HAD THE FEELING THAT HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING.

: YOU KNOW, KILLER WHALES,

THEY COME IN ALL THE TIME, THEY'LL COME UP,

AND THEY'LL TRY TO STEER AWAY FROM YOU ALL THE TIME,

AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

BUT FOR A KILLER WHALE TO BE INTERESTED IN YOU...

: HE JUST HAD A WAY OF GETTING INSIDE OF ME,

INSIDE OF MY HEAD, AND INTO MY HEART.

IT SEEMS LIKE MY SPIRIT, OR MY SOUL,

LIKE, MY THEGMASTI WAS DANCING.

WHEN SUZANNE AND I FIRST GOT TO NOOTKA SOUND,

AND STARTED...

WATCHING LUNA FROM THE SHORE,

WE HAD THAT SAME FEELING OF KINSHIP,

EVEN FROM THAT DISTANCE.

BUT... WHY?

HOW COULD AN ANIMAL SO DIFFERENT,

THAT YOU COULD ALMOST CALL HIM AN EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL,

HAVE ANYTHING IN COMMON WITH HUMAN BEINGS?

: BUT MAYBE HE DID.

ONCE, WE HUMANS THOUGHT

ANIMALS WERE HERE JUST TO SERVE US.

ONCE, PHILOSOPHERS SAID THEY HAD NO THOUGHTS.

BUT, TODAY, WHILE RADIO ASTRONOMERS LISTEN

FOR OTHER VOICES IN SPACE,

BIOLOGISTS ARE LISTENING TO OTHER MINDS HERE AT HOME.

RIGHT HERE, ON EARTH,

THERE IS NOW EVIDENCE THAT LIVES WE ONCE BARELY NOTICED

ARE BOTH MORE MYSTERIOUS AND MORE FAMILIAR

THAN WE HAD EVER IMAGINED.

WHALES HAVE BEEN IN THE SEA FOR 50 MILLION YEARS,

HUMANS HAVE BEEN ON LAND FOR AS LONG AS WE KNOW,

BUT BOTH OF US BUILT OUR SURVIVAL

BY LEARNING TO DEPEND ON FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

SO, IN OUR SEPARATE WAYS,

BOTH HUMANS AND ORCAS HAVE LEARNED THE SAME THING--

IN SOLITUDE, WE ARE INCOMPLETE.

WE CANNOT BEAR IT.

MANY SCIENTISTS THINK

THAT THIS KIND OF COMPLEX SOCIAL LIFE

REQUIRES THE MOST INTRICATE INTELLIGENCE OF ALL...

YOU HAVE TO BE SMART TO GET ALONG.

SO MAYBE THAT'S WHY

THIS SEEMED SO STRANGE AND WONDERFUL.

MAYBE WHEN WE HUMANS LOOKED IN LUNA'S EYES,

WE SAW SOMETHING WE RECOGNIZED--

THE INTENT,

THE AWARENESS,

AND THE LONGING OF A FULLY-CONSCIOUS LIFE.

WE'RE LIVING IN HISTORIC TIMES.

IT'S JUST SO POWERFUL,

THAT IT'S REALLY A HARD THING TO EXPLAIN.

: THE INTENSITY OF THIS CONTACT

MEANT DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

AT THE MOUTH OF NOOTKA SOUND,

THERE'S A POINT OF LAND AND A LITTLE COVE.

THERE'S A LIGHTHOUSE HERE, AND AN OLD CHURCH.

THE PEOPLE WHO NOW CALL THEMSELVES

THE MOWACHAHT/MUCHALAHT FIRST NATIONS

HAVE LIVED HERE FOR OVER 4,000 YEARS.

[TRADITIONAL DRUMS AND SINGING CARRYING]

FOR THE MOWACHAHT/MUCHALAHT PEOPLE,

TRADITION EXPLAINED WHAT WAS GOING ON.

: SO THERE ARE SUPERNATURAL CREATURES

IN OUR BELIEF SYSTEM.

"QUIET-SIEK" IS THE WOLF.

HE'S ONE OF OUR MOST RESPECTED CREATURES ON THE LAND.

HIS COUNTERPART IN THE OCEAN IS THE, UH, ORCA.

HE'S CONNECTED WITH TRUTH AND JUSTICE.

: THE BAND'S OLD CHIEF, AMBROSE MAQUINNA,

DIED THE WEEK LUNA SHOWED UP.

HE HAD TOLD HIS FRIEND JERRY JACK

THAT HE'D COME BACK AS AN ORCA.

"I'M 74," HE SAID, "I'M GETTING CLOSER TO HEAVEN."

HE WAS REALLY HAPPY.

"WHEN I GO HOME," HE SAID,

"I AM GOING TO COME BACK AS A KAKA'WIN."

MAN, IT HAPPENED!

: IT HAPPENED.

: THE FIRST NATIONS STARTED CALLING LUNA

"TSU'XIIT", AMBROSE'S NICKNAME.

TO THEM, HE DIDN'T JUST RAISE QUESTIONS,

HE PROMISED ANSWERS.

TO ME, HE SEEMS TO BE ON A MISSION.

ONLY HE'S FULLY AWARE OF WHAT IT IS.

HE JUST WASN'T JUST A WHALE.

HE WAS BROUGHT HERE FOR SOME REASON.

: TSU-XIIT IS THE WOLF OF THE SEA,

AND WE HOLD HIM IN THE HIGHEST REGARD.

LIKE, I'D PUT MY LIFE ON THE LINE FOR HIS PROTECTION.

IT'S JUST NO QUESTIONS ASKED.

I'D DO IT.

: THAT SUMMER, LUNA TURNED THREE YEARS OLD.

NOW THERE WAS ANOTHER INTENSE REACTION

TO ALL THIS CONTACT.

SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS WRONG.

WHEN I HEARD THAT LUNA WAS ALONE,

IT WAS KIND OF LIKE...

MY HEART, YOU KNOW, MY HEART CLUNKED.

WELL, YOU KNOW, HE MIGHT COME UP AND BUMP...

: TONI FROHOFF IS A BIOLOGIST.

SOMETIMES, IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD,

SOLITARY WHALES OR DOLPHINS

TRY TO MAKE CONTACT WITH HUMAN BEINGS.

TONI STUDIES THOSE RARE EVENTS.

: YOU SEE IN THE MEDIA

A LOT OF THE REALLY BEAUTIFUL ASPECTS.

THAT'S THE LIGHT SIDE OF IT,

BUT THERE'S A VERY, VERY DARK SIDE.

THE DARK SIDE IS THE HUMAN SIDE.

THERE IS ALWAYS RISK OF INJURY TO THE PEOPLE.

THERE IS ALWAYS RISK OF INJURY TO THE WHALE.

: ONE OF THE WHALES CATHY KINSMAN TRIED TO PROTECT

WAS A LITTLE BELUGA NAMED "ECHO."

ECHO PLAYED WITH PEOPLE IN NEWFOUNDLAND.

BUT, ONE DAY, HE CAME BACK TO THE DOCK

WITH THIS...

THIS WAS ONE OF ONLY A FEW TIMES

CATHY HERSELF INTERACTED WITH A WHALE.

A VETERINARIAN TOLD HER

THAT ATTENTION MIGHT HELP SUPPORT ECHO'S IMMUNE SYSTEM,

SO CATHY SPENT ALL HER DAYLIGHT HOURS

BY ECHO'S SIDE FOR TWO WEEKS,

AS HE TRIED TO HEAL.

ECHO SURVIVED...

BUT THIS KIND OF PAIN IS TRAGICALLY COMMON.

: IN THE LONG TERM,

OUR RESEARCH HAS SHOWN,

THE MORE INTERACTION DOLPHINS AND WHALES HAVE

WITH PEOPLE,

THE MORE LIKELY THEY ARE TO SUFFER INJURY AND DEATH.

: SO, IT BECAME THIS HUGE DILEMMA

ON NOOTKA SOUND, FOR PEOPLE WHO CARED ABOUT LUNA.

YOUR NATURAL INSTINCT

WAS TO GIVE LUNA THAT ATTENTION THAT HE WAS LOOKING FOR,

BUT WHAT IT IF WAS DANGEROUS FOR HIM?

WHAT WERE YOU SUPPOSED TO DO?

: AT THE WEST COAST OFFICE

OF THE CANADIAN DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES AND OCEANS,

THERE WAS A FIRM ANSWER--

STAY AWAY FROM HIM.

I THINK THAT'S MY UNDERLYING PHILOSOPHY,

THAT I TRY TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT EVERY DAY,

WHEN IT COMES TO THE MARINE MAMMALS.

I REALLY WANT NATURE TO GO ABOUT ITS BUSINESS

WITH THE LEAST INTERFERENCE FROM US, REALLY.

YOU'RE BEING A FRIEND BY STAYING AWAY.

I FELT THAT HE WAS DESPERATELY LONELY

AND NEEDED THIS CONTACT,

BUT EVERYTHING I WAS TOLD

WAS THAT IT WAS A BAD THING TO DO,

SO THAT'S WHERE I STOOD.

: SO, THAT SUMMER,

A GROUP OF ORGANIZATIONS JOINED

TO BRING A KIND OF TOUGH LOVE TO NOOTKA SOUND,

TO REBUILD THE WALL BETWEEN US AND WILD BEINGS

THAT LUNA WAS BREAKING.

IT WAS CALLED "STEWARDSHIP."

: HEY, GUYS?

IT'S AN OFFENCE, UNDER THE FISHERIES ACT,

TO TOUCH THIS WHALE.

: YEAH, BUT YOU STOPPED,

AND YOU ACTUALLY CAME RIGHT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AREA.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PUBLIC ATTENTION ON THIS WHALE.

IT'S UP TO A $100,000 FINE, UNDER THE FISHERIES ACT,

TO DISTURB THE ANIMAL.

: THE YOUNG WOMEN

WERE IDEALISTIC, SINCERE AND DETERMINED.

: PLEASE DON'T TOUCH IT!

OKAY...

: WHEN I WAS 21,

I WOULD HAVE GIVEN ANYTHING TO HAVE A SUMMER JOB LIKE THIS.

BABYSITTING A WHALE?

AWESOME.

BUT THIS WASN'T FUN.

THEY HAD TO BE THE BAD GUYS

AND TELL PEOPLE TO STOP DOING SOMETHING INCREDIBLE...

AND LUNA WAS ABSOLUTELY NO HELP AT ALL.

: FOLKS! THIS IS NOT A WATCHABLE WHALE.

OKAY? I NEED YOU TO EXIT THE AREA.

WATCHING THIS WHALE, OR INTERACTING WITH THIS WHALE,

CAN BE SUBJECT TO A $100,000 FINE

UNDER THE FISHERIES ACT.

THIS WHALE IS NOT WATCHABLE.

JUST DO NOT STOP IN THIS AREA ALTOGETHER.

OKAY.

WATCHING CAN BE CONSIDERED "DISTURBANCE"

UNDER THE FISHERIES ACT.

GRADUALLY INCREASE SPEED.

-GET OUT OF HERE, HIGH SPEED. -TRY AND KEEP YOUR SPEED UP.

-HIGH SPEED OUT OF HERE.

-INCREASE YOUR SPEED, THANK YOU! -KEEP YOUR SPEED UP.

-INCREASE YOUR SPEED! -DON'T SLOW DOWN!

FASTER!

JUST INCREASE YOUR SPEED SLOWLY!

IN THE BEGINNING, PEOPLE WERE VERY RECEPTIVE.

THEY WERE VERY, "OH, OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE'RE OUT OF HERE."

: MICHELLE KEHLER WAS ONE OF THE STEWARDS.

: AND THEN IT WAS AMAZING,

THE AMOUNT OF BOATS THAT HAD ENGINE TROUBLES

RIGHT IN MOOYAH BAY.

: IT WAS JUST AMAZING.

WE STOPPED AND HE CAME ROARING RIGHT UP.

: KEITH BELL OF GOLD RIVER

DIDN'T MUCH LIKE BEING TOLD WHAT TO DO.

: THERE WAS TWO GIRLS ON THE ZODIAC.

ONE WAS TAKING VIDEO,

AND THE OTHER ONE WAS ASKING QUESTIONS,

AND I THOUGHT

I WAS BEING CHECKED OUT BY THE FISHERIES.

: AND THEY'RE THINKING,

"WHERE DID D.F.O. EVEN FIND YOU TWO

SO IT WAS DIFFICULT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.

: SOMETIMES, LUNA MADE IT HARD

FOR ANYONE TO TAKE ANYTHING VERY SERIOUSLY.

SO, TOUCHING HIM

IS 100,000 BUCKS A POP RIGHT NOW.

WHAT?

AND WE'RE OUT HERE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

LUNA... YOU'RE NOT HELPING.

WHY DOESN'T SOMEBODY JUST GRAB HIM AND MOVE HIM?

BECAUSE...

DON'T PUSH, LUNA.

: UNREAL.

OW.

WANT TO TURN OFF YOUR ENGINE FOR A MOMENT,

AND I'LL SEE IF HE'LL FOLLOW ME?

: THE STEWARDS DEVELOPED A TECHNIQUE

FOR TRYING TO STOP LUNA'S INTERACTIONS.

THEY CALLED IT "DITCHING HIM."

IT FELT REALLY BAD, ACTUALLY, BECAUSE WE WOULD, UM,

BASICALLY, WE WERE TRICKING HIM.

STAY! OKAY, TAKE OFF.

IF HE WAS ALONGSIDE OF A BOAT AND PUSHING THEM AROUND,

AND THEY COULDN'T GET AWAY, IF WE CAME ALONGSIDE,

LUNA WOULD COME ALONGSIDE OUR BOAT,

WE WOULD PUT THE FENDER OUT OR SOMETHING,

ENTICE HIM TO COME OVER.

WE WOULD SORT OF SAY, "HEY, COME ON, WE'LL PLAY WITH YOU,

WE'LL DO IT,"

AS SOON AS THE OTHER BOAT WAS FAR ENOUGH IN THE DISTANCE,

THEN WE WOULD DITCH HIM.

: SO THE CONTACT WASN'T STOPPED.

IT WAS JUST MADE INCONSISTENT.

THAT MUST HAVE BEEN PRETTY HARD ON LUNA AS WELL.

ONE DAY, HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE AROUND,

AND EVERYTHING WAS GREAT,

AND THE NEXT DAY, NOTHING,

BECAUSE WE'D SHOW UP.

IT WOULD JUST RIP YOUR HEART OUT!

I DON'T WANT TO BE MAKING YOUR LIFE MISERABLE,

BUT I KNOW THIS ISN'T GOOD FOR YOU...

OR AT LEAST I THINK IT'S NOT, BECAUSE WHAT DO WE KNOW?

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE KNOW THAT.

MAYBE HE'LL JUST KEEP FOLLOWING THE TUG.

I DON'T KNOW.

: LUNA APPARENTLY FIGURED OUT

THAT IF THE STEWARDS SAW HIM COMING,

THEY'D DASH AWAY,

SO HE DEVELOPED A MORE SUBTLE APPROACH,

WHICH SUZANNE LATER CALLED... "STEALTH WHALE."

NO, LUNA.

I DON'T SEE HIM.

: OH, !

I MEAN, HE IS REALLY PERSISTENT,

AND TRIES LOTS AND LOTS OF THINGS,

AND HE'S EXTREMELY CHARMING!

AND YOU MIGHT KNOW WHAT IS RIGHT,

WHAT YOU THINK IS RIGHT,

AND WHAT YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO DO...

HERE HE COMES.

HE LIKES MY BRACELET, SOMETIMES...

AND THEN YOU GET YOURSELF IN THAT SITUATION

WITH HIM THERE,

AND I THINK IT'S REALLY TOUGH.

I THINK IT'S ASKING PEOPLE TOO MUCH,

TO RESTRICT THEMSELVES,

BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE DYING FOR THAT KIND OF INTERACTION.

OOPS. I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO TOUCH YOU, SWEETIE.

OH, WE WERE IN A TERRIBLE SITUATION!

IT WAS PRETTY OBVIOUS FROM THE GET-GO

THAT THIS WAS NOT GOING TO BE A SUSTAINABLE MEANS

OF TRYING TO PREVENT TYPES OF INTERACTIONS,

BECAUSE ALL WE WERE DOING WAS INTERACTING WITH HIM

IN ORDER TO PREVENT MORE INTERACTIONS.

: AS THE STEWARDS SAW MORE OF LUNA

IN THESE SITUATIONS,

THEY CAME INTO CONFLICT WITH THEMSELVES.

THEY WERE TRYING TO REBUILD THE WALL THAT LUNA HAD BROKEN,

BUT THEY LOVED HIM WHEN HE CAME THROUGH IT.

YOU SURE ARE PRETTY, LUNA.

YES! YOU ARE, VERY PRETTY.

AND HE'S PLAYING WITH OUR BOAT!

: WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE THAT CONNECTION,

THERE'S JUST NOTHING ELSE LIKE IT.

I'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE IT.

YOU KNOW, I LOVE MY DOGS,

I LOVE ALL THE ANIMALS I HAVE EVER HAD,

BUT THIS WAS DIFFERENT.

THIS WAS DIFFERENT.

: NO ONE KNOWS HOW LUNA FELT THIS CONNECTION,

BUT HE SEEMED TO FEEL SOMETHING,

AND IT WAS STRONG.

HE WAS ALL SCARRED UP

FROM PROPS AND OTHER SHARP THINGS ON BOATS,

BUT THAT DIDN'T STOP HIM.

AND WHEN THE UCHUCK WAS TOLD NOT TO STOP TO SEE HIM ANYMORE,

HE ADAPTED.

THAT'S WHEN HE STARTED TRAVELLING WITH US.

IT WAS LIKE, "WELL, YOU GUYS AREN'T GOING TO STOP,

I'M GONNA COME WITH YOU."

: HE STARTED TO SORT OF COMMUTE BY WAKE

FOR 15 NAUTICAL MILES,

BACK AND FORTH FROM HIS HOME WATERS OF MOOYAH BAY,

TO A PLACE THAT WAS WAY MORE ENTERTAINING...

THE GOLD RIVER DOCKS.

BUT IF IT WAS FUN FOR LUNA,

IT WAS NOT FUN

FOR FISHERIES OFFICER ED THORBURN.

WE HAD TO GET IT OUT

THAT WE WERE SERIOUS ABOUT INTERACTION,

AND WE WOULD DEAL WITH IT.

: WELL, I WAS JUST...

I WAS JUST PETTING HIM,

LIKE, PETTING HIS NOSE AND STUFF.

SANDY BOHN WAS SHOWING LUNA

TO HER MOTHER AND FATHER AT THE DOCK.

WE'RE STANDING THERE, AND I KNELT DOWN,

AND HE CAME RIGHT UP TO THE EDGE,

AND TURNED SIDEWAYS, LOOKING AT ME,

AND SO I JUST STARTED PETTING HIM,

BECAUSE I KNEW THAT'S WHAT HE WANTED.

LIKE, HE WAS JUST SORT OF FLOATING THERE.

AND THEN, WHEN I KNELT DOWN,

HE JUST SORT OF ROLLED OVER AND HAD A LOOK AT ME...

AND, ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HEARD THIS,

"YOU, THERE!

GET YOUR HANDS OFF THAT WHALE, AND STAND UP RIGHT NOW."

: IT WAS A POLICE OFFICER,

COMING TO TAKE HER AWAY.

SANDY WAS CHARGED IN COURT WITH "DISTURBING A WHALE."

LUNA WAS NOT CALLED AS A WITNESS.

AFTER MONTHS OF WORRY ABOUT THE $100,000 FINE,

SANDY WAS SLAPPED WITH A $100 FINE.

DID SHE REGRET IT?

NO. NOT AT ALL.

IT'S THE BEST $100 I EVER SPENT.

: LUNA!

: LUNA WAS DETERMINED,

AND THE TOUGH LOVE WAS INCONSISTENT.

HE HAS BEAUTIFUL EYES!

NOW SOME PEOPLE WANTED TO DO ANYTHING THEY COULD

TO HELP HIM GET HOME,

[OVERLAPPING AFFECTIONATE CHATTER]

SO, A NOTED ORCA BIOLOGIST NAMED KEN BALCOMB,

WHO HAD STUDIED LUNA'S FAMILY FOR OVER 30 YEARS,

OFFERED TO LEAD LUNA BACK TO HIS POD,

WITH A LITTLE LESS TOUGH, AND A LITTLE MORE LOVE.

: IT WAS JUST THIS COSMIC COINCIDENCE.

WE WERE GIVEN A MILLION-DOLLAR BOAT,

AND THE DONOR FELT THAT,

"WELL, THIS WOULD BE A REAL GREAT WAY TO START..."

YOU KNOW, THE USE OF THE BOAT.

"GO UP AND SAVE THAT LITTLE WHALE.

I'LL PAY FOR IT."

: KEN'S IDEA OFFERED LUNA A BIT OF COMPANIONSHIP

AND THE CHANCE AT GETTING BACK WITH HIS FAMILY,

AND IT WOULD COST THE GOVERNMENT NOTHING.

BUT, AT THE DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES AND OCEANS,

MARILYN JOYCE'S BOSS TURNED DOWN THE IDEA,

BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT

LUNA TO HAVE MORE CONTACT WITH PEOPLE.

HERE IT WAS LIKE EVERYTHING WAS COMING INTO PLACE,

AND WE WERE GIVEN A BOAT, A MAGNIFICENT VESSEL,

AND MONEY TO DO IT,

BUT I WAS TOLD THAT, UH...

I WOULD BE ARRESTED.

JUST TELL THEM TO DOCK AS USUAL.

OKAY. LUNA'S COMING BACK.

THE FIRST MINUTE WE GOT THERE WAS MAYHEM.

IT WAS ABSOLUTELY INSANE.

...GO ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS,

IGNORE THE WHALE.

JUST IGNORE HIM.

IT WAS SUMMER AGAIN.

LUNA WAS FOUR YEARS OLD.

ANOTHER BATCH OF YOUNG WOMEN

CAME NORTH TO ADMINISTER TOUGH LOVE.

NOW IT WAS SO TOUGH,

YOU WEREN'T EVEN SUPPOSED TO LOOK AT HIM.

WE WERE INSTRUCTED

NOT TO MAKE ANY CONTACT WITH LUNA.

NO. ESPECIALLY EYE CONTACT,

BECAUSE IT IS JUST AS BAD AS TOUCHING HIM, REALLY.

HE'S GOT SOMETHING IN HIS MOUTH.

YEAH, HE'S CARRYING A STICK.

WHEN MIKE AND SUZANNE GOT TO NOOTKA SOUND,

LUNA FOUND THEIR BOAT AT THE DOCK.

THEY WERE DETERMINED TO FOLLOW THE TOUGH-LOVE RULES,

BUT THEY SAW HOW HARD IT WAS FOR BOTH PEOPLE AND LUNA.

LUNA KEPT FINDING ATTENTION ONE DAY,

AND THEN GETTING DITCHED THE NEXT,

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ALONG NOOTKA SOUND WERE SAYING

THE WHOLE POLICY WAS CRUEL.

YOU CAN'T UNDO WHAT'S DONE.

THIS IS LIKE GOD'S GIFT,

AND YOU GUYS ARE JUST BLOWIN' IT!

THIS IS NOW A LONELY ANIMAL THAT'S LOOKING FOR COMFORT.

AND WHO MADE THOSE RULES IN THE FIRST PLACE?

AND WHO SAYS THEY WERE RIGHT?

: WE HAD COME DOWN A COUPLE OF TIMES

AFTER I HAD BEEN FINED.

WELL, WATCHING HIM AROUND THE BOATS,

LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO PAY ATTENTION TO HIM.

IT WAS VERY UPSETTING TO SEE HIM.

: AND I'M GOING TO START CRYING.

: THEN, OUT OF BOREDOM,

OR ENTHUSIASM,

OR MAYBE JUST CHANCE,

LUNA STARTED PLAYING WITH THE FLOAT PLANES.

: IT'S A VERY BAD SITUATION.

: WHY DON'T YOU GUYS GET YOUR BOAT

AND LEAD HIM OUT OF HERE,

INSTEAD OF TAKING PICTURES?

HE'S JUST GOING TO WRECK THAT.

THAT'S WORTH A BUNDLE OF MONEY!

AND THAT'S WHEN I BECAME MORE INSISTENT

THAT WE HAD TO DO SOMETHING.

BECAUSE ALL YOU NEEDED

WAS SOMETHING TO HAPPEN TO ONE OF THESE PLANES,

AND SOMEBODY GET HURT SERIOUSLY OR DIE,

AND IT WOULD PROBABLY SPELL THE DEMISE OF LUNA.

HE SAID, "DO EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER

TO GET THAT ANIMAL OFF THE SEAPLANE."

HE SAID, "IF YOU HAVE TO TOUCH HIM, DO IT."

ED SAID, "KEEP HIM SAFE, HE WON'T GET SHOT."

: NOW THE STEWARDS HAD TO DO

EXACTLY WHAT THEY HAD BEEN TOLD WOULD HURT HIM.

THEY HAD TO LOOK AT HIM, AND THEY HAD TO PLAY WITH HIM.

WE'D GOTTEN SO USED TO HIM.

BUT, THEN, AT THAT MOMENT IN TIME,

I POPPED OUT AND I WENT, "WHOA. WAIT A MINUTE"

AND I REMEMBER THINKING, "THIS IS SO... OUT THERE.

"HOW DID IT HAPPEN THAT I'M HERE,

NURSING A KILLER WHALE WITH A FENDER?"

AND IT'S LOOKING UP AT ME, WITH DIRECT EYE CONTACT,

IT'S JUST, "WHOA."

GOOD TIMING.

BECAUSE LOOK WHAT'S COMING THROUGH HERE.

YOU JUST IGNORE THE FLOAT PLANE, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?

YOU BE A GOOD WHALE, AND IGNORE THAT FLOAT PLANE.

GOOD WHALES DON'T PLAY WITH FLOAT PLANES. NO.

: GOOD BOY. GOOD JOB.

I BROKE DOWN.

I HAD TEARS.

I SAID, "I'M LEAVING. I CAN'T DO IT.

I CAN'T DO THIS.

I CAN'T BE HERE, AND BE A PART OF THIS,

AND THEN WATCH THIS ANIMAL DIE."

: TOUGH LOVE WASN'T WORKING.

BEING FRIENDLY WAS ILLEGAL.

SO NOW THERE WAS A DIFFERENT IDEA.

[ELECTRONIC MUSIC BEGINS TO PLAY]

* LUNA WAS A LONELY WHALE

* A LONELY LITTLE ORPHAN WHALE

: LUNA'S APPARENT LONELINESS

HAD CAPTURED HEARTS EVERYWHERE,

FROM THIS NEARBY SCHOOL TO OTHER NATIONS.

NOW, MANY PEOPLE DEMANDED THAT LUNA BE CAUGHT

AND CARRIED SOUTH,

IN THE HOPE

THAT HIS FAMILY WOULD FIND HIM AND TAKE HIM BACK.

NEWS STORIES ABOUT THIS CAMPAIGN WERE SEEN IN MANY COUNTRIES.

LUNA SEEMS TO BE A PERFECTLY NORMAL, HEALTHY--

[REYNOLDS: ONE OF THE LEADERS OF THIS EFFORT

LIVED IN THE CANADIAN PRAIRIES,

A LONG WAY FROM THE SEA.

WE HAVE A RIVER

RUNNING THROUGH SASKATOON

THAT'S ABOUT AS WIDE AS A STREET,

YOU KNOW, AND SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY WHALES THERE.

: BUT HE STARTED A WEBSITE

THAT QUICKLY REGISTERED OVER 10,000 PEOPLE.

ALL OVER THE WORLD, PEOPLE FROM ENGLAND,

FROM JAPAN, AFRICA, YOU KNOW, EVERY CONTINENT,

PEOPLE PUT EFFORT INTO REUNITING LUNA,

AND THAT WAS THE MOON-SHOT FOR THESE PEOPLE.

THAT WAS THEM SENDING OUR ROCKET TO THE MOON.

IF WE COULD GET LUNA BACK TO HIS POD,

THAT'S WHAT THEY SET OUT TO ACCOMPLISH.

* WON'T BE COMING BACK

SENATORS FROM BOTH CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES

GOT INVOLVED,

AND THE U.S. OFFERED $100,000

TO HELP PAY FOR A REUNION ATTEMPT.

AT FIRST, THE DEPARTMENT SAID NO,

AND PEOPLE GOT ANGRY.

: CERTAINLY, THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT

OF POLITICAL PRESSURE.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WOULD WRITE ME AND SAY,

"I JUST WANT TO SPIT ON YOU."

* A LITTLE ORCA WHALE

: APPARENTLY, THE PRESSURE WORKED.

SUDDENLY, THE DEPARTMENT CHANGED ITS MIND.

"OH, MAN! LUNA'S GOING TO BE REUNITED.

THIS IS GONNA BE THE GREATEST THING EVER!"

: LUNA'S DAYS IN NOOTKA SOUND ARE NUMBERED.

THE DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES AND OCEANS

SAYS THE FOUR-YEAR-OLD ORCA

IS NOW A DANGER TO HIMSELF AND TO PEOPLE.

AS I SAID,

WE REALLY DID HOPE THAT LUNA COULD JUST GO ON HIS WAY

WITHOUT US INTERFERING WITH HIM.

WHO KNOWS WHAT HE HAS ON HIS MIND,

BUT, ANYWAY, WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS FOR HIM NOW.

THE DECISION WAS MADE.

NEXT SPRING,

THE DEPARTMENT WOULD CAPTURE LUNA,

PUT HIM ON A TRUCK,

DRIVE OVER 200 MILES,

AND TURN HIM LOOSE NEAR HIS FAMILY.

THERE WERE CHEERS IN PUBLIC,

BUT THERE WAS TROUBLE BEHIND THE SCENES.

THE DEPARTMENT'S OWN SCIENTISTS WEREN'T SURE

LUNA'S FAMILY WOULD ACCEPT HIM.

MOST OF US WERE NOT CONVINCED IT WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL.

SOME PEOPLE HAVE A BLIND FAITH

THAT THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO QUESTION THAT IT'LL WORK.

BUT A LOT OF US,

WHO ACTUALLY KNOW THESE ANIMALS IN GREAT DETAIL,

FROM STUDYING THEM IN AN AQUARIUM SETTING,

STUDYING THEM IN THE WILD, WERE NOT SO CERTAIN.

: WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE REUNION DIDN'T WORK?

: ENJOY THE SHOW,

AND THE REST OF YOUR DAY HERE AT SIX FLAGS MARINE WORLD!

: MARINE PARKS HAVE TAUGHT A LOT OF PEOPLE

ABOUT THE AMAZING INTELLIGENCE AND BEAUTY OF ORCAS.

"SHOUKA" AND "MERLIN"

ARE AMBASSADORS FOR THEIR SPECIES,

AND IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY

TO NOT ONLY PROVIDE THEM WITH THE BEST CARE...

BUT TO MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW ORCAS IN THE WILD,

THIS LOOKS LIKE A PRISON.

BUT, VERY QUIETLY,

THE DEPARTMENT MADE DETAILED ARRANGEMENTS

TO SEND LUNA TO AN AQUARIUM

IF A REUNION ATTEMPT WAS MADE,

AND DIDN'T WORK RIGHT AWAY.

DUE DILIGENCE DEMANDS THAT, OKAY,

IF WE DO TAKE THIS WHALE DOWN TO A HIGHLY-POPULATED AREA,

WHERE THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF TIMES MORE BOATS,

MORE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS FOR PEOPLE AND THE WHALE,

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

AND THAT WAS THE REASON

BEHIND DISCUSSING CAPTIVITY OPTIONS.

THAT WAS THEIR BOTTOM LINE...

THEY WERE GOING TO SELL HIM TO AN AQUARIUM.

: THE DEPARTMENT DIDN'T SAY MUCH

ABOUT THE CAPTIVITY OPTION,

BUT RUMOURS FLEW LIKE SPARKS IN THE WIND

TO NOOTKA SOUND,

AND SET A FIRE AMONG THE FIRST NATIONS.

THAT WAS TOTALLY DISRESPECTFUL FOR THE FIRST NATIONS.

IF YOU WANT TO CAPTURE A WHALE

AND THROW HIM IN A CAGE OR SOMETHING,

IT'S LIKE, "NO WAY."

: BUT, NOW,

THERE'S A NEW, UNEXPECTED OPPOSITION.

CERTAINLY HAS A LOT OF CULTURAL AND...

: NOW,

CHIEF MIKE MAQUINNA, AMBROSE'S SON,

STARTED TELLING THE PRESS LUNA SHOULDN'T BE MOVED AT ALL.

MYSELF AND THE PEOPLE OF OUR NATIONS

WOULD PREFER THAT, UH, NATURE TAKE ITS COURSE,

UH, MEANING THAT THE WHALE BE LEFT ALONE.

: THE DEPARTMENT SPENT THE WINTER

MAKING CAPTURE PLANS,

AND TRYING TO MAINTAIN THE WALL BETWEEN SPECIES.

FRIENDSHIP WITH THAT WHALE

WOULD HAVE BEEN THE WORST THING THAT YOU COULD HAVE DONE TO HIM,

AND EVEN IF HE'S, YOU KNOW, FRUSTRATED, DISAPPOINTED,

WHATEVER THOSE FEELINGS THAT A WHALE MIGHT HAVE...

: I DON'T THINK LUNA WAS REALLY INTO FRUSTRATION

AND DISAPPOINTMENT.

SO, HE TOOK HIS 3,000 POUNDS OF MUSCLE AND CHARM

AND WENT TO THE SLOW BOATS,

WHERE THEY'D KNOWN HIM FOR YEARS.

: HE'D CATCH UP TO THE BOAT,

AND THEN GO RIGHT TO THE FRONT, RIGHT TO THE BOW,

AND PUT HIS TAIL UP, OR GET SOME TEETH,

ON THE FRONT OF THE BOAT.

AND HE'D JUST LAY THERE.

AND HE'D FALL OFF AND GET BACK UP,

AND FLIP OVER, AND GET HIS TAIL ON THERE AGAIN.

IT WAS JUST HILARIOUS.

: IT WAS TIME FOR NOOTKA SOUND TO SAY GOODBYE.

AN UNEXPECTED GUEST HAD COME.

HE HAD NEEDED SOMETHING.

PEOPLE LOVED HIM,

BUT DIDN'T AGREE ON HOW TO SHOW IT.

THEY COULDN'T EVEN AGREE ON WHO HE WAS.

WAS HE A PROBLEM, OR A SPIRIT?

OR WAS HE JUST A LONELY KID?

I THINK THAT LUNA HAS A VERY SPECIAL SITUATION,

AND HE'S IMPACTING PEOPLE IN A REALLY GRAND WAY.

: IT WAS SPRING.

THE DEPARTMENT BROUGHT PEOPLE, MONEY

AND TENSION TO NOOTKA SOUND...

AND, SUDDENLY,

LUNA STARTED GETTING WHAT HE WANTED.

HE HUNG OUT WITH THE CREW THAT WAS BUILDING THE NET PEN,

AND ED THORBURN WAS TOLD TO TRAIN HIM WITH PLAY,

BECAUSE THE LAST GAME WOULD END IN THE NET.

WHEN WE GET THE NET PEN IN PLACE,

WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO,

IS HAVE HIM FOLLOW ME INTO THE NET PEN,

CLOSE THE GATE.

BUT, YOU KNOW,

THAT'S A LOT OF CREDIBILITY

I'M GOING TO LOSE WITH THE ANIMAL, TOO.

YEAH, I FEEL GUILTY NOW, AND I HAVEN'T EVEN DONE IT.

: PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING US THE QUESTION

OF WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO INTERVENE ON THE CAPTURE.

WE CAN'T REALLY ANSWER THAT AT THIS TIME, UH,

BUT THE ANXIETY LEVEL IS UP.

: MOST PEOPLE DIDN'T THINK

THIS LITTLE BAND COULD STOP THE DEPARTMENT.

ED THORBURN DIDN'T THINK THEY'D EVEN TRY.

MY OWN PERSONAL BELIEF IS THEY WON'T INTERFERE,

BUT THEY WON'T ASSIST.

: THEN SUZANNE AND I CAME DOWN TO THE DOCK ONE NIGHT,

TWO DAYS BEFORE THE CAPTURE WAS SCHEDULED,

AND HERE WERE TWO CANOES OUT ON THE WATER.

LUNA WAS WITH THEM.

SO WAS ED THORBURN. THAT WAS A SURPRISE.

BUT WE GUESSED THAT HE'D MADE A DEAL WITH HIM,

TO LET THEM SING TO LUNA, AND SAY GOODBYE.

[RECORDING PLAYS OF LUNA'S CRIES]

: THAT NIGHT,

A RESEARCHER WHO'D BEEN LISTENING FOR MONTHS

RECORDED THESE UNDERWATER CALLS.

SO I REMEMBER THINKING, LIKE, "THIS IS NEW."

I JUST REMEMBER THEY WERE DIFFERENT.

THEY WERE LIKE--

IT WAS MORE LIKE HE WAS... SINGING HIMSELF.

: THE CAPTURE TEAM GATHERED, OVER 150 STRONG.

THE PRESS WAS HERE.

MARILYN JOYCE WAS HERE.

THE PROJECT MANAGER WAS HERE.

WE'RE GETTING PRETTY CLOSE RIGHT NOW.

D.F.O. HAVE GIVEN THE GO-AHEAD TO DO THE CAPTURE AT THIS POINT.

SO, RIGHT NOW, I'M... I'M NOT TOO ANXIOUS.

: BUT, AS THE CAPTURE DAY APPROACHED,

THE DEPARTMENT GOT MORE AND MORE SECRETIVE.

NOW ALL OF NOOTKA SOUND WAS SUSPICIOUS

THAT LUNA MIGHT NOT BE GOING HOME AT ALL.

THERE WAS JUST TOO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS,

AND EVERYONE KIND OF KNEW, THAT ONCE IT WENT INTO A NET,

IT WAS GOING TO, WELL, SEAWORLD, OR ANOTHER FORM OF CAPTIVITY.

SO I THINK EVEN PEOPLE THAT WOULDN'T HAVE MINDED THAT,

JUST GOT PUT OFF

THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS LYING TO THEM,

AND TREATING PEOPLE LIKE MORONS.

: THE TIME CAME.

IT WAS THE 16th OF JUNE,

ALMOST THREE YEARS

SINCE LUNA SHOWED UP IN NOOTKA SOUND.

DOZENS OF JOURNALISTS CAME TO GOLD RIVER.

MOST OF THEM PLANNED TO BE HERE JUST ONE DAY.

EVERYONE EXPECTED

THAT LUNA WOULD BE IN THE PEN BY NIGHTFALL.

THEY WERE WRONG.

THE MOWACHAHT/MUCHALAHT PEOPLE TOOK THE ONLY WEAPONS THEY HAD,

BELIEF, CANOES, AND SONG,

AND WENT BACK OUT ON THE WATER.

THEY HADN'T BEEN SAYING GOODBYE...

THEY'D BEEN SAYING HELLO.

: THE NUMBER-ONE PRIORITY

WAS JUST TO KEEP HIM AWAY FROM THE PEN.

SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE, IT DAWNED ON US,

THAT, "MY GOD, WE'RE FIGHTING FOR HIS FREEDOM."

LIKE WE'RE FIGHTING FOR,

AT THE TIME, IT SEEMED LIKE FOR HIS VERY LIFE.

: TO EVERYONE'S ASTONISHMENT,

INCLUDING THE PADDLERS THEMSELVES,

LUNA FOLLOWED THEM 30 NAUTICAL MILES FROM THE PEN.

BUT SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENED THAT DAY.

AS THE CANOES WENT THROUGH

LUNA'S FAMILIAR HOME TERRITORY OF MOOYAH BAY,

SUDDENLY, LUNA STARTED JUMPING AND SPLASHING.

: IN ALL THESE MILES,

THIS WAS THE ONLY PLACE HE DID THIS.

ORCAS OFTEN SLAP THE WATER TO COMMUNICATE,

BUT WHAT WAS HE TRYING TO SAY?

ORCAS PROBABLY DON'T USE ANYTHING

LIKE WHAT WE THINK OF AS LANGUAGE,

BUT HE WAS DOING ALL KINDS OF THINGS

TO TRY TO GET THROUGH TO US,

AND WE WERE ALL KIND OF WRAPPED UP IN A STORY

ABOUT WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AND ANCIENT TRADITIONS,

BUT MAYBE LUNA'S IDEA ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON

WAS ENTIRELY DIFFERENT,

AND HE WAS SHOUTING AT US TO PAY ATTENTION.

AFTER THAT, WHENEVER HE SLAPPED THE WATER, I WONDERED,

"WHAT ARE WE MISSING?"

THE FIRST DAY, WE KNEW WE WERE IN TROUBLE.

SO THAT'S WHEN WE DECIDED,

"OKAY, THIS IS NOW A TOTALLY DIFFERENT STORY."

: EARLY THE NEXT MORNING,

ED THORBURN WENT FAR FROM THE PEN

AND STARTED BRINGING LUNA BACK,

BUT THE CANOES GOT IN THE WAY.

: MEMBERS IN THE TRADITIONAL CANOES,

WE ASK YOU NOT TO INTERFERE WITH THIS OPERATION.

KEEP PADDLING, GUYS! YOU'RE DOING GOOD!

THEY STRIKE ME AS BEING VERY READY FOR ACTION,

THESE BOYS.

: THE PRESS CALLED IT A "TUG-OF-WHALE,"

BUT MAYBE TO LUNA IT WAS MORE LIKE LIFE IN A POD.

ALL HE'D EVER SEEMED TO WANT FROM US

WAS CONTACT,

AND NOW EVERY DAY WAS FULL OF PEOPLE

WHO SANG,

AND PLAYED, AND LOOKED HIM IN THE EYE.

PEOPLE HERE THOUGHT THIS WAS A FIGHT,

BUT MAYBE LUNA THOUGHT HE'D ALREADY WON.

: YOU MUST TAKE THIS VESSEL

100 METRES OUT OF THIS AREA,

OR YOU WILL BE CHARGED. THAT INCLUDES YOU.

: THE STORY

MIKE AND SUZANNE HAD THOUGHT WOULD BE SIMPLE TO COVER

WASN'T.

: ED WAS BARKING AT EVERYONE TO KEEP A DISTANCE,

AS IF HE WAS THE ONE IN CHARGE.

ON PAPER, HE WAS.

ON THE WATER, IT WAS A BIGGER GUY.

: ON THE MORNING OF JUNE 22nd,

AFTER A FULL WEEK OF THIS,

LUNA CHOSE ED, AND THE CANOE FELL BEHIND.

BUT THEN THIS MOST SOCIAL OF WHALES

DECIDED TO PLAY "BRUNO" IN THE LOGS,

AND THE CANOE CAUGHT UP.

ED GOT HIM OUT OF THE LOGS,

BUT THEN LUNA HAD TO SAY HELLO TO A PRAWN-FISHING BOAT,

THEN THE CANOE CAME SINGING ALONG.

: THAT WAS IMPRESSIVE.

I MEAN, WE REALLY WERE IMPRESSED BY THEIR DETERMINATION,

AND THAT'S WHEN IT WAS SOLIDIFIED TO ME

THAT THEY WEREN'T GOING TO GO AWAY.

: THEY PADDLED ON AND ON,

INTO THE GROWING WIND.

AN ANCIENT PEOPLE,

TRYING TO MAKE A MODERN LEGEND OF SEA AND SPIRIT,

WITH A LITTLE WHALE.

BUT ED WASN'T GOING TO GO AWAY, EITHER.

BEYOND AN ISLAND, HE LURED LUNA BACK TO PLAY,

AND THE CANOES COULDN'T CATCH UP.

TWO HOURS LATER,

MIKE AND SUZANNE CLIMBED A HILL NEAR THE CAPTURE PEN

JUST IN TIME TO WATCH ED LEAD LUNA INTO THE PEN.

MY CHEST AND MY HEART, EVERYTHING WAS REALLY HEAVY.

I STARTED TO CRY,

BECAUSE I THOUGHT, "OH, THEY'VE GOT HIM!"

TO ME, IT WAS LIKE,

"HOLY COW, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ACTUALLY GOING TO WORK."

: BUT THIS WAS ODD...

THE GATE OF THE PEN WASN'T YET CLOSED.

I WAS WILLING TO KILL SOMEBODY.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS...

I WAS SO FURIOUS, IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE.

I KNOW IT WAS A SOURCE OF FRUSTRATION.

I THINK, FOR ED, AND THE D.F.O. CREWS,

AND FOR EVERYBODY, IT WAS LIKE, "WHAT

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PULL THE NET?"

IT WAS LIKE, "NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO PULL IT

UNLESS WE'RE REALLY CERTAIN WE'RE GOING TO GET HIM."

IT WAS SO BAFFLING!

THEY HAD BEEN TRYING SO HARD FOR DAYS TO CATCH HIM,

AND, ALL OF A SUDDEN, HERE HE IS, IN THE PEN,

AND WE WERE SURE THAT THEY WOULD CLOSE THE GATE,

BUT THEN, SUDDENLY, LIKE A HOLLYWOOD MOVIE,

WE HEAR THESE CANOES IN THE DISTANCE,

ALL THIS SINGING,

AND LUNA MUST HAVE HEARD THEM, TOO,

BECAUSE, ALL OF A SUDDEN, HE SLIPS OUT OF THE PEN,

AND SWIMS OFF, TO BE WITH HIS FRIENDS.

: IT WAS A LUNA FLOTILLA.

BUT THEN ED WENT OUT,

AND LUNA WENT OVER TO SAY HI,

AND THEN, OUT OF THE FLOTILLA CAME A LITTLE TIN BOAT,

DRIVEN BY A GUY NAMED RUDY,

AND IT TURNED INTO ANOTHER LITTLE TUG-OF-WHALE.

: SUZANNE AND I WERE STILL UP ON THAT HILL,

ALL CAUGHT UP IN THIS POLITICAL FIGHT,

WHICH I GUESS SHOWS YOU HOW EASY IT IS

TO GET ACCUSTOMED

TO EVEN THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY THINGS.

I MEAN, THERE ARE POLITICAL FIGHTS EVERYWHERE,

BUT WHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD WOULD A LITTLE WILD WHALE,

BY HIS OWN CHOICE,

TAKE ALL DAY AND MAKE ALL THIS EFFORT,

AND SWIM, I DON'T KNOW, 50 NAUTICAL MILES,

JUST TO SPEND HIS TIME WITH HUMAN BEINGS?

: TWO DAYS LATER, THE DEPARTMENT GAVE UP.

: WE DID IT! ALL OF YOU, WE DID IT!

WE JUST DID IT WITH SOME WATER, JUNK FOOD,

AND BALONEY SANDWICHES!

I WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTED.

I WAS REALLY RELIEVED.

WE ARE A PROUD NATION!

A SENSE OF RELIEF...

IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE. IT WAS GREAT.

OUR GRANDFATHERS ARE SMILING AT US TODAY.

IT WAS THAT KIND OF DISBELIEF.

BUT ALSO A SENSE OF, "WHAT'S NEXT?"

I WOULD'VE BEEN IN THOSE CANOES.

WE DIDN'T GET IT DONE.

I WAS SO PROUD OF THEM!

AND IT WAS A TREMENDOUSLY EMOTIONAL MOMENT.

TSU-XIIT IS STILL FREE.

: WHOO-HOO!

THERE IS NO WAY THAT WE COMPROMISE OUR POSITION

IN ANY WAY.

AND OUR POSITION IS,

LET NATURE TAKE ITS COURSE, AND LEAVE TSU-XIIT ALONE!

-YEAH! -YEAH.

: THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.

LUNA WAS LEFT ALONE.

NOW THAT THE HUMAN FIGHT WAS OVER,

THE CANOES WERE TAKEN OFF THE WATER.

ED NO LONGER WENT OUT TO PLAY.

AND YOU COULD FEEL THAT FEELING...

LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD JUST FEEL,

HE MUST HAVE...

"WHAT DID I DO WRONG? HOW COME EVERYBODY HATES ME?"

: MIKE AND SUZANNE WERE STILL HERE.

: WE JUST... WE JUST COULDN'T LEAVE.

THE BIG TROUBLE ON NOOTKA SOUND HAD ENDED

FOR THE PRESS, THE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRST NATIONS...

BUT NOT FOR LUNA.

: WITH SO MANY OF HIS FRIENDS GONE,

LUNA STARTED MAKING MORE CONTACT WITH PEOPLE

WHO WERE DEFINITELY NOT HIS FRIENDS.

KEITH BELL'S SAILBOAT HAD BEEN DAMAGED,

AND WHEN LUNA SCARED HIM IN A SKIFF,

KEITH CALLED THE POLICE.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO GET RCMP INTO ANY ACTION AT ALL,

YOU GOTTA LAY A CHARGE OF SOME KIND,

AND I WANTED TO LAY A CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED MURDER ON THE WHALE.

WELL, THIS IS THE TILLER OFF THE BOAT,

AND HE BROKE THIS.

: "WHALE CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER."

THE PRESS COULDN'T RESIST.

IT WAS EVEN IN THE PAPER IN MONTREAL,

AND IT CAME BACK TO GOLD RIVER ON THE CHICAGO NEWS.

: BUT THE RCMP SAID,

UNFORTUNATELY, THEY COULDN'T PROSECUTE LUNA,

BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE JURISDICTION.

THEY SAID, WELL, THAT WHALE DOESN'T BELONG TO US ANYWAY.

IT'S AN AMERICAN WHALE.

: KEITH WAS NOT AMUSED.

I WANTED THE RCMP TO GET INVOLVED IN IT,

BECAUSE IF THERE WAS A COUGAR IN OUR BACKYARD,

THEY WOULD HAVE COME AND SHOT THE COUGAR.

THIS WAS THE SORT OF THING

THAT MADE SOME PEOPLE WANT TO KILL LUNA.

IF HE DROPPED THE KICKER MOTOR OFTEN ENOUGH,

THE BRACKET WOULD BREAK,

AND THE MOTOR WOULD BE GONE.

: I THINK MOST PEOPLE

ARE AFRAID OF THINGS THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND.

SO THEY TREAT IT LIKE A RAT, AND SHOOT IT.

TO HEAR THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE

THAT WERE WILLING TO GO AND SHOOT IT THEMSELVES,

JUST BECAUSE IT BUMPED THEIR KICKER BRACKET,

OR... YOU KNOW?

IT SAYS SOMETHING,

I'M NOT EVEN SURE WHAT IT SAYS, BUT IT'S NOT GOOD.

: AND THEN,

WHEN THE DEPARTMENT TOLD THE FIRST NATIONS

TO RUN ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE TOUGH-LOVE STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMS

THAT DIDN'T WORK,

JAMIE JAMES, WHO WAS THE FISHERIES MANAGER

FOR THE FIRST NATIONS,

HAD A DIFFERENT IDEA.

I THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF MY RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE

THAT, YOU KNOW, GO SEE HIM AND SAY, YOU KNOW,

"YOU'RE SAFE HERE."

YOU SEE A FRIENDLY FACE, SORT OF THING, YOU KNOW?

IT'S A STRONG BOND THAT ME AND LUNA HAVE.

I THINK I OWED IT TO HIM,

AND, YOU KNOW, LET HIM KNOW I AM STILL HERE.

: JAMIE JUST IGNORED THE WALL BETWEEN SPECIES.

LUNA WOULD COME UP AND PLAY,

THEN HE'D GO OFF, AND GO FISHING,

AND THEN HE'D COME BACK.

NO PRESSURE.

NO DITCHING.

: I WAS OUT THERE ON NOOTKA SOUND

FOR ABOUT A WEEK, FILMING JAMIE WITH LUNA.

ALL THIS TIME, WE HAD BEEN TOLD

THAT THIS KIND OF RELATIONSHIP WITH LUNA WAS WRONG,

BUT THIS JUST SEEMED NATURAL.

: DURING THE SHORT TIME THAT FALL

WHEN JAMIE WAS BEING HIS FRIEND,

LUNA GOT INTO NO TROUBLE AT ALL.

: YOU KNOW, LUNA IS A PRETTY STRONG CHARACTER.

HE LEARNED TO SURVIVE ON HIS OWN.

HE DID IT ALL HIMSELF.

HE FED HIMSELF, YOU KNOW, HE DID EVERYTHING HE COULD.

SO, I MEAN, REALLY, I DIDN'T DO TOO MUCH,

OTHER THAN BE HIS FRIEND.

THAT WAS MY... MY GREATEST HONOUR,

WAS BEING ABLE TO DO THAT.

: BUT THE DEPARTMENT TOLD HIM TO STOP.

THAT NEXT SUMMER, LUNA TURNED SIX YEARS OLD,

AND THINGS GOT WORSE.

PEOPLE KNEW IT COULDN'T GO ON THIS WAY.

SOMETHING WOULD HAPPEN.

WOULD HE BE SHOT? OR HIT BY A PROP?

WOULD HE ACCIDENTALLY

SPILL A KAYAKER INTO THE COLD WATER,

AND BRING TRAGEDY TO THE PEOPLE HE SO WANTED TO BEFRIEND?

THE DEPARTMENT KNEW THE RISKS WERE GROWING,

BUT IT DID NOTHING NEW.

[TRADITIONAL SINGING AND DRUMMING RISES]

THEN, ONE DAY,

A FIRST NATIONS CANOE CAME THROUGH MOOYAH BAY.

MIKE AND SUZANNE SAT BACK

AND WATCHED THE MOST SIMPLE BUT MYSTERIOUS THING

AT THE HEART OF THIS STORY...

A YOUNG WHALE, MAKING HUMAN FRIENDS.

: THE FIRST NATIONS THOUGHT HE WAS SUPERNATURAL,

AND WE DIDN'T,

BUT THE REALITY WAS,

WE ALL KNEW WE WERE TRYING TO LEARN SOMETHING HERE

THAT NONE OF US UNDERSTOOD.

THERE'RE A LOT OF LESSONS TO BE GLEANED

FROM THIS WHOLE ADVENTURE...

AND PEOPLE HAVE TO JUST TAKE IT FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH.

IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FOR EACH ONE.

THAT DAY, WHEN THE PADDLERS TRIED TO GO TO SHORE,

LUNA DIDN'T SEEM TO WANT THEM TO LEAVE.

AGAIN AND AGAIN,

HE TURNED THE BOW AWAY FROM THE BEACH.

FINALLY, THE PADDLERS GOT A TOW, AND THEY LEFT HIM.

ONE DAY, A MAN NAMED ALAN DUNHAM

WAS CROSSING A PASSAGE,

AND LUNA TRIED TO KEEP HIM FROM GOING ASHORE, TOO.

WHEN I SAW THIS, I THOUGHT, "THIS WILL BE THE EXCUSE."

IF HE SPILLS THIS GUY,

THE DEPARTMENT WILL BE HERE TOMORROW

WITH COPS AND NETS AND GUNS.

: BUT ALAN WAS CALM AND JAMIE WAS NEARBY,

SO WAS MIKE.

THAT'S AFFIRMATIVE. YOU WANT ME OVER THERE?

: YEAH.

: THEY GATHERED AROUND ALAN.

LUNA LOOKED AS IF HE WAS JUST WAITING

TO SEE WHAT THIS MEETING WAS ALL ABOUT.

THEN JAMIE AND LUNA

TURNED THIS MOMENT AWAY FROM DISASTER SO EASILY.

JAMIE LOOKED IN HIS EYE,

AND LUNA RESTED, AT PEACE AND SAFE.

BUT THE DEPARTMENT STILL HAD NO PLAN FOR LUNA

EXCEPT TO WAIT,

AND LET DANGER COME AGAIN.

ONE DAY DURING THIS DIFFICULT SUMMER,

MIKE WAS AT THE LOG SORT IN MOOYAH BAY,

WATCHING LUNA PLAY "BRUNO" IN THE LOGS.

AND THEN, "STEALTH WHALE" CAME TO VISIT.

SO, MIKE ZIPPED OVER TO THE DOCK,

HOPING LUNA WOULD GO BACK TO BEING BRUNO.

NO LUCK.

FINALLY, SUZANNE AND MIKE

PULLED THE BOAT ALL THE WAY OUT OF THE WATER,

AND LEFT LUNA WAITING FOR THEM TO COME BACK.

: IT WAS JUST A MOMENTARY THING,

BUT, SUDDENLY, I'D HAD ENOUGH OF DITCHING HIM...

SO I BROKE THE RULES.

I LOOKED AT HIM...

...AND I FELT A KIND OF VERTIGO.

IT WAS LIKE LOOKING OVER A CLIFF INTO TIME,

AND I THOUGHT,

MILLIONS OF YEARS,

THESE WHALES HAVE BEEN IN THE SEA,

AND PEOPLE HAVE ONLY STARTED GETTING TO KNOW THEM

IN THE LAST FEW GENERATIONS.

MILLIONS OF YEARS APART,

AND WE MEET AT A DOCK IN MOOYAH BAY,

AND WE LOOK AT EACH OTHER, AND WE RECOGNIZE SOMETHING.

"THIS ISN'T CASUAL STUFF," I THOUGHT.

THIS ISN'T INSIGNIFICANT.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT...

IT'S NOT INSIGNIFICANT.

I LOOKED AT HIM,

I LOOKED AT THAT AWARENESS LOOK BACK AT ME,

AND I THOUGHT,

"WE'VE TREATED YOU WITH INCONSISTENCY,

"WE'VE TREATED YOU WITH DISDAIN,

BUT, STILL, YOU TRUST US."

"HOW IN THE WORLD," I THOUGHT,

"WILL WE EVER BE FORGIVEN, BY LIFE,

"BY NATURE,

"BY OURSELVES,

"IF WE LET YOU SUFFER

JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO BE OUR FRIEND?"

: YOU KNOW,

JOURNALISTS ARE NEVER SUPPOSED TO GET INVOLVED

IN THE STORIES THEY'RE TRYING TO COVER,

OR TRY TO CHANGE THE OUTCOME.

BUT, FOR US, IT FELT UNETHICAL NOT TO DO SOMETHING.

HERE WE WERE,

WERE WE SUPPOSED TO JUST STAND BY

AND NOT HELP THIS WHALE?

: SO, WE TOOK A DEEP BREATH

AND WE TOOK A STAND.

WE STARTED SAYING

THAT MAYBE WHAT JAMIE HAD DONE WAS RIGHT.

: SUZANNE AND MIKE ASKED THE DEPARTMENT

FOR A PERMIT

TO WORK WITH JAMIE, SCIENTISTS AND THE PUBLIC,

TO KEEP LUNA SAFE BY HAVING BOATS ALWAYS NEAR HIM,

LIKE A POD,

AND BY GIVING HIM CONSISTENT, CAREFUL INTERACTION

WHEN HE NEEDED IT.

: WE JUST THOUGHT THAT IF YOU COULD...

IF YOU COULD GIVE LUNA FRIENDSHIP

AT BOATS THAT WERE SAFE,

HE MIGHT NOT GO LOOKING FOR IT AT BOATS THAT WERE DANGEROUS.

: THEY SENT THEIR REQUEST

TO THE DEPARTMENT AND THE PRESS.

THEY BROUGHT IN A BOAT MIKE COULD SLEEP ON.

SUZANNE STAYED ON LAND TO ARGUE FOR THEIR PROPOSAL.

MIKE WENT OUT TO WATCH LUNA

AND TO WAIT FOR AN ANSWER.

: YOU KNOW, WE COULDN'T REALLY DO ANYTHING

UNTIL THEY GAVE US A PERMIT,

BUT I THOUGHT AT LEAST I COULD KEEP WATCH FOR HIM.

ANY SIGN OF LUNA?

: NO, NOT YET.

HE SHOULD COME AND SAY HELLO PRETTY QUICK.

SO, IN THE DAYTIME, I WOULD WATCH FROM A DISTANCE,

AND AT NIGHT, I'D ANCHOR, PUT DOWN THE HYDROPHONE,

AND LISTEN.

[RECORDING OF WATER BUBBLING, LUNA SINGING QUIETLY]

: AND, SOON, THEY GOT A MESSAGE FROM THE DEPARTMENT.

IT WAS VERY SIMPLE.

IF THEY GOT CAUGHT INTERACTING WITH LUNA, IT SAID,

THEY COULD BE CHARGED WITH A CRIME.

YOU ARE TRYING TO ASSUME YOU KNOW WHAT THEY NEED

BECAUSE YOU CAN GIVE IT TO THEM,

VERSUS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND

THAT THESE ARE INTELLIGENT, SOCIAL CREATURES,

AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN NEEDS.

WE JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND THEM,

SO WHY WOULD WE ASSUME

THAT WE KNOW HOW TO FILL THAT GAP FOR THEM,

AND THAT IT WILL BE BETTER FOR THEM?

BOY.

: LUNA CHALLENGED SOME OF THE DEEPEST THINGS

PEOPLE BELIEVE

ABOUT WHO HUMANS AND ANIMALS ARE.

MIKE AND SUZANNE WEREN'T JUST WATCHING ALL THIS ANYMORE.

THEY WERE PART OF IT NOW.

IN NOVEMBER,

THE MOWACHAHT/MUCHALAHT PEOPLE

HELD A POTLATCH FOR AMBROSE MAQUINNA,

FOUR YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH.

THIS WAS THE OFFICIAL END OF MOURNING.

NOW MANY PEOPLE BELIEVED LUNA WOULD DISAPPEAR.

RIGHT AFTER THE MEMORIAL POTLATCH

FOR MY GRANDFATHER, AMBROSE,

A LOT OF US KNEW THAT HE WAS GONNA... GO,

BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW HE WAS GOING TO GO.

WE DIDN'T KNOW IF HE WAS GOING TO DIE,

OR IF HE WAS JUST GOING TO LEAVE THE TERRITORY.

I CAN FORESEE THE TIME WHEN... WHEN HE FIGURES,

"WELL, I'VE DONE MY BEST.

"YOU FOLKS AREN'T LEARNING ANYTHING,

IT'S TIME FOR ME TO GO."

HE'S GIVING US EVERY CHANCE.

YOU KNOW, HE'S SAYING,

"HERE, COME ON, CHECK IT OUT." YOU KNOW?

LIKE, "IT'S STILL A BEAUTIFUL WORLD."

: MIKE AND SUZANNE KEPT TRYING

TO GET THAT PERMIT.

: THE DEPARTMENT WAS KIND OF WAITING,

AND THE FIRST NATIONS WERE LETTING GO,

SO SUZANNE AND I WENT TO OFFICES,

AND TALKED TO BUREAUCRATS AND SCIENTISTS

WHO LISTENED POLITELY,

AND WE SAID, "ALL HE NEEDS

"IS SOME KIND OF CONSISTENT CONTACT

"TO KEEP HIM SAFE.

WHY NOT GIVE HIM A CHANCE?"

AGAIN AND AGAIN, THE ANSWER WAS "NO."

: IN TERMS OF THE PROPOSAL,

MOVING TO THAT NEXT LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT,

CERTAINLY, WE WERE REALLY RELUCTANT

TO MOVE DOWN YET ANOTHER STEP

OF CREATING AN EVEN CLOSER BOND WITH PEOPLE.

: WEST COAST VANCOUVER ISLAND NORTH--

STORM WARNING,

UPGRADED TO HURRICANE-FORCE WIND WARNING.

SOUTHEAST GALES 4-0 TO STORM-FORCE 5-0 KNOTS,

WITH LOCAL HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS.

: WINTER CAME TO NOOTKA SOUND.

: A FISHERMAN TOLD ME RIGHT THERE ON THE DOCK,

HE SAID, "LUNA'S GOING TO BE KILLED THIS WINTER."

AND I SAID, "LOOK, SOMEBODY GOES OUT THERE AND SHOOTS LUNA,

THEY'RE GONNA GET CAUGHT, THEY'RE GONNA GET ARRESTED."

THE GUY SAID, "NO, THEY AREN'T.

"THERE'S LOTS OF BAD WEATHER OUT THERE.

NOBODY'S EVER GOING TO FIND OUT."

: AFTER THE STORM,

MIKE WENT BACK OUT TO MOOYAH BAY.

LUNA WASN'T THERE.

HE SPENT THE NIGHT,

BUT THERE WERE NO CALLS ON THE HYDROPHONE.

: IN THE MORNING,

NOOTKA SOUND LOOKED REALLY BIG AND EMPTY,

AND I REALIZED, THAT FOR SUZANNE AND ME,

LIFE HAD BEEN COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED

BY OUR AFFECTION FOR A LITTLE WHALE.

MAYBE IT WAS

THAT BOND WE SO LIGHTLY CALL "FRIENDSHIP"...

THAT GROWS LIKE MIST...

BUT HOLDS LIKE IRON.

: HE WENT LOOKING FAR FROM MOOYAH BAY,

OUT TOWARD THE OPEN SEA.

THEN, HE THOUGHT HE SAW A SPOUT.

HE AIMED THE CAMERA.

HE SLOWED THE BOAT AND LUNA CAME RIGHT OVER.

: THE TRUTH OF THAT MOMENT IS,

THAT WHEN HE CAME OVER, I... I SANG TO HIM.

I WAS SO HAPPY, I SANG,

AND IT'S A GOOD THING IT WASN'T RECORDED.

AND I THOUGHT,

"WE HUMANS DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER,

AND WE STILL DO WHAT WE CAN,"

AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.

SO I THOUGHT, WELL, IF I HAVE TO BE SOME KIND OF LUNA OUTLAW

TO TRY TO KEEP HIM SAFE,

THAT'S WHAT I'LL DO.

I LEANED ACROSS THE WALL.

IN THAT COLD WATER, HIS SKIN WAS WARM.

: ALL MY EDUCATION AND TRAINING INVOLVES

THINGS THAT YOU CAN SOMEHOW QUANTIFY,

BUT THERE ARE THESE... "UNCOMPREHENDABLES" ALMOST,

YOU KNOW, THESE THINGS OUT THERE,

THAT SOMETHING'S GOING ON,

SOMETHIN' IS GOING ON IN AN INTERCONNECTEDNESS,

OF A LOT OF LIFE ON THIS PLANET.

IF WE'RE GOING TO GET AT

THAT BIG SORT OF UNMEASURABLE THING OUT THERE,

AS TO WHAT ARE THE CONNECTIONS IN THE SPECIES...

I THINK HE HAD IT.

HE WAS JUST AS CURIOUS ABOUT US, AS WE WERE ABOUT HIM.

: OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS,

MIKE SMUGGLED FRIENDSHIP INTO NOOTKA SOUND.

HE KNEW HE MIGHT BE CAUGHT,

BUT AT LEAST WHEN LUNA WAS WITH HIM,

LUNA WAS SAFE.

: GETTING TO KNOW LUNA

WAS NOT LIKE ONE OF THOSE FAIRY TALES,

WHERE PEOPLE AND ANIMALS JUST SORT OF MEET

AND START CHATTING.

UP CLOSE, LUNA WAS, IF ANYTHING,

HE WAS MORE MYSTERIOUS THAN HE WAS AT A DISTANCE.

HE WAS A COMPLETE LIFE,

FULL OF AWARENESS AND COMPLEXITY,

AS DEEP AND UNFAMILIAR AS THE SEA ITSELF.

WHEN I TALKED AND LUNA SLAPPED HIS TAIL,

NEITHER OF US HAD A CLUE WHAT THE OTHER MEANT.

WE WERE LIKE A COUPLE OF KIDS, YOU KNOW?

ALONE ON A PLAYGROUND WITH NO LANGUAGE TO HELP US,

WHO PLAYED ANYWAY,

BECAUSE WHAT WE SHARED MATTERED.

:I USED TO THINK

THAT THE AGE OF EXPLORATION WAS OVER...

THAT THERE WASN'T MUCH LEFT OF STRANGENESS AND BEAUTY

ON THIS PLANET

THAT HUMANS HADN'T ALREADY SEEN.

THANKFULLY, I WAS WRONG.

THE PEOPLE OF NOOTKA SOUND, WHO LOOKED INTO LUNA'S EYES,

WENT FAR INTO THE EDGE OF THE UNKNOWN,

WHEN THEY TRIED TO BE FRIENDS WITH A WHALE.

ON THE 5th OF MARCH,

THE BILGE PUMP QUIT IN MIKE'S BOAT,

AND THE RAIN FILLED IT HALFWAY UP WITH WATER,

WHICH MADE IT VERY HEAVY.

WITH THE MOTOR ROARING, HE COULD ONLY GO 8 KNOTS.

LUNA LOVED THAT BLAST AND SPLASH,

AND HE SURFED ALONG FOR AT LEAST A MILE,

BUT THEN MIKE HAD TO LEAVE LUNA FOR A FEW DAYS

FOR A FAMILY VISIT.

THEN, ON THE DAY MIKE WAS SUPPOSED TO COME BACK,

A NEWSPAPER ASKED HIM FOR A PHOTOGRAPH,

AND HE WATCHED THE TAPE AGAIN AND STOPPED IT RIGHT...

THERE.

: SO, THE LAST TIME I SAW LUNA

WAS THE LAST TIME EVERYONE SAW LUNA.

IT WAS AN ACCIDENT.

HE'D GOTTEN TOO CLOSE TO A PROPELLER...

BUT I'LL NEVER GET OVER THAT.

I PROMISED I'D KEEP WATCH FOR HIM,

BUT I WASN'T THERE.

: THE DAY AFTER LUNA DIED,

MIKE AND I WENT OUT TO MOOYAH BAY

WITH DONNA SCHNEIDER,

WHO HAD LOVED HIM SINCE THAT FIRST JULY DAY

SO LONG AGO.

WE JUST KEPT THINKING

THAT LUNA WAS GOING TO DO "STEALTH WHALE"

RIGHT UP THROUGH THE FLOWERS.

IT'S ALMOST AS IF AN ALIEN CAME DOWN

AND WE SHOT IT, YOU KNOW,

BECAUSE IT WAS BLOCKING TRAFFIC.

BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE WORST DAYS OF MY LIFE.

JUST THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART JUST FELL.

I JUST...

GOD.

[MEN'S SINGING CARRYING OVER WATER]

: TO SUZANNE AND ME,

THIS LAST JOURNEY WAS SAD, BUT IT WAS WONDERFUL.

SUZANNE AND DONNA ORGANIZED IT,

BUT IT WAS THREE MONTHS AFTER LUNA DIED,

AND WE HAD NO IDEA SO MANY PEOPLE

WOULD COME ALL THE WAY TO NOOTKA SOUND

JUST TO GO OUT TO MOOYAH BAY

AND THROW FLOWERS FOR A LITTLE WHALE.

: THIS IS HIS PLACE,

AND, SOON, WE'RE GOING TO...

SLOW DOWN, COME TO A STOP,

AND GIVE US ALL A CHANCE

TO THINK ABOUT LUNA,

TSU-XIIT, OUR FRIEND.

TO ME, IT WAS LIKE AN IRISH WAKE, YOU KNOW?

THE BEST KIND OF FAREWELL.

YOU LAUGH,

YOU CRY, YOU LAUGH AGAIN,

AND YOU'RE REALLY GLAD YOU KNEW HIM.

: HE HAS... BECOME A PART OF ME.

IN THAT SENSE, HE LIVES ON, YOU KNOW?

LIKE, HE MADE A DIFFERENCE, EH?

HE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS LIFE HERE.

: BUT I THINK

EVERYBODY THAT'S BEEN CONNECTED WITH LUNA,

IT IS SOMETHING SPECIAL.

JUST THE EXPERIENCE OF KNOWING THAT WHALE

WAS WORTH EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED.

: HE WAS A GIFT TO THE WHOLE TOWN, YOU KNOW?

FOR THE KIDS JUST TO COME DOWN AND SEE HIM...

AND I WILL NEVER, EVER FORGET THAT.

THAT WILL BE WITH ME FOREVER.

: I TELL THIS STORY, FIRST OF ALL,

TO LET YOU KNOW THIS IS ONE OF THE MANY WAYS FOR ME

TO REMEMBER LUNA,

AND IT'S ABOUT THE EASIEST WAY.

ONE NIGHT,

AND THIS MUST'VE BEEN ABOUT 11:00 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT,

TOTALLY DARK OUT.

WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF FLASHLIGHT.

AND YOU KNOW THE PHOSPHORESCENCE IN THE WATER,

THAT GLOW WHEN THEY'RE DISTURBED, RIGHT?

SO, WE HAD LUNA COMING WITH US,

AND, OH, MAN, IT WAS THE AMAZING THING

YOU'D EVER SEE.

HE COMES UP BESIDE THE BOAT,

AND HE'S JUST SWIMMING NEXT TO US,

WHILE WE'RE BRINGING HIM OVER,

AND HE'S JUST GLOWING IN THE WATER--

YOU DIDN'T SEE LUNA, YOU SAW THE OUTLINE OF LUNA,

AND IT WAS JUST THE MOST AMAZING THING

YOU COULD EVER SEE.

IT WAS JUST LIKE LUNA DANCING IN THE SKY WITH STARS, MAN.

SO, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME AT NIGHT,

IF I THINK OF LUNA, I'LL LOOK UP IN THE STARS.

: ALL LIVES END,

BUT THE BEST LEAVE GIFTS.

MILLIONS OF YEARS

HAD MADE LUNA DIFFERENT FROM US,

BUT HE HAD COME THROUGH THAT WALL

BECAUSE OF WHAT WE SHARED.

HE, TOO, HAD CARRIED THAT NEED FOR OTHERS

ACROSS THE GREATNESS OF TIME,

BECAUSE IT IS NECESSARY, NOT OPTIONAL.

AS LUNA TAUGHT US JUST BY WHO HE WAS,

THIS THING WE CALL FRIENDSHIP IS BIGGER THAN WE KNOW.

[HYDROPHONE RECORDING OF LUNA'S WHALE SONGS PLAYS]

: DO YOU SEE HIM OUT THERE ANYWHERE?

: I DON'T.

I THOUGHT HE WAS OUT THERE BY THE POINT.

: WHEN YOUR LITTLE BOY GROWS UP,

HOW ARE YOU GONNA EXPLAIN ALL THIS TO HIM?

: UH... I'M GOING TO TELL MY SON

ABOUT THE GREATEST THING

THAT'S EVER HAPPENED TO ME IN MY LIFE.