The Lost Whale: The True Story of an Orca Named Luna
In 2004, off the coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, a young killer whale was discovered alone, separated from his pod. Because whales are so social and dependent on their families, the sight of the lone young whale roused concern as he lingered and initiated contact with humans, even allowing people to rub his tongue. Whales are intensely social animals, traveling in pods, caring for their young, and maintaining relationships across generations. Fishermen, locals, and tourists offered social and spiritual interpretations of the meaning of the presence of the whale they called Luna. But marine biologists were alarmed and enlisted the government in an effort to disconnect Luna from humans and reconnect him to his pod, triggering confusion and conflict among those concerned about the young whale. Writers and filmmakers, husband-and-wife Parfit and Chisholm were able to trace Luna’s backstory—how he may have come to be separated from his pod—and to detail the complexities of affection between species in this first-person account of an encounter that led to their critically acclaimed films, The Whale and Saving Luna. --Vanessa Bush