A 1970 Orca Escape Led to 13 Wild Calves — Now an Author Is Searching for the Person Who Freed Them

An Enduring Mystery from Pedder Bay

Thirteen wild killer whales roaming the coast today owe their existence to an act of secret sabotage carried out in 1970. Now, author Grant Lawrence is attempting to solve the mystery of who cut the net pens in Metchosin’s Pedder Bay to free two captive orcas more than five decades ago.

The story began when five killer whales, later designated as the Pedder Bay Five, were captured by Sealand of the Pacific owner Bob Wright. While two whales were sent to the Oak Bay oceanarium and one died of starvation, a male named Charlie and his mother Flo were held in a net pen awaiting shipment to an aquarium in Texas. After nearly eight months, someone secretly freed the pair, allowing them to swim back into the wild.

Following Clues to a Mystery Liberator

Lawrence, who is writing an upcoming book titled Whale Tale, was given a set of clues by an anonymous interviewee who claims to know the identity of the person responsible. The source revealed that the liberator was a highly respected scientist who passed away prematurely, leaving behind a wife and daughter. The scientist, who reportedly lacked a big ego and believed freeing the animals was simply the right thing to do, is also suspected of liberating another captive whale in Pender Harbour in 1968.

Although marine biologist Michael Bigg was initially considered as a potential suspect because of his balanced stance during the capture era, that lead proved to be a dead end. Lawrence’s source has promised to confirm the name if the author can successfully deduce it.

A Lasting Impact on B.C. Orcas

The secret liberation had a profound ecological effect. Flo went on to give birth to a daughter named Tasu, who became the matriarch of the T002C pod. Lawrence notes that at least 13 wild calves have been born as a direct result of the escape.

The descendants of those freed whales now form part of a thriving population of 400 to 500 transient Bigg’s killer whales along the coast. Lawrence, who frequently spots the T002C pod near his family cabin in Desolation Sound, hopes to identify the unsung liberator before completing his book. Anyone with relevant information is encouraged to contact Lawrence at grantlawrence12@gmail.com.