NGOS News Archive: 2004

17 December 2004: Selendang Ayu: More fuel spills from freighter as seas rise

Rough waves battered the remains of a grounded freighter Friday, causing more heavy oil to spill into the Bering Sea off the coast of Unalaska Island. [read the full text by Matt Volz, Associated Press Writer on ADN.com]

Some photos of the spill:

Washed ashore soybeans on an unknown section of beach near the ship wreck (photo credit: Polaris, 2004).

Oiled beach in Portage Bay (photo credit: Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, 2004).

Crested Auklet at the bird rescue lab (photo credit: Alaska Department of Environment, 2004).

13 December 2004: Fuel hold breached on M/V Selendang Ayu off Alaska coast

The Coast Guard lowered a salvage team to a soybean freighter that broke in two off Alaska's coast - a key step toward cleaning up a destructive, oily mess stretching for miles from the vessel. [read the full text by Mary Pemberton, Associated Press Writer on ADN.com]

M/V Selendang Ayu broken in two (Photo credit: Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 2004)

Related links: Incident home at the AK state homepage

8 December 2004: M/V Selendang Ayu grounding on Unalaska Island and tragic rescue attempt

A powerless freighter carrying 440,000 gallons of fuel clung precariously to its one remaining anchor in 20-foot seas Wednesday, less than a mile from drifting into the rocks of Unalaska Island in southwest Alaska. [read the full text by Matt Volz, Associated Press Writer on ADN.com]

A Coast Guard helicopter airlifting crew members from a disabled Malaysian freighter just off the coast of Unalaska Island crashed in a roiling pitch-black sea Wednesday night. [read the full text by Don Hunter, Megan Holland and Doug O'Harra, Anchorage Daily News]

17 August 2004: Guardians (former or present), we have a screensaver for you!

If you are a former or a present guardian, you can get the NGOS screensaver that we specially put together for you. To receive the address of the download page, write to us at with your details (address, a.s.o.).

4 June 2004: AT1 killer whales wins protection!

A family of Prince William Sound killer whales that has lost more than half its members will now get special federal protection and a study to find out whether it can be saved from extinction. The National Marine Fisheries Service designated the seal-eating AT1 group as a depleted stock under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The rule, posted in the Federal Register this morning, takes effect July 6... [read the full article by Doug O'Harra, Anchorage Daily News]

>> See also the NMFS AT1 killer whale page

24 May 2004 update

Another field season aboard the research boat Natoa is well under way. As I write, we're following the AD5 resident matriline as they hunt for salmon in Pony, Porcupine and Bulldog Cove and Agnes Bay, along the western shore of outer Resurrection Bay. For the last several years, AD5 pod has taken up residence in Resurrection Bay in May and early June, when king and sockeye salmon come inshore. This year, several humpback whales and hundreds of seabirds are also feeding in the area, and this morning, two AD5 juveniles, Capra and Scritch, harassed a mother and calf humpback briefly (and playfully). The humpbacks are feeding on small fish, probably sandlance or capelin, on salmon feed, which in turn lure in the killer whales and sea lions. The AK resident pod is also here, but they use a different part of the Bay, traveling much further in toward Seward. Mike Brittain, who monitors the remote hydrophone from his house in town all winter, recorded the AK pod on several nights this month, and we followed them along the shoreline near Thumb, Humpy, Halibut and Sunny Coves.

First, an update on calves and juveniles, many of whom have been adopted by our supporters. All the resident pods we've seen so far this month have new calves. In AD5 pod, Aaxlu (AD8) gave birth over the winter to Carmina, who joins siblings Capra (AD31; six years old) and Scritch (AD35; three years old). Carmina, while still orange tinged underneath, is a large calf, so we're guessing she was born in late fall or early winter. She's already quite independent from her mother, and often frolics with her siblings. Capra has become very feisty and playful, frequently swimming underneath the research boat and once spyhopping just in front of the bow. We observed these siblings catching salmon, with Carmina learning the ropes from the older whales. The adult whale Herring Pete (AD 19) also caught salmon along with calves, apparently teaching them. Most often, we see mothers catching and wounding salmon and then releasing them for calves and juveniles to chase and catch. When AD5 pod adults rest, calves often play together a short distance away. Aaxlu's two brothers, George (AD24) and Skana (AD22), often travel in all male play groups. At 14, George is beginning to develop an adult dorsal fin. No whales died over the winter, so AD5 pod now numbers 16 animals. Old Lobster (AD2), who is at least 37 years old, is back and catching salmon with great success. Lobster's dorsal fin collapsed in 2001, and now lies folded over his back. When killer whales' dorsal fins fall over, they've most likely experienced ill health or stress. Fortunately, Lobster appears to have recovered... [more exclusive content for guardians in their e-mailbox]

 

Read the past news updates for 2001, 2002 and 2003.

 

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