Orca Killed by Satellite Tag, Raising Concerns About Science Practices

October 12th, 2016

Awake Goy

NOAA officials believe it was human error that contributed to the fungal infection, since the tag wasn’t cleaned per the NOAA protocol of alcohol and bleach after it fell into the water, was retrieved, and shot again at L95. The tag was only cleaned with alcohol between shots, and landed near essential blood vessels of the orca, which could have provoked the infection to enter his bloodstream rapidly.

Since the research began in 2012, eight whales have been tagged, but only L-95 has been confirmed dead as a result. Critics believe it was only a matter of time, however.

The accident left whale scientists devastated. NOAA is “deeply dismayed that one of their tags may have had something to do with the death of this whale,” said Richard Merrick, who is the agency’s chief scientist, and a former whale researcher.

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