EXECUTIVE SUMMARY  

  • 92% of the calls made by Morgan were matched to a Norwegian orca group.
  • Only 0.3% of call-types were not matched to either NP or P pod.
  • At least seven additional groups were matched to at least five call types.
  • Morgan’s acoustic repertoire may be limited because of her confinement in a concrete barren tank       and due to her young age.
  • There are only extremely limited field research projects being currently conducted on Norwegian orca and further research is clearly needed.
  • It is possible that the two ‘non-matched’ calls are ‘contact’ or ‘distress’ calls. Such calls would not necessarily be recorded from orca which are safely in the context of their social groups.
  • Play-back of Morgan’s calls to wild orca, or wild orca calls to Morgan, has not been conducted and may provide additional information and call-types.
  • 77.7% of Morgan’s call types (seven of nine) were matched to P pod.
  • Only one hour of recordings of P pod were used to match these 77.7% call types.
  • Not all members of P pod have been photographically identified, therefore it is not possible to ascertain if they have been present or not in Norwegian waters.
  • 57% of Morgan’s call types (four of nine) were matched to NP pod (with AA+BI).


 EXECUTIVE RECOMMENDATIONS


  1. The Free Morgan Foundation strongly recommends that Morgan’s rehabilitation in Norwegian waters begins immediately.
  2. Concurrently, her contemporary vocal repertoire can be recorded, as well as further recordings of wild orca in Norwegian waters can be carried out, to allow refined searches to be made for Morgan’s natal group (including analyzing further databases).
  3. It is imperative that further delays are prevented and that the welfare of Morgan is addressed by allowing her to return to her family.

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