Dead Orca prompts call for navies to release data

Scientist says orca found on Washington state beach may have been blown up

The U.S. and Canadian navies are being asked to hand over details of live fire exercises and sonar use around southern Vancouver Island and Puget Sound in February, when an endangered southern resident killer whale died.

Brent Norberg of the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Ser-vice said his agency is hoping a detailed necropsy report will point to a cause of death, which could involve naval activities.

The Royal Canadian Navy has been contacted by U.S. and Canadian agencies and will be providing the requested information, said a navy public affairs statement.

"On Feb. 6, HMCS Ottawa was operating in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, specifically in Con-stance Bank, conducting work-ups training, including a period of sonar use and two small underwater charges as part of an anti-submarine warfare exercise," the statement said.

Ken Balcomb, senior scientist with the Center for Whale Research in Friday Harbor, Wash., believes three-year-old L112, also known as Sooke, was killed by an explosion - and said she may not be the only fatality. Read More