By The Associated Press
ASTORIA, Ore. — The Port of Astoria is bringing in some unusual help to try to fix their sea lion problem — a fake killer whale.
Terry Buzzard of Island Mariner Cruises in Bellingham, Wash., has used the life-size mock orca to promote his business during parades and events.
He heard about Astoria’s sea lion problems and offered to help.
Hundreds of sea lions have taken over the docks in Astoria, preventing boat owners from using their slips.
The orca is life-sized, 16-feet-long, and made of fiberglass. It floats, spouts and sings, too.
That’s music to the ears of frustrated port officials.
Buzzard plans to bring it to Astoria in early June, after adding some upgrades to its remote control system, Port Spokesman Rob Evert told KGW-TV in Portland, Ore.
“He has offered the orca service to the port, and the port will tow the orca through the marina in an effort to coax the pinipeds [sea lions] off the docks,” Evert explained.
Buzzard says he doesn’t know if the fake orca will scare away the sea lions. Something similar was attempted in the 1980s in Puget Sound, without success.
“But technologies have changed, and this replica is much more realistic so we will try this,” Evert said.
The Port of Astoria has tried using electrified mats, but those aren’t working. They’ve also considered fences.
At worst, Buzzard says the fake orca will be an amusing distraction for the humans.
