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Common bottlenose dolphin
Although rare in the Salish Sea, bottlenose dolphins are among the best-studied marine mammals in the world. Sightings of live and stranded animals have been increasing in local waters for the past two decades.
Bryde’s whale
Bryde’s whales are rarely seen in the Salish Sea, preferring warmer waters, but at least three have been documented here since 2010.
New Puget Sound study examines when and where aquatic species may be deprived of oxygen
The project relies on the Salish Sea Model plus new information about the oxygen needs of various species to pinpoint danger areas.
Ten years of confronting a costly green crab invasion in Puget Sound
Crab Team members maintain a massive surveillance program to track the population’s advance, while researchers probe the inner workings of the invasive species.
Genetics unlock mystery of green crab invasion
Their genetic makeup, shaped through history, has given European green crabs remarkable advantages over native species.
Wildlife refuges on the Olympic Peninsula under new, old management
In August 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe signed an agreement to become co-managers of two national wildlife refuges in the Puget Sound region. It was the first agreement of its kind in the state, and since that time, the tribe has been leading site operations at Dungeness Spit and Protection Island, greeting visitors, fixing roads, and hosting scientists
Baird’s beaked whale
The largest of the beaked whales, Baird’s beaked whales can grow to a length of nearly eleven meters and weigh nearly twelve thousand kilograms. Due to their preference for deeper waters, Baird’s beaked whales are somewhat rare in the Salish Sea with sightings mostly confined to the recovery of stranded animals.
Major river deltas of Puget Sound
Puget Sound serves as the ultimate drainage destination for many rivers that carry fresh water from the Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges to the ocean. When this freshwater mixes with the ocean’s saltwater it creates biologically rich environments known as estuaries. These estuaries provide critical habitat for young salmon, migratory birds, and many other species including forage fish and
Threatened Guadalupe fur seals are finding their way into the Salish Sea
The Guadalupe fur seal is not officially recognized as a Washington state marine mammal, but more than 160 strandings along the coast, and several sightings in the Salish Sea, suggest they are more common here than previously thought.