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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.
Priority Science to Support Puget Sound Recovery: A Science Work Plan for 2025-2029
Priority Science to Support Puget Sound Recovery: A Science Work Plan for 2025-2029 describes the information, learning, and interaction needed to support the coordinated efforts to recover, protect, and improve the resilience of the Puget Sound ecosystem.
Coming into the colony
Gulls are perhaps our most familiar seabird. Pick a seashore or even an occasional landfill, and you are likely to see at least a few. But casual sightings don't always paint a true picture of population health. Recently, scientists took to the field to see how glaucous-winged gulls are faring in the Salish Sea. The gulls were ready for them.
A photographic tour of the entire Puget Sound shoreline by watercraft and aircraft
Kayaker-scientist Brian Footen is back on the waters of Puget Sound this summer, paddling through inlets and circling islands on a 2,700-mile journey to photograph the shoreline and document natural and human-caused changes to the habitat.
This state-funded project is Brian’s second photographic trip along the sinuous shoreline throughout the entirety of the Sound, from Budd Inlet in the south to
Many actions may be needed to improve Puget Sound waters
Scientists at the Washington Department of Ecology along with many other researchers have spent years studying and debating the problem of low oxygen in Puget Sound. Now, many new developments — technical, scientific and legal — are reaching a critical stage and setting up a framework to make some major decisions. This is part four of a four-part series originally published in the Puget Sound