Find content specifically related to marine mammals of the Puget Sound and Salish Sea ecosystems. For checklists and descriptive accounts of individual species, visit our species library's marine mammals page.
Marine mammals
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Bryde’s whales are rarely seen in the Salish Sea, preferring warmer waters, but at least three have been documented here since 2010.
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.
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.
Risso’s dolphins are easily recognizable by their light color and extensive scratches and scars on their bodies. This rare visitor to the Salish Sea feeds almost exclusively on cephalopods like octopus and squid and is most commonly found in relatively warm tropical to temperate waters over the outer continental shelf and slope.
The Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA) is a community of ecotourism professionals with a shared commitment to education, conservation, and responsible wildlife viewing in Washington state and British Columbia. The 2024 PWWA annual report summarizes wildlife sightings and sentinel actions logged by members throughout the year. Sentinel actions are protective measures taken by professional whale watchers, such as warning vessels near whales or removing marine debris.
Artificial intelligence is emerging as a powerful new tool for whale identification. New software can be adapted and used to identify any animal with a dorsal fin on its back.