Whale Watch Companies Ticketed
Q13 Fox Seattle OLYMPIA— In less than a month, Department of Fish and Wildlife Officers will be back on the water enforcing the laws that protect Puget Sound Orcas. “There’s an incentive to get close to those whales and give your client that photo of a lifetime,” said the department’s Deputy Chief, Mike Cenci. “There’s [...]
Iconic J1 is presumed missing
The oldest Southern Resident male is missing
In the battle to save whales and salmon, fishing gets caught in the middle
By Craig Welch/Seattle Times Scientists with nets normally used to clean swimming pools tracked killer whales through Puget Sound last week, scooping up their oily poop. The surprise February visit to Washington from members of J pod came just days after state and tribal leaders learned they may again have to cut back salmon fishing [...]
Orcas hunting in San Francisco Bay identified as pod from Puget Sound
A group of roughly 14 orca whales has been spotted in San Francisco Bay waters at various times starting last week. The pod of orca whales scouring the San Francisco coastal waters for prey has been identified. The group of roughly 14 whales — that has been spotted at various times starting last week — [...]
Come See an Orca Skeleton Being Assembled in Port Townsend!
Don’t miss this rare chance to watch a major skeleton articulation in progress. Come learn all about the process of preparing and assembling our orca skeleton for display. Master articulator, Lee Post (aka “the Boneman”), PTMSC staff and volunteer docents will be on hand to share this unique project and answer all your questions. Download Open [...]
Keto and Tilikum Express the Stress of Orca Captivity
Tillikum floats alone in his tank at Sea World, Orlando Photo courtesy of The Orca Project In a new study, nearly a year in the making, former SeaWorld trainers Jeffrey Ventre, MD and John Jett, Ph.D, take us deep behind the scenes of Marine parks and their ability to provide environments adequate for keeping killer whales alive in [...]
Orca group wearing down their teeth on abrasive shark diet
BY LARRY PYNN, POSTMEDIA NEWS Marine scientists have discovered a mysterious population of killer whales off the B.C. coast that specialize in killing sharks — to the detriment of their teeth. Scientists have long known that resident killer whales — which stick to specific hunting ranges — depend on a diet of fish, especially salmon, [...]
Satellite tagging of orcas proposed
By CHRISTOPHER DUNAGAN THE KITSAP SUN BREMERTON, Wash. — Federal biologists are proposing to track Puget Sound’s endangered orcas by using tiny satellite transmitters, attached to the whales’ dorsal fins with a dart fired from an airgun. The new study is considered important because the transmitters may stay on for up to three months and [...]
Comments: Evolving rules in San Juans may change how visitors go whale watching
By Cassandra Brooks Seattle Times staff reporter First, the orcas may be the most intelligent animals on the planet after us. The pods here have remained in family groups for who knows how long–hundreds of years? Very possibly their family lineages go back thousands of years. Some of these whales being chased daily are 80 [...]
4 Southern Residents missing and presumed dead
(L5 in front, L74 foreground, L73 in background. Picture taken from shore in August 2009) The Center for Whale Research has shared the results of their 2010 summer Orca Survey, with the sad news that we have lost 3 adult orcas and one calf this year. Missing and presumed dead are: L114, new calf born [...]
