Three adult harbor seals in Puget Sound have tested positive for the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 strain, marking the first incidence of HPAI in marine mammals on the West Coast, and officials are urging beachgoers to avoid contact with wildlife.
In 2022, a record number of Bigg’s killer whales (orcas) and humpback whales were spotted in the waters surrounding Victoria as well as south along Washington’s border.
Two distinct species of orcas feed and socialize in the waters of Puget Sound: fish-eating endangered southern resident killer whales and transient, or Bigg’s, killer whales, which feed on marine mammals and are more common. They seldom mix.
The most common pod of southern resident killer whales who migrate to the Salish Sea during the summer have not been seen for than 100 days, marking a highly unusual absence from their historic summer hunting ground, according to researchers.
Southern resident killer whales made their first appearance in the Salish Sea on Canada Day after more than two months with only a brief sighting off the west coast of Vancouver Island.
The North Pacific Humpback whale population has increased, and sightings are becoming more common.
A Parksville photographer has captured some stunning images of a grey whale that has been hanging out in the community of Nanoose Bay over the past several days.
Southern resident killer whales which are often spotted in the Salish Sea near Vancouver throughout June haven't been seen this season, and scientists believe that could be because of the lack of chinook salmon.
Researchers say their absence is a stark reminder that the orcas are slowly starving to death because there is not enough Chinook salmon to sustain them.
A dead male grey whale that was found floating between Sidney Island and James Island on Thursday has been towed to Fisheries and Oceans Canada's Institute of Ocean Sciences in Sidney for a necropsy.
A raucous crowd has moved into Cowichan Bay and the volume and odour coming from them is wafting for blocks around. Locals estimate over 300 sea lions have descended on the Cowichan community and their presence is proving a huge tourist draw.
Three new humpback whales have been identified off the East Coast of Vancouver Island as that species makes a massive comeback in our waters.
Rare observation of sea otter in Haro Strait, perhaps first since 2014.
One whale-watched said it appeared to be a mother orca with a large dorsal fin and three to four young orcas.
Federal officials have shut down salmon and recreational fishing for the summer in key feeding grounds for killer whales. The closures, which took effect Friday, apply to parts of the southern . . .
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