Marine Mammals of Puget Sound

Pinnipeds: Seals & Sea Lions Cetaceans: Pacific Harbor Seal Whales, Dolphins & Porpoise Phoca vitulina Adults mottled tan or blue-gray with dark spots Seal Pups Orca Male: 6'/300 lbs; Female: 5'/200 pounds Earless (internal ears, with externally visible hole) (or Killer Whale) Short fur-covered flippers, nails at end Drags rear flippers behind body Orcinus orca Vocalization: "maah" (pups only) Black body with white chin, Most common marine mammal in Puget Sound belly, and eyepatch Shy, but curious. Pupping occurs June/July in Average 23 - 26'/4 - 8 tons the Strait of Juan de Fuca and San Juan Islands Southern Resident orcas (salmon-eating) are Endangered, travel in larger pods Northern Elephant Seal If you see a seal pup Transient (marine mammal -eating) orcas alone on the beach travel in smaller pods Orcas are most often observed in inland waters Mirounga angustirostris DO NOT DISTURB - fall - spring; off San Juan Islands in summer Brownish-gray it’s the law! Dall's Porpoise Male: 10-12'/4,000-5,000 lbs Human encroachment can stress the pup Female: 8-9'/900-1,000 lbs. Phocoenoides dalli and scare the mother away. Internal ears (slight hole) For your safety and the health of the pup, Harbor Porpoise Black body/white belly and sides Short fur-covered flippers, nails at end leave the pup alone. Do not touch! White on dorsal fin trailing edge Drags rear flippers behind body Phocoena phocoena Average 6 - 7'/300 lbs. Vocalization: Guttural growl or belch Dark gray or black Travels alone or in groups of 2 - 20 or more Elephant seals are increasing in with lighter sides and belly Creates “rooster tail” spray, number in this region Average 5- 6'/120 lbs. Likes to bow-ride Travels alone or groups of 2 - 10

California Sea Lion Gray Whale Zalophus californianus Eschrichtius robustus Gray with white mottling/barnacles Dark brown to black No dorsal fin, has "knuckles" or knobs on back Male: 8'/800 lbs; Female: 6'/250 lbs. Average 40 - 50'/33 tons Extended, rolled flap ears Heart-shaped blow, small resident population Long leathery flippers, nails mid-flipper feeds in Saratoga Passage and Puget Sound Walks on all four flippers; doglike bark GOT WHALES? March - May, stragglers year-round Mainly male California sea lions are seen Call 1-866-ORCANET(672-2638) from fall to spring in the Puget Sound region Minke Whale To Report Whale Sightings Steller Sea Lion Balaenoptera acutorostrata REPORT DEAD OR STRANDED Black/dark gray, light undersides, white patch on flippers. Eumetopias jubatus Small, sleek body, pointed head MARINE MAMMALS TO: Average 26-28'/6-8 tons Light to golden brown 1-866-ORCANET (672-2638) Short curved dorsal fin Male: 9-12'/1500 - 2000 lbs; or Travels alone or in small groups Female: 6-7'/600 - 700 lbs. 360-678-3765 Extended, rolled flap ears Whidbey and Camano Islands, Long leathery flippers with Skagit and North Snohomish Counties some fur on top, nails mid-flipper (All other areas call 206-526-6733) Walks on all four flippers; deep lion-like roar Found mostly in northern waters in our region www.orcanetwork.org Listed under the Endangered Species Act www.orcanetwork.org/strandings.html Illustrations by Uko Gorter