Beam Reach

Some orcas extend their stay in Puget Sound; others visit capture site for first time in years – Puget Sound Institute Endangered species k C E Some orcas extend their stay in Puget Sound; others visit capture site for first time in years By Christopher DunaganPublished November 7, 2024 Comments Closed Southern Resident killer whales have been hanging out in Puget Sound much longer than normal this fall, probably be...

We’re very excited about this OBI/CWR collaboration near the Orcasound - Listen for Whales hydrophones in Puget Sound!

Earlier this week we were on the water doing an equipment test for a brand new project we are undertaking in partnership with the Center for Whale Research! This is a project Monika and Michael have long dreamed about and we're excited it's finally happening: our goal is to pair localized hydrophone recordings with drone observations of Southern Resident killer whales to see if we can link any specific vocalizations with key behaviors such as prey-sharing or nursing. If so, this could vastly expand the insight from passive acoustic monitoring efforts to gain knowledge not only about where whales are, but about what they're doing in those areas.

Our first dedicated field effort starts in just over a week when we will be relocating to Puget Sound in hopes of spending time with Southern Residents in their typical fall range. Thus far, anecdotal reports have been that chum salmon are abundant this year, and if the whales are any indication, that seems to be true, as J-Pod has been down in Puget Sound for almost a week straight as of today! Fingers crossed the whales and weather cooperate; we can't wait to share updates from the field on this exciting new venture.