Beavers are truly nature’s "engineers." They create habitat for many species, including salmon. Did you know researchers have discovered beaver populations living in the tidal marshes of the Salish Sea, an environment long considered unsuitable for them? Restoring beaver populations is being explored as a key strategy for aiding salmon recovery efforts regionally. However, there is concern over recent discoveries of dead beavers washing up on local beaches in the San Juan Islands, prompting investigations into potential causes like disease or toxins. On this episode, my co-worker who is TWM's Field Operations Coordinator, Erin Casellas, joins us to tell us all about beavers and the latest scoop on dead beavers that have washed up which TWM's marine mammal stranding network staff responded to.  

In the spirit of Halloween, we are leaving a bit of mystery in regards to this episode. You will have to tune in to find out what creature we are going to be discussing. Hint - it is the answer to this riddle: what is translucent, drifts or floats, has no bones, has a flowing shape which can sometimes morph, & can sometimes glow in the dark? While not a ghost, this specter of the Salish Sea is very common and recently, University of Washington graduate student, Haila Schultz, was involved in very cool research looking at how it's abundance and voracious appetite might be impacting salmon. 

You may have heard the buzz about macroalgae aquaculture. To name a few of the benefits, kelp and other seaweeds can be grown for food, animal feed, organic fertilizer, biofuels and other sustainable products. In Washington State, kelp aquaculture grew out of ocean acidification (OA) research. Besides all these commercial services to humans, kelp forests provide productive habitat which supports a wide variety of fish, invertebrates, and marine mammals, forming the basis for a rich ecosystem. Did you know there are two kelp farms in WA state waters? Dr. Meg Chadsey, a Carbon Specialist and PMEL Liaison with Washington Sea Grant, joins us on this episode to tell us more about this really promising type of farming and what it takes to make "kelping the sea" happen! 

Harbor porpoises are very common in the Salish Sea but hard to study. Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) is a research organization taking on this task as they use identification methods to investigate the behavior, ecology, and conservation of these marine mammals. On this episode, Dr. Cindy Elliser, Founder of PacMam, shares with us intriguing insights they are learning about these animals through their work, such as their longevity, site fidelity (including remaining or returning to their birthplaces), & social dynamics. 

Bowhead whales are known to live really long. - maybe even around 200 years! But, what is less known is how long right whales can live for. Right whales and bowhead whales belong to the same family, Balaenidae, and are actually considered each other's closest relatives among living baleen whales. While rare, North Pacific right whales can be spotted off of Washington State waters. On this episode, Dr. Greg Breed, a professor at University of Alaska Fairbanks, talks with us about some amazing longevity research on bowhead whales, Southern and North Atlantic right whales, and implications for North Pacific right whales. 

ROVs (remotely operated vehicles) are an amazing tool (not to mention very cool and fun) in conducting underwater exploration and tasks. While we tend to think of ROVs being used in deeper waters that divers can't get to, what about their role and importance in marine science happening in coastal environments? On this episode, Dr. Zachary Randell, a Senior Research Scientist at the Seattle Aquarium, talks to us about very innovative research projects being conducted by him and his team utilizing ROVs to study kelp forests in Puget Sound.  

In the northeast Pacific Ocean, there are three populations of resident (fish-eating) killer whales that share overlap in their ranges from California to Alaska (Southern Residents, Northern Residents, & Southern Alaska Residents). On this episode, Dr. Amy Van Cise, Assistant Professor at the University of Washington, shares with us about her fascinating research exploring how seasonality and foraging patterns may be influencing diet differences between SRKWs and SARKWs as well as amongst SRKW pods. Since SRKWs are highly endangered, understanding foraging ecology and how foraging patterns may be linked to success and decline of these populations can help to better inform management strategies. 

Did you know there is at least 14 different species of sharks in the Salish Sea? In 2022, two graduate students at Oregon State University, Jessica Schulte and Ethan Personius, documented the presence of two shark species never before reported in South Puget Sound. Sharks play very important ecological roles as predators but are largely misunderstood or not well known at all. Come join us on this episode as Jessica and Ethan tells us about these two species, broadnose sevengill and soupfin, the implications their discovery may have, and what on-going research they are involved in with these species. We promise - this is definitely an episode you can sink your teeth into! 

Avian Flu or the "Bird" Flu has been in the news a lot lately. What is it really? When did the first outbreak start in Washington State and what is the connection between Caspian Terns and harbor seals? Find out on this exciting episode as Dr. Katherine Haman, a wildlife veterinarian with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) tells us all about Avian Flu and the impact it has on our local seabird populations and marine mammals. 

The pinto abalone is a sea snail and is the only abalone species in Washington State waters. This native species has great cultural and ecological significance. Overharvesting likely led to heavy declines in their population numbers. Since their overexploitation, numerous efforts have been implemented to try to restore populations in the area through abalone hatcheries and the outplanting of juveniles. Puget Sound Restoration Fund (PSRF) is involved in these important efforts. Come learn on this episode from PSRF staff: Dr. Eileen Bates, Senior Abalone Biologist, and Malise Yun, Pinto Abalone Production Lead, about these efforts, successes along with mysteries regarding recovery, and what the future of this species looks like.