June is Orca Action Month–a perfect moment to spend some time learning about the local killer whales with which we share our home. SeaDoc has developed some great resources about orcas, including several great episodes of our web series Salish Salish Sea Wild and a seven-episode podcast series all about the plight and conservation of Southern Residents. Find more about what’s happening throughout June on the Orca Action Month site!
Dramatic Rescue: Sea Lion Suffers Deadly Entanglement (VIDEO)
When a big male Steller sea lion was spotted near San Juan Island with a plastic packing strap slicing deep into his neck, the only chance to save him was to launch a risky rescue mission. Today, footage of that dramatic operation is being made public for the first time.
The latest episode of Salish Sea Wild – a wildlife documentary series about the Salish Sea produced by the SeaDoc Society – puts you out on the water with the team as they work to sedate and free the 500-pound animal while battling huge tides, dangerous currents and jagged rocks.
Bald Eagle Bites Dr. Joe Gaydos! (VIDEO)
While conducting research up in British Columbia last month, our Science Director Dr. Joe Gaydos got some quality hang time with a bald eagle. You could call this an animal attack, but we’ll call it a nice little going-away present before the beautiful raptor sails off into the horizon soon after the bite. Subscribe and you’ll be first to watch the full episode, coming soon!
Salish Sea Wild: Salmon of the Skagit River
Salmon are born in freshwater and migrate to sea, where they feed and grow before returning to their mother stream to breed and die. Along the way they feed everything from endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales to bugs, bears and the forest itself.
Salmon are the cornerstone of our ecosystem, but many runs are in grave danger, particularly the wild Chinook. In this episode of Salish Sea Wild, Dr. Joe Gaydos takes a swim up the Skagit River to get a close-up look at these amazing fish. Written and produced by Bob Friel and SeaDoc Society.
Salish Sea Wild: Shaking Hands With the World’s Biggest Octopus
Salish Sea Wild: Finding Your Inner Mermaid
In this episode, Joe meets a local mermaid who teaches him about the wonders of freediving in the Salish Sea. Not only does it involve far less gear than scuba diving, but it lets you become one with the environment! Without the heavy tanks and endless bubbles, people are not so much alien visitors as we are fellow marine mammals. All you need is a mask and a wetsuit to get in on the action!
Salish Sea Wild: Awesome Fishes of the Intertidal
Join scientist and Finding Nemo’s “Fabulous Fish Guy” Adam Summers as he leads Team SeaDoc on a mission to find some of the Salish Sea’s most amazing intertidal creatures.
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Salish Sea Wild: The Salish Sea’s Greatest Spectacle
Team SeaDoc witnesses the Pacific Northwest’s most awesome wildlife spectacle as more than 100 million spawning herring lure the greatest annual gathering of Salish Sea predators to the Strait of Georgia. Join us for front-row seats above and below the water as thousands of marine mammals and seabirds, hundreds of hungry raptors, and packs of killer whales assemble for the feast.
Salish Sea Wild: The Scoop on Southern Resident Killer Whales
In this episode, Team SeaDoc works with scientists trying to save the Salish Sea’s most iconic and endangered species: the Southern Resident killer whale. The goal is to collect critical health and diet data from each of the 73 surviving animals. So how does a wildlife veterinarian make a house call to do non-invasive medical tests on 10-ton killer whales in the open sea? It takes sharp eyes and a fine mesh net.