Animals Why the Salish Sea's new baby orca surprised researchers Natalie Akane Newcomb KUOW Staff Play AudioListen 8 mins
Environment River otter drags child off dock, under water in Bremerton A river otter pulled a small child off a dock and dragged it underwater at the Bremerton Marina Thursday morning. John Ryan
Environment Shhh! The orcas can’t hear their dinner When an orca hunts salmon, it clicks and buzzes. It sends a beam of sounds from its nasal passages into the murky depths in hopes that the sound waves will bounce back and reveal the location of its next nutritious meal. Those hopes are often dashed when noise from passing vessels drowns out orcas’ sonar signals. John Ryan
Environment Puget Sound tanker traffic thickens as Canadian pipeline boosts oil flow A 750-foot-long oil tanker and its high-powered escort tug started motoring west from a pipeline terminal near Vancouver, British Columbia, Wednesday afternoon. John Ryan
Environment San Juans’ sea stars start long crawl back from near-extinction Pizza-sized predators are crawling around the San Juan Islands this summer. Scientists are celebrating. John Ryan
Animals Bellingham man fined $1,000 for steering yacht through orca pod A Bellingham man has been fined $1,000 for driving his 51-foot recreational vessel through a pod of killer whales off the west side of San Juan Island in 2022. Stephen Howie
Environment Jurassic shark: Scientists find ancient species in Puget Sound Scientists have documented two species of shark in Puget Sound for the first time. The discoveries began when a fisherman posted a selfie with a shark he caught. John Ryan
Environment Claws for concern: The green crab epidemic threatening Washington clams Scientists are diving deep into the mysteries of Washington’s coastal ecosystems, focusing on the invasive European green crabs. Their research aims to uncover how these crabs are affecting local habitats and contributing to the decline in Manila clam harvests. Diana Opong
Environment Fisherman ordered to pay $646,259 for oil spill off San Juan Island Washington state officials are ordering a salmon fisherman to pay $646,259 in damages and penalties for spilling diesel fuel into Haro Strait as his commercial fishing boat sank off San Juan Island. John Ryan
Health Not-so-fresh water: How to avoid getting poop-sick from Seattle lakes With the sun blazing and temperatures expected to climb into the low 80s Friday, Seattleites will be eying area lakes and swimming beaches for relief from the heat. But before you take the plunge, it’s important to consider several factors that could prevent you or your furry friends (and pets) from getting sick or worse from bacteria and toxic algae that could be lurking in your favorite swimming hole. Stephen Howie
