The Puget Seven

Orcas are one of my favorite species. Extremely intelligent and exhibiting many complex behaviors, they're simply beautiful marine mammals.

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Seven orcas are now feared dead in Puget Sound. If true, it could be the biggest decline among the sound's population in almost a decade. Possible causes: Low numbers of their main food--chinook salmon, pollution, and stress from whale-watching tour boats and Navy sonar.

The number of 'southern resident' orcas is estimated to be 83.

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