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Once nearly extinct along the Washington coast, sea otters have rebounded in the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary thanks to long-term conservation efforts.<\/p>\n
\u00a92009fotofriends\/Shutterstock.com<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
(2009fotofriends\/Shutterstock.com)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nFrequent Visitors & Seasonal Regulars<\/h2>\n While not permanent residents, these animals return to the OCNMS predictably each year, spending weeks or months feeding, resting, or raising their young.<\/p>\n
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Steller Sea Lion <\/strong>(Eumetopias jubatus)<\/em><\/strong>: <\/strong>These sea lions are often seen on rocky reefs and offshore islands throughout the sanctuary. They frequently return to rest and forage for fish.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n\n\n
California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus): <\/em><\/strong>Migrating from California and Mexico, California Sea Lions appear in large groups along the Olympic Coast during fall and winter months.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n\n\n
Northern Fur Seal <\/strong>(Callorhinus ursinus)<\/em><\/strong>: <\/strong>These seals often pass through the OCNMS while foraging. Rarely seen on land, they can be found in deep waters feeding on squid and smaller fish.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n\n\n
Killer Whale <\/strong>(Orcinus orca)<\/em><\/strong>: <\/strong>Both the fish-eating Southern Residents and the mammal-hunting Bigg\u2019s (Transient) Orcas patrol the OCNMS waters. Their visits often depend on the sanctuary\u2019s salmon and seal populations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n\n\n
Common Murre <\/strong>(Uria aalge)<\/em><\/strong>: <\/strong>They often nest in dense colonies on rocky cliffs and sea stacks within and near the sanctuary. They return seasonally to breed and forage on small fish.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n\n\n
Rhinoceros Auklet <\/strong>(Cerorhinca monocerata): <\/em><\/strong>Recognizable by the horn-like plate on their bills during breeding season, rhinoceros auklets visit the OCNMS primarily in spring and summer. They nest in burrows on offshore islands and feed on fish and squid.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n\n\n
Pacific White-Sided Dolphin <\/strong>(Lagenorhynchus obliquidens)<\/em><\/strong>: <\/strong>These energetic dolphins often travel in large, fast-moving pods. They are most commonly observed while foraging for schooling fish and squid.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nThe Great Migrators: Seasonal Visitors<\/h2>\n These species pass through the OCNMS during long-distance migrations, using the Olympic Coast as a critical travel corridor or a temporary feeding stop on journeys spanning thousands of miles.<\/p>\n
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Gray Whale <\/strong>(Eschrichtius robustus)<\/em><\/strong>: <\/strong>Known as \u201cpassage migrants,\u201d these whales perform a 10,000-mile round trip between Mexico and the Arctic every year. You\u2019re likely to see them at OCNMS during the spring as they head north or during the late fall and winter as they head south.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n\n\n
Humpback Whale <\/strong>(Megaptera novaeangliae)<\/em><\/strong>: <\/strong>Humpback whales can be spotted at OCNMS during the summer and fall as they pass through to eat. They are often drawn to krill and small \u201cforage fish\u201d like herring.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n\n\n
Minke Whale <\/strong>(Balaenoptera acutorostrata)<\/em><\/strong>:<\/strong> Known to visit during the summer feeding season, these are the smallest whales found in the OCNMS.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n\n\n
Blue Whale <\/strong>(Balaenoptera musculus)<\/em><\/strong>: <\/strong>Rare but documented visitors to the OCNMS, these whales are drawn to the sanctuary\u2019s dense krill patches.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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Humpback whales visit the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary during summer and fall to feed on krill and small schooling fish.<\/p>\n
\u00a9Tomas Kotouc\/Shutterstock.com<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
(Tomas Kotouc\/Shutterstock.com)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Fin Whale <\/strong>(Balaenoptera physalus):<\/em><\/strong> These whales sometimes pass through the deeper offshore waters of the OCNMS while feeding and migrating.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n\n\n
Sooty Shearwater <\/strong>(Ardenna grisea): <\/em><\/strong>Migrating from New Zealand, these birds fly to the sanctuary in the summer in search of food. Thousands of these birds are known to cover the water during peak months.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n\n\n
Pacific Salmon <\/strong>(Oncorhynchus spp.)<\/em><\/strong>: <\/strong>Some salmon species, like the Chinook (King) and Coho (Silver), are \u201canadromous,\u201d so they migrate between salt and fresh water. They often move through the OCNMS during late summer and fall, returning from the open ocean to their home rivers in the Olympic National Park.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n\n\n
Tufted Puffin <\/strong>(Fratercula cirrhata)<\/em><\/strong>: <\/strong>Puffins spend their winters in the North Pacific, returning to the OCNMS offshore islands from April through September.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n\n\n
Leatherback Sea Turtle <\/strong>(Dermochelys coriacea): <\/em><\/strong>A rare visitor, these turtles will sometimes visit the OCNMS to feed on jellyfish in the late summer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nLife in the Shadows: Invertebrates and the Seafloor<\/h2>\n While the seals and whales of the OCNMS often steal the spotlight, the true foundation of the Olympic Coast is found on the seafloor.<\/p>\n
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Ochre Sea Star <\/strong>(Pisaster ochraceus)<\/em><\/strong>: <\/strong>Sea stars prevent a single species from taking over by preying on mussels. This ensures a biodiverse OCNMS.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n\n\n
Giant Green Anemone <\/strong>(Anthopleura xanthogrammica): <\/em><\/strong>While these look like harmless underwater flowers, they use stinging cells to paralyze small fish and crabs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n\n\n
Bubblegum Coral <\/strong>(Paragorgia arborea)<\/em><\/strong>:<\/strong> Unlike traditional coral, these corals thrive in darkness. They grow extremely slowly and provide habitats for rockfish and shrimp.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n\n\n
Gooseneck Barnacles <\/strong>(Pollicipes polymerus)<\/em><\/strong>:<\/strong> These are often found in thick clusters on rocks and shipwreckage.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n