Orcas in the Puget Sound

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 There are three main types of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in the coastal waters of the North Pacific: Resident, Transient, and Offshore. Each ecotype differs in appearance, diet, habitat, genetics, and behavior. While all three types share at least part of their habitats, they are not known to interbreed with each other.   Among these, southern resident and transient killer whales commonly are found in Puget Sound. Northern residents and offshore killer whales rarely enter Puget Sound and therefore are not described beyond here. 

In the Pacific Northwest one group of killer whales feeds exclusively on salmon. These are referred to as “residents” because they remain in inland or nearby coastal waters. Here in the Puget Sound, our "Southern Residents" population is in significant decline.  The “transients” group feeds only on marine mammals. Transient orcas move north and south along the coast from Alaska and British Columbia as far south as Southern California, but they frequently make forays into the Salish Sea.  Also known as the Biggs Killer Whale, the population of our Puget Sound Transients is booming.