Blog

As part of ongoing efforts to help save our Southern Resident orca population, a task force convened by Governor Jay Inslee, has been meeting regularly over the past six months to help determine how we can take measurable steps to better protect our local orca population. Photo: Center for Whale Research.

We all love our local southern resident orcas, but they continue to struggle as they face ongoing strain on their local habitat and food supply. The Seattle Aquarium along with numerous local leaders, researchers, conservationists and partners from the Orca Salmon Alliance are advocating for greater protections for this iconic species and the salmon they depend on for food.

Sodexo, the Aquarium’s café/catering partner, recently received an “Outie” award for workplace excellence at the Out & Equal Workplace Summit in Seattle. The award recognizes Sodexo for their historic and ongoing commitment to pursuing and executing workplace inclusion and equality for LGBT employees.

Trick-or-treaters in costume are a common sight on October 31—but did you know that some of the animals at the Aquarium have their own ways of “dressing up”? If you’re still figuring out what you’ll wear on Halloween, maybe these saltwater costume experts can provide some inspiration. Take a look, then come see the animals in person at the Aquarium: dressed up or in “plain clothes,” they’re sure to captivate!

The Aquarium aspires to turn knowledge, into inspiration and move people to action. And this November Washington voters have an opportunity to take a big step toward better protecting the health of our planet and the ocean, by voting YES on Initiative 1631.

Being a youth volunteer at the Seattle Aquarium recently got even more rewarding: participants now have the opportunity to earn college credit through a new “badging” program developed by Aquarium youth engagement staff and volunteers in collaboration with researchers and faculty from University of Washington Bothell.

As we gear up for our Cedar River Salmon journey this fall, we are taking a look back at some of the highlights of our 2018 Beach Naturalist season. It was another great one that went by much too quickly!

We here at the Aquarium are deeply saddened by the presumed loss of another young member of J Pod. Scarlet’s death brings the southern resident orca population down to just 74 individuals and is most certainly a blow to the future of this iconic species. We can all take a moment to mourn this tragic loss—and then we must come together and take measurable steps to save our southern resident population and their primary food source, Chinook salmon, to help protect the rest of Scarlet’s family.

The Endangered Species Act is an important law to help preserve and protect species that are threatened or on the path to recovery. These important federal protections have a 99% success rate when it comes to ensuring the survival of endangered or threatened animals and it is critical we keep these laws in place.

Heroes take many forms and shapes and the Aquarium is excited that our very own Community Partner Program Coordinator Jasmine Williams was recently selected into the top ten of the Association of Zoos & Aquarium's (AZA) national "heroes" contest.

A few weeks ago members of our Fish and Invertebrates team released Umbrella, the giant Pacific octopus (GPO), back to Neah Bay where he was originally collected from just over a year ago.