Blog: Puget Sound

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.

Washington’s shellfish population—clams, oysters and mussels—have been called the “canaries in the coalmine” for ocean acidification. Rising acidity in our local waters has already made it difficult for some shellfish populations to reproduce.

Did you get out and explore our beaches this past week during some of the lowest tides we will have this summer? Our naturalists were out every day, mingling with our intertidal neighbors and helping our visitors see and learn about even the tiniest of creatures!

“Puget Sound is such an incredible and unique treasure…people in Seattle are fortunate to see it every day. And the Seattle Aquarium is the embodiment of the treasure that is Puget Sound.” Listening to longtime Seattle Aquarium supporter Lesley Canfield talk about Puget Sound and the Aquarium, you’d never guess that she lives in California.

Geoduck is pronounced goo-ee-duck. Other names for this majestic mollusk: mud duck, king clam and (translated from Chinese) elephant-trunk clam.

Why is the water in the Seattle Aquarium’s exhibits sometimes a bit cloudy? Because it’s pumped directly from Puget Sound, where the underwater weather report has recently included (in addition to 100% humidity) colder temperatures and partially cloudy waters. 

Ever wondered where the Aquarium gets new animals for its exhibits? Not surprisingly, it isn’t simply a matter of heading to a local beach with a bucket at low tide. Below, staff aquarist Kathryn Kegel provides a behind-the-scenes peek at the Seattle Aquarium’s cold-water collection methods.

People around the world celebrated World Oceans Day on June 8—but the Seattle Aquarium expanded the festivities into two days with World Ocean Weekend on June 13 and 14.  Through a variety of engaging demonstration and fun activities, Aquarium guests learned how everyone—no matter where they live—can be an ocean hero while helping to keep our marine environment clean and healthy.