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