AP: 61aaea3c-c640-4a0c-88a6-38f94e87fc3c
In this photo taken Monday, Oct. 8, 2012, the dorsal fin and back of an orca whale is seen as the animal swims in Puget Sound near a tiny fishing boat as seen from Seattle's West Seattle neighborhood. An estimated dozen or more killer whales swimming south past West Seattle gave residents a spectacular sight Monday as the sun set. Howard Garrett of the Orca Network says the whales identified from photos represented all three Puget Sound pods - J, K and L. He says this is the farthest south the orcas have been seen this year, and it may indicate a shift that typically happens in the fall. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Six orcas identified off West Seattle

October 9, 2012 @ 12:18 pm (Updated: 1:20 pm - 10/9/12 )

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SEATTLE (AP) - More than a dozen killer whales swimming past West Seattle gave residents a spectacular sight Monday as the sun set.

Howard Garrett of the Orca Network says six identified from photos represent all three Puget Sound pods - J, K and L. He says this is the farthest south the orcas have been seen this year, and it may indicate a typical fall shift.

The orcas spent May-September around the San Juan Islands, apparently feeding off Fraser River Chinook. Garrett says this time of year they follow chum salmon south into Puget Sound.

The Greenbank-based Orca Network received hundreds of photos from Monday's sightings.

The southern resident orcas are listed as an endangered species, and the Center for Whale Research estimates a population of 85 in three pods.


(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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