Harbor porpoise coming close to other harbor porpoise in mating attempt at surface
Harbor porpoise coming close to other harbor porpoise in mating attempt at surface, female is flipping tail up
Harbor porpoise coming close to other harbor porpoise in mating attempt at surface, female is flipping tail up
Harbor porpoise coming close to other harbor porpoise in mating attempt at surface, male is leaping out of water belly towards female
Happy Valentines Day! Did you know that harbor porpoises often make a splash when they mate? Males sometimes leap in their attempt, and always on the left-hand side of the female. Learn more in this open access publication:
link.springer.com/chapter/10.1...
or visit www.pacmam.org/publications
14.02.2026 19:59 —
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📸 Science in Action!
Ever wonder what our researchers are doing on the shore? They’re conducting vital photo-ID surveys that allow us to identify and track individual porpoises over time without disturbing them.
It goes to show how much we can learn by watching closely from the shoreline. 🌊🐬
14.02.2026 19:41 —
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When you get caught housing a meal...
No shame in scarfing down a delicious snack in our book—definitely no judgement from this hungry harbor seal. 🦭🐟
As an opportunistic feeders they can be spotted munching on a mangled marine animal at any hour of the day!
23.01.2026 07:25 —
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🔔 It is not too late to register for the annual Ways of Whales Workshop tomorrow, January 24 from 10:00-5:00 PM! 🐋
This year, the PacMam team will be sharing a special presentation on our harbor porpoise research...check the schedule and tune in online!
RSVP today: www.pacmam.org/event-detail...
23.01.2026 07:21 —
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Woman looking out over the water from a rocky outcropping
🌊 New Year, New Impact! 🌊
Want to make a difference in 2026? Join our mission to protect the incredible marine life of the Salish Sea!
We're looking for volunteers to help with harbor porpoise and harbor seal research. No biology background needed—we provide all the training!
22.01.2026 07:39 —
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As winter blankets Washington's peaks in snow, our marine ecosystem thrives below...
The mountain watershed nourishes Puget Sound, creating perfect habitats for harbor seals, orcas and other marine mammals. Nature's cycles connect mountains to sea. How are you savoring this winter season? ❄️🗻🌊🐋
06.01.2026 07:16 —
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Marine mammal research is more than just statistics, it is about human observation. Our research can be described in many ways, for PacMam friend Tegan Keyes, poetry is the method she has found to illustrate their world. Find more ways we communicate science ➡️ www.pacmam.org/science-summ... 🦭🌊
08.11.2025 07:36 —
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Act cool they’re watching 😳😎
These two sea lions are clearly not in the mood to share their sunbathing spot with this newbie. We can’t blame them, but what a graceful exit this little guy pulled off. 🦭
08.11.2025 07:16 —
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Harbor Porpoises of the Salish Sea
Podcast Episode · Nature Now · 10/15/2025 · 27m
Want to hear a fun conversation about harbor porpoises? Check out this recent podcast with Research Director Dr. Cindy Elliser! 🐬
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...
21.10.2025 06:22 —
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Did you know Harbor seals are opportunistic predators? This means when octopus are locally abundant they become a food source for hungry seals. While the realities of nature aren’t always pretty, the interconnected relationships species maintain are essential for healthy self sustaining ecosystems.
13.10.2025 06:58 —
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A series of predictable events...
Unfortunately for this gull, a hard earned hefty catch like this one isn’t going to be given up so easily. New strategy? The #LongGame, with the hopes that over time this seal might warm up to idea or drop a few scrapes in the process. 🥊🦭
13.10.2025 06:47 —
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Ever wondered how you can get involved in community science programs in the Salish Sea? 🥼🌊🐬 Curious to learn more? Find out how you can join on our next sighting adventure, we are collecting research year round so it is never too late! ➡️ www.pacmam.org/volunteering
02.09.2025 07:14 —
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Can you spot the difference between porpoises and dolphins?🐬👀
A couple differences: Porpoises have round, blunt mouths unlike dolphins' elongated snouts. Dolphins have curved dorsal fins while porpoises have smaller, triangular ones.
📷: Harbor porpoise: Cindy Elliser, Pacific Mammal Research
13.08.2025 06:19 —
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Harbor porpoise surfacing in front of rocks
Harbor porpoise surfacing in front of green island
Two harbor porpoises porpoising, splashing water in front of brown wooded island with a house.
🔔 Discovery alert: A local resident population of harbor porpoises has been frequenting Burrow’s Pass for 11 years!🐬🐳
Why do you think they have an affinity for Burrow’s Pass? Learn more about our most recent study: www.mdpi.com/2673-1924/6/...
📷: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, and Ciera Edison
06.08.2025 15:17 —
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We recently published a study showing long-term site fidelity for harbor porpoises in the Salish Sea…but what the does that mean? 🔬🐬
Long-term site fidelity roughly means an animal is returning to and remaining in the same geographic location year over year.
🔎https://www.mdpi.com/2673-1924/6/1/9
05.08.2025 06:15 —
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Excited to have our colleague Bill Keener from the Marine Mammal Center in CA out to the field site today! We have collaborated with him and other colleagues on many papers on foraging and mating behaviors of harbor porpoises. Together we are learning more about this amazing species! #collaborations
18.06.2025 03:36 —
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Join us for another great trip collecting eDNA! Don't miss this chance to collect data that will help us better understand the genetic population structure of harbor porpoises in the Salish Sea!
More info here: www.thesalishseaschool.org/adult-sessions
13.06.2025 06:30 —
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Harbor porpoise male leaping while attempting to mate with female.
Harbor porpoise male leaping while attempting to mate with female.
Harbor porpoise male leaping while attempting to mate with female.
Harbor porpoise male leaping while attempting to mate with female.
It was a wild time in the field last week, where our staff saw 6 mating attempts, including this one! Often we will see 1 or 2 at a time, but 6 was a bit over average. Guess they were feeling springtime!
#pacmam #research #mating #marinemammalscience #porpoise #marinemammals #marmamm 🐬
25.04.2025 06:48 —
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This was a very rare sighting, the first time we have seen a sea otter in our study site! So exciting to have more sightings if sea otters in the Salish Sea!
#pacmam #research #seaotter #salishsea
24.04.2025 04:42 —
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Excited to read this! Social structure is such an important part of understanding the lives of whales, dolphins and porpoises (cetaceans).
30.03.2025 07:33 —
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harbor porpoise group surfacing mother and calves
Harbor porpoise group surfacing mothers and calves
Harbor porpoise group surfacing mothers and calves
Harbor porpoise group surfacing mothers and calves
We were so excited to see a group of 3 mother and calf pairs swimming closely together recently. They were quite cohesive hanging out together!
#pacmam #research #marmamm #marinemammals #salishsea🐬
30.03.2025 07:19 —
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