“They number in the thousands. They are our neighbors and they need our help.”

Dr. Cindy Elliser, a marine mammalogist, is talking about harbor porpoises that live in the Puget Sound region. Even though they are much more abundant than the iconic orca, (which is a dolphin, not a whale or a shark), harbor porpoises are far less familiar or studied.

Elliser and her colleagues at Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) are working to change that. She founded PacMam 10 years ago to do ground-breaking research on harbor porpoise and harbor seal populations in the Salish Sea. Today it is one of the few organizations which does long-term photo identification on harbor porpoises to protect their populations and ecosystem.

Residents in our area are especially well located to help as volunteer monitors, also known as community scientists. Sightings are more common fall through spring. 

“Having volunteers in the south Snohomish area would be hugely beneficial for us. We need as many eyes as possible on the water looking for harbor porpoises,” Elliser said. 

To become a volunteer, complete a two-hour online training and start monitoring shorelines at your own schedule. Suggested sites include nearby spots like Richmond Beach, Brackett’s Landing or Meadowdale Beach.

Not seeing a harbor porpoise is as meaningful to PacMam’s research as is a sighting, said Elliser. “More data will help us to understand where these animals are and where they’re not – and where to best put our efforts forward into more research.” 

Although harbor porpoises are found along coastlines throughout much of the Northern Hempisphere, they are a relatively under-studied species. 

“I like to say that where we were 30 or 40 years ago with dolphins is where we are now with porpoises,” Elliser said. “It’s really at the beginning stages. So everything we learn is kind of brand new.”

– By Clare McLean