The Whale Museum Response Program

08/28/2026

Do you notice anything about this humpback calf?

It’s hard to tell, but they’ve already had a challenging first few months of life. If you look closely at the flukes you’ll notice part of the left fluke blade is missing and some scars (“rake marks”) around it, indicating that they likely got away from an interaction with killer whales at some point during the journey up the west coast from Mexico.

We also know that this calf has already been entangled in fishing gear. After whale watchers reported this whale in early August near Victoria, BC with a buoy in tow, the response team from Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans successfully disentangled them. We were able to collect this documentation shortly after, showing them swimming free alongside their mom BCX0837 “Tempest”. We hope the best for this little whale despite a challenging first few months of life.

We can all be part of protecting these animals: keep a look out for whales while on the water, report any stranded or in distress animals you find, follow all local fishing regulations, and encourage others to do the same. Report marine mammals of concern in San Juan County, WA to our hotline: 360-472-1852.

Documentation collected under The Whale Museum’s NOAA/NMFS permit agreement #24359.

05/16/2026

Thanks to all who showed up last night!! We are looking forward to this season of working with our community.

Thank you to everyone who made it to The Whale Museum Response Program's volunteer training on San Juan Island last night! With over 400 miles of shoreline to cover within San Juan County, volunteers are what makes the scope of our work possible, we could not do this without you.

If you weren't able to attend, we have two more trainings coming up: one at the Orcas Island Public Library at 6:00pm on May 19th, and one at the Lopez Island Library at 5:30pm on June 4th. A special thank you to the WA Chapter of The Wildlife Society whose grant award is funding these trainings and tote bags, vests, and equipment we give to volunteers!

04/21/2026

We are excited to announce our new program name: The Whale Museum Response Program!

The Whale Museum has been responding to stranded and entangled marine mammals throughout San Juan County since the early 1980s. Each decade has brought changes in how animals and people use this region, but our mission has remained the same: advance the protection and understanding of marine mammals and the Salish Sea through research and education. Our team responds to reports of marine mammals in distress, conducts necropsies, and tracks emerging diseases. This work is crucial to the informed management of the Salish Sea ecosystem.

Our program previously operated by the name “San Juan County Marine Mammal Stranding Network”. While this name conveyed our network’s area of response, the new name aligns more closely with the program’s mission. We believe this new name more clearly represents the full scope of the work in which The Whale Museum is engaged, and the emphasis on “response” embodies our commitment to responding to stranded and in-distress animals.

Nothing else has changed - our hotline number, program goals, amazing collaborators, and dedication to contributing to marine mammal conservation remain consistent. If you are interested in volunteering with us, check out our website and see our upcoming training opportunities. This work would not be possible without our partners and dedicated volunteer network!