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San Juan Island Wildlife
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 Bounded by the Cascade Mountain Range and snowcapped Mt. Baker to the east and the Olympic Range to the south, the San Juan Islands are an idyllic sea-kayaking destination. On our one to five day San Juan Island sea kayak tours you'll have superb opportunities for seeing a wide variety of marine mammals, birds and other wildlife that frequent the San Juan Islands. Our naturalist guides will share their knowledge of the local environment throughout the trip to increase your appreciation of the marine life you will be encountering.
The San Juans are composed of approximately 350 rocks and islands surrounded by the crystal green waters of Puget Sound. The shoreline varies from basaltic rock to mixed sand and gravel beaches.Typical vegetation includes a mix of evergreen and deciduous trees including the striking red barked Madrona. The clear waters, rocky shorelines, strong currents and diverse intertidal zones provide a spectacular environment for viewing wildlife as well as providing “hands-on” opportunities for learning how to sea kayak.
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Three resident pods (J, K, & L) inhabit the waters primarily from May-September as they feed on the migrating salmon populations. They are commonly spotted off the Westside of San Juan Island during these months, but do inhabit the area year-round. Sub-species of the residents, called transients, are also seen throughout the year. They travel in much smaller pod sizes than the J, K and L pods and feed primarily on other marine mammals such as seals and whales.
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On Tuesday November 15, 2005, the federal government increased the level of protection for Puget Sound's orca whales by listing them as an endangered species. The orcas were previously listed as a threatened species.
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The inland waters of Washington are one of the richest marine environment in the world. It has been heralded as the second most amazing place to scuba dive in the world....second only because of the chilly 48 degree waters!
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The San Juan Islands host between 40 to 50 breeding pairs of bald eagles, one of the largest eagle nesting populations in the continental United States.
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The rocky and tree lined shores of the San Juan Islands provide an excellent habitat for a wide variety of different bird species.
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