Oceans

Habitat code: 420

Photo: KMD

Killer whale
Orcinus orca
Photo: KMD		 Distribution and Habitat:
Killer whales are found along the Pacific Northwest coastline and sometimes visit Puget Sound. They live in family groups.

Diet:
Killer whales eat anything they can catch. Salmon and harbor seals are a favorite food.

Interesting fact:
Individuals can be identified by their dorsal fin and markings. The males have larger fins than the females.


Red sea urchin
Strongylocentrotus franciscanus
Photo: KMD		 Distribution and Habitat:
Sea urchins are found along the tide pools.

Diet:
They have a beaklike body structure to eat their prey.

Interesting fact:


Sea otter
Enhydra lutris
Photo: GV		 Distribution and Habitat:
Sea otters are found along the Pacific Ocean coastline from northern California to Russia.

Diet:
Sea otters must eat constantly to maintain their body heat. They eat crabs, fish, sea urchins.

Interesting fact:
Adults have the white chest, easily seen when they float on their backs. There have only been 2 documented sightings of females sea otters giving birth. One was in the ocean and the other on shore. Each time the female would roll over very quickly and the baby was born.


Seaweed
Photo: JM		 Distribution and Habitat:
There are many different types of seaweed. They are found along the shallow areas along shorelines around the world.

Interesting fact:
Some seaweed can grow nearly a foot per day. They are also called brown algae.


Glaucous-winged gull
Larus hyperboreus
Photo: KMD		 Distribution and Habitat:
They are found across North America.

Diet:
These gulls will eat fish, carrion, small mammals such as mice. They are commonly found in garbage dumps (land fills), where they scavenge for food.

Interesting fact:
They will breed with the Western gull, making their offspring very hard to identify.