FRIDAY HARBOR, WA. – As summer Chinook salmon runs wane in the Salish Sea, Southern Resident Killer Whales typically begin to travel further south in Puget Sound in search of prey. A study compiling 10 years’ worth of data found evidence that the whales’ diets shift from primarily Chinook salmon in the summer months to a  Continue Reading

Joint media response concerning “the discovery of a new kind of killer whale” off western North America On October 4th, Hakai Magazine published an article with a headline reporting the discovery of “a new kind of killer whale”. Other media outlets subsequently reported similar headlines in Canada, theUSA and internationally, and although some content has  Continue Reading

Eye of newt, wing of bat, this is one cool, crazy, Calico cat. From dusk till dawn she’ll spellbound you and tell you telepathically what it is you should do. No handsy hands, no fast feet, but if you conjure them up, she will take some tasty treats. Cat nor kid does she want to  Continue Reading

“Y’all have any sweet tea?”  No, sorry Cookie, we think you’re sweet enough as it is!  This little Southern Gal flew all the way from Louisiana just after the devastation of Hurricane Ida hit her home state – now she is looking for a fresh start here in the Pacific Northwest!  Cookie definitely has that  Continue Reading

The Animal Protection Society – Friday Harbor is pleased to present Marko O’Connor as APS-FH Volunteer of the Month for October 2021.  Marko connected with APS-FH through our home furnishings resale store, “Treasure Hounds”. After purchasing a table and chair set, Marko noticed a couple struggling to get their own purchase into their car. He  Continue Reading

All four of the Harbor Seal pups we cared for throughout summer were released on Sept 11, 2021. These pups were all brought to Wolf Hollow by San Juan County Marine Mammal Stranding Network in late June and July, but they came from different parts of the county. The first orphaned/separated pup was found on  Continue Reading

OLYMPIA–The Washington State Salmon Recovery Funding Board today announced the award of $21 million in grants across the state to aid in salmon recovery. The grants, given annually, went to 105 projects in 29 of the state’s 39 counties. The grants will pay for work to restore salmon habitat, including repairing degraded habitat in rivers,  Continue Reading

From the beginning to the end… always Momo. Momo was a unique kitty. Momo was born wearing a tuxedo, raised on San Juan Island, and was lucky enough to be loved by multiple families. Although a little aloof and arrogant some adjectives to describe him would include dapper, confident, and well-dressed. His first owners, Rina  Continue Reading

Local shoreline habitat restoration actions support marine food webs It was an exciting week for local forage fish and out-migrating juvenile salmon as Friends of the San Juans and the Salmon Point Community have successfully restored priority shoreline habitat along their local beach. At the south end of Lopez Island, two areas of failed rock  Continue Reading

Hoot, meow, hoot, hooooo?!  Don’t look so surprised.  Haven’t you ever seen an OwlCat?  Well, we hadn’t either, not until Shakira flew into the shelter late one evening and graced us with her rare presence!  This marvelous hybrid is a sight to behold and will likely have you bowing down to her in submission as  Continue Reading

Olympia – Gov. Jay Inslee today announced the appointment of Kaleen Cottingham, a life-long Washington resident, to serve on the Salmon Recovery Funding Board. Cottingham, of Olympia, recently retired as the director of the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office, which provides support to the Governor-appointed Salmon Recovery Funding Board and the Governor’s Salmon Recovery  Continue Reading

What’s not to love about our Lady Libby? From her lopsided ears and her smiling crooked face, to her sideways body launches and Buckin’ Bronco-roos; She is sure to secure a place in anyone’s heart whom she graces with her affection. Since arriving from Mexico, Libby continues to surprise us with her growth, quirky ways  Continue Reading

The Animal Protection Society – Friday Harbor is pleased to announce Jon and Kris Zerby as the APS-FH Volunteers of the Month for September 2021.  Jon Zerby is currently an APS-FH Board Member, but this husband-and-wife duo have been volunteering for APS-FH for many years; before Jon served on the board; even before APS-FH had  Continue Reading

Care for a cup of tea?  This notorious dynamic duo is sure to add charming character to your home.  Bachelor Wooster and his talented valet, Jeeves have found themselves navigating the cat-societal mishaps of San Juan Island.  You see, somehow they both ended up in a cat trap together and were labeled as pesky “ferals,”  Continue Reading

You can see thousands of gulls on the shore or in the water around the San Juans right now. It would be easy to dismiss them as “just a bunch of seagulls”, but next time you see a flock of gulls, take a closer look. Are there different sizes of gulls? Do they have different  Continue Reading

All the animals that come through our shelter doors are cherished and loved.  We honor and remember every pet that we have touched – doing our best to give them happy endings to the unfortunate circumstances that brought them into the system.  Occasionally, there are pets who manage to beat all the odds stacked against  Continue Reading

The Center for Whale Research shares this story… What is it, when does it happen, and what are the causes? Several weeks ago, K21, the oldest male killer whale (orca) in the Southern Resident community, was photographed and videoed in a state of severe emaciation, showing an extreme version of what killer whale researchers sometimes  Continue Reading

FRIDAY HARBOR, WA. – Labor Day weekend is approaching, the last hurrah for many summer boaters before buckling down for the fall. As scores of vessels take to local waterways over the holiday, it’s an important time to stay vigilant and keep safe on the water. San Juan County’s Department of Environmental Stewardship calls on  Continue Reading

Looking for an enthusiastic, human-centric sidekick?  Rafa is the type of dog that is going to look to his person before he makes any decisions.  A real listener.  Basically, if you’re in need of a personal, in-home therapist to vent your worries and woes to, then Rafa will be there for you.  He will sit  Continue Reading

This Wednesday, August 18th, you’re invited to join Phil Green at the San Juan Island’s Sculpture Park for a morning of birdwatching, from 8:00 to 10:00 am. Dress appropriately and don’t forget your binoculars!

Ever wonder who the royal feline of the cat world may be? The Siamese, of course!  Who would be second in line?  Tortoiseshell!  What do you get when you mix a Siamese with a Tortoiseshell?  The most decorated member of all royal cats, Koko!   Even though Koko is a regal feline, she is not  Continue Reading

In 2020, the San Juan Island Community Foundation quickly adapted to a “virtual” San Juan County Fair by taking their popular annual matching grant event online. Nearly $140k was donated by hundreds of generous community members during the 4 days of the fair. After matching grants by SJICF were added, more than $170k was granted  Continue Reading