Until last winter, Washington state scientists were concerned about the long-term health of their Puget Sound orca pods.
When the pods were listed as endangered in 2005, there were 78 animals.
Ten years and $16 million later, there was one less.
But Michael Harris of the Pacific Whale Watch Association says they’ve now seen six new calves born this year and people are more optimistic.
“We had a very, very good year for Chinook salmon. Smaller salmon, but a lot of them," he said.
"So we had that food for those fish-eating resident orcas and when you have a good fish year, you have a good Blackfish year. So that was followed by a baby boom."
But problems still persist for the orcas. There’s been a drought this year, algae blooms off the coast and higher water temperatures — all factors that point to a weaker salmon season next year.