4/15 Spotted frog, Billy Frank Jr statue, Fairy Cr logging, orca tracking, social distancing, Gig Harbor Tik Tok

Oregon Spotted Frog [Heidi Rockney/Burke Museum]

 
Oregon Spotted Frog Rana pretiosa
The Oregon Spotted Frog is currently very threatened in Washington state, having disappeared from 70-90% of their range. They prefer marshes, wetlands, ponds, or other slow moving quiet water. (Burke Museum)

Billy Frank Jr. in, Marcus Whitman out as part of U.S. Capitol statue swap 
...A bill signed by Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday begins the process of putting a statue of the late tribal treaty rights activist Billy Frank Jr. in the U.S. Capitol. The Frank statue would replace one of Oregon Trail pioneer Marcus Whitman. The larger-than-life bronze of Whitman has stood in the U.S. Capitol's Statuary Hall for nearly 70 years. Each state is allowed to represent itself on Capitol Hill by contributing two bronze or marble historical figures to the national statuary collection. Tom Banse reports. (NW News Network)

Split in First Nation membership over anti-logging blockades at B.C. old-growth forest
The dispute over blockades aimed at preventing old-growth trees from being logged in Pacheedaht territory on southwest Vancouver Island has revealed divisions within the First Nation's membership. A statement issued by two Pacheedaht chiefs this week says they're "concerned about the increasing polarization over forestry activities'' in the territory, and decisions about forestry must be made by the nation. But the Rainforest Flying Squad, whose members set up camp last August to block Teal Cedar Products from accessing proposed cutblocks in and around the Fairy Creek watershed, says they're not planning to leave. They say in a statement that Pacheedaht Elder Bill Jones and other members of the nation welcome the blockades, maintained largely by non-Indigenous people calling for an end to old-growth logging in B.C. (Canadian Press)

Tracking Orcas with Tech: ‘The Images Took Our Breath Away’
UBC scientists attached cameras to drones, and the whales themselves. Here’s the result. Kerry Banks reports. (The Tyee)

We could learn a thing or two about social distancing from animal kingdom
Scientists have found that many species in the animal kingdom, including several found in the Pacific Northwest, practice social distancing. Some species of insects, fish, monkeys, rodents, birds and bats all have been observed using forms of social distancing when illness or pathogens are present. Yes Burns reports. (OPB)

This Gig Harbor non-profit is teaching TikTok about the Salish Sea
On any given day, you may see Rachel Easton and Stena Troyer on any given Washington beach - peeking under rocks, picking up kelp and showing off crabby creatures on camera, all for the love of the Salish Sea...and Harbor WildWatch! Over the years, Harbor WildWatch has visited classrooms around Washington. Once the pandemic hit, though, they went completely digital - and in turn, have reached even more people thanks to TikTok. Ellen Many reports. (KING)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  219 AM PDT Thu Apr 15 2021   
TODAY  E wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 3 ft  at 12 seconds. 
TONIGHT  Light wind becoming SE to 10 kt after midnight. Wind  waves less than 1 ft becoming 1 ft or less after midnight. W  swell 3 ft at 13 seconds.

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