Number of endangered Puget Sound orcas increase slightly in latest count

Four babies have survived so far to push the population off Washington state to 81, up from 78 in 2014 - but it is still low and the babies 'are not in the clear yet'

The annual July tally of endangered Puget Sound orcas is complete, and researchers have counted 81 whales, including four babies born since last winter.

Researchers tracking the southern resident killer whales have photo confirmation of each whale and nobody is missing, said Ken Balcomb, a senior scientist with the Center for Whale Research who keeps the official census of Puget Sound killer whales for the federal government. "They're all here."