NEW Salish Sea "Creature Feature" Coloring Sheets Available for FREE Download

Did you know that the Salish Sea - one of the world's largest inland seas - is also one of its most biologically diverse? Encompassing Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands, the southern Gulf Islands, and the waters of the South Coast of British Columbia, and consisting of a coastline length of 7,470 km, the Salish Sea is home to a wide variety of known species, from charismatic and culturally-important species such as the orca (Orcinus orca) to lesser-known species such as the spotted ratfish (Hydrolagus colliei) and the Pacific spiny lumpsucker (Eumicrotremus orbis). In terms of marine animals, there are 37 species of mammals, 172 species of birds, 253 species of fish, and more than 3,000 species of invertebrates that inhabit the Salish Sea (Gaydos and Pearson 2011 and Brown and Gaydos 2011), and likely many more that we don't yet know about (Piertsch and Orr 2015).

Are you interested in learning more about some of the lesser-known creatures that call the Salish Sea home? Romney McPhie, BioActNet's Coordinator and a keen illustrator in her spare time, has created - with the generous support of Hakai Media - a brand new Salish Sea "Creature Feature" coloring sheet series for the young and young-at-heart. The first featured species include the giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) and the Northern kelp crab (Pugettia producta) - species that are likely recognizable to marine enthusiasts on the coast - as well as the orange sea pen (Ptilosarcus gurneyi) and the striped nudibranch (Armina californica), species that are encountered by divers but might be new to beachcombers and boaters.

I love learning about any and all critters that we share out coast with, and I also love sharing my enthusiasm for these creatures with others through my art and writing. It's truly a joy to see people's faces light up when they discover that we have sharks in our waters, or that there is such a thing as whale lice. I especially love when kids learn through creativity, and then share their learnings with their friends and family.

~ Romney McPhie, "Creature Feature" Illustrator

The "Creature Feature" coloring sheets are designed to be fun and informative for adults and kids alike. Download your favorite - or all of them! - by going to the BioActNet Resources Page and scrolling down to the "Salish Sea Coloring Sheets" Category. New sheets will be released regularly, so you or your children can continue to color, be amazed, and share your new-found knowledge with those around you. And if you have a species that you would like to see featured in a future sheet, reach out via our Contact Page.

Happy coloring!