Two of the resident orca families from Puget sound —L and K pods—have been seen in recent years feeding off the California coast in the winter. That was unheard of before early this decade, leading scientists to speculate they are driven to swim hundreds of miles just to meet their minimum nutritional requirements. Showing signs of starvation as salmon runs faltered up and down the west coast, Puget Sound’s orca population lost seven of its number over the past year, bringing the population to just 83, scientists reported.