After precipitous declines over the previous century, some of the iconic wildlife populations of the Pacific Northwest have notched tentative gains in recent years, according to the Seattle-based sustainability research centre Sightline.

The non-profit's Cascadia Scorecard wildlife indicator includes a wildlife index measuring five populations around the region stretching from Oregon through British Columbia. Included are: southern resident orcas, spring and summer chinook salmon of the Lower Columbia, wolves of the Northern Rockies, the Selkirk caribou herd, and Oregon's greater sage-grouse.

Overall, reports Sightline, the index hit its highest level since 1980. Gains made by wolves, salmon, and orcas offset declines in sage-grouse and caribou.

Read the report here.

David Beers is editor of The Tyee.