KVI Beach is an unusual spot on Vashon: Privately owned with allowed public access, it’s also home to some of the only sandy shores on Vashon, and a variety of critical habitats, including Puget Sound salt marsh. The beauty and privilege that comes with access to such gems also brings responsibilities for humans and canines alike, who should both keep their distance from animals like elephant seals, seals and other resting marine mammals at all of Vashon’s beaches. Dogs need to be restrained from interfering with those animals or with bird nesting sites. Don’t collect marine mammal parts unless it’s specifically legal to do so, and check with NOAA for details on those regulations, which require that any bones collected from a non-endangered marine mammal be taken only after its soft tissue has decomposed. Those parts must also be identified and registered with the local NOAA fisheries office, and can’t be bought or sold. Parts from any threatened or endangered species cannot be collected without a permit from NOAA. For more information, call the marine mammal stranding hotline at 866-767-6144.