Latest news with #UME
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Science
- Newsweek
Scientists Investigate as Whale Deaths Surge in San Francisco Bay
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A total of 15 whales, including 14 gray whales and one minke whale, have died so far in 2025, according to a joint press release from California Academy of Sciences and the Marine Mammal Center. "The reason or potential reasons behind the massive spike in sightings this year are still being investigated by researchers," the release said. The latest death, a gray whale found in the San Francisco Bay Area on Wednesday, marked the sixth whale death in as many days. Newsweek reached out via email to the California Academy of Sciences and the Marine Mammal Center on Saturday during non-working hours for more information. Why It Matters There has been "unusually high number of sightings" of whales in the region this year but there has also been an increase in deaths. The whale population has seen a 45 percent decrease since the 2019- 2023 Unusual Mortality Event (UME), according to the release. A record-low number of newborn whales was also seen this year, causing concern among researchers for the long-term outlook for the North Pacific gray whales, following the second UME in a 20-year period. "These whales basically left the Arctic with a half tank," Giancarlo Rulli, a spokesperson for the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, recently told about the other deceased whales discovered in the region. "The food sources that they were normally accustomed to eating that were highly nutritious for this massive, 10,000–12,000-mile journey, had moved farther away due to climate change, and as a result, these whales were left to forage on food matter that was much less nutritious." What To Know The whale on Wednesday was found near the Alamere Falls in Point Reyes National Seashore, the joint release said, which is about 30 miles northwest of San Francisco. While some of the deceased mammals have been necropsied, others have either been too far decomposed or stranded in areas that are inaccessible, making it difficult to pin these deaths on one similar cause. While it is not unusual to see whales in the region as they migrate, the number of deaths is the highest it has been, including in 2019 when 14 whales were found deceased in the UME, according to the release. The number of deaths currently matches the record of 15 for all of 2021, the release said. At least three of these deaths have been attributed to suspected vessel strikes, but others remain undetermined. The whales that have been spotted alive have been observed to be either regular size or emaciated. There are a total of 33 confirmed gray whale sightings in the San Francisco Bay this year, compared to only six seen last year, with about a third of those whales remaining in the bay for about 20 days. Whale carcasses have been found as far north as Alamere Falls, as far west as Farallon Islands and as inland as Berkeley. Beachgoers look at a dead juvenile Humpback Whale that washed up on Baker Beach on April 21, 2020, in San Francisco. Beachgoers look at a dead juvenile Humpback Whale that washed up on Baker Beach on April 21, 2020, in San Francisco. Photo byWhat People Are Saying The California Academy of Sciences and partners at The Marine Mammal Center said in the press release: "With San Francisco Bay serving as a shared space for commerce and increased gray whale activity, experts at the Academy and the Center note it's vital that all boaters—from large commercial vessels to sailboats—be 'whale aware' and continue to slow down. Gray whales often have a very low profile in the water that can make them difficult to sight, unlike other coastal whales like humpback whales." What Happens Next The results of the necropsy on the whale found on Wednesday are still pending, complicated by a number of factors due to "inaccessible locations that hinder full post-mortem investigations, as well as poor tissue quality from advanced decomposition, and the lack of available locations to tow for further investigation." Meanwhile, the whales that are alive are expected to be in "the bay for another one to two weeks before continuing their annual northern migration to arctic feeding grounds," according to the release. If people do see whales, they can report them through an app called Whale Alert or the Marine Mammal Center website. Sightings of dead whales should be reported to the Academy's department of Ornithology and Mammalogy.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
6 gray whales found dead in a week in San Francisco Bay
May 30 (UPI) -- Six gray whales have been found dead in the wider San Francisco Bay Area in the last seven days, raising the total number of dead whales in the region to 15 for the year. According to a joint Wednesday statement from the California Academy of Sciences and The Marine Mammal Center, the most recent gray whale was found on Wednesday. The carcass was found near Alamere Falls at Point Reyes National Seashore, they said. Two whales were discovered on Monday, one near Alcatraz and the other near Point Bonita. A whale was discovered near Berkeley on Saturday, one near Fisherman's Bay on May 22 and one near Bolinas on May 21. Of the six whales, only the one found near Bolinas -- a yearling -- received a partial necropsy, the results of which were inconclusive, the organizations said. For the year, there have been 14 gray whales and one minke whale found dead in the San Francisco Bay Area. The organizations said suspected or probable vessel strikes appear to be the cause of death for three of the gray whales. "The Academy and partners at the Center have not responded to this many dead gray whales since the height of the Unusual Mortality Event in 2019," the statement said. The UME saw hundreds of gray whales become stranded along the west coat of North America between Dec. 17, 2018, to Nov. 9, 2023. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported a total 690 whales died during the UME in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The centers said they had responded to 14 stranded whales in 2019 and 15 in 2021. The increase in deaths comes amid what the organizations described as "an unusually high number" of whale sightings this year in the San Francisco Bay Area. They said 33 individual gray whales have been confirmed in the bay area via photo identification this year, which is up from six gray whales sighted in the bay for all of last year. "The reason or potential reasons behind the massive spike in sightings this year are still being investigated by researchers," it said. "It is expected that gray whales will be in the bay for another one to two weeks before continuing their annual northern migration to Arctic feeding grounds."
UPI
3 days ago
- General
- UPI
6 gray whales found dead in a week in San Francisco Bay
Six gray whales were found dead in the wider San Francisco Bay Area in the last seven days. Photo by Marjorie Cox/The Marine Mammal Center/ Release May 30 (UPI) -- Six gray whales have been found dead in the wider San Francisco Bay Area in the last seven days, raising the total number of dead whales in the region to 15 for the year. According to a joint Wednesday statement from the California Academy of Sciences and The Marine Mammal Center, the most recent gray whale was found on Wednesday. The carcass was found near Alamere Falls at Point Reyes National Seashore, they said. Two whales were discovered on Monday, one near Alcatraz and the other near Point Bonita. A whale was discovered near Berkeley on Saturday, one near Fisherman's Bay on May 22 and one near Bolinas on May 21. Of the six whales, only the one found near Bolinas -- a yearling -- received a partial necropsy, the results of which were inconclusive, the organizations said. For the year, there have been 14 gray whales and one minke whale found dead in the San Francisco Bay Area. The organizations said suspected or probable vessel strikes appear to be the cause of death for three of the gray whales. "The Academy and partners at the Center have not responded to this many dead gray whales since the height of the Unusual Mortality Event in 2019," the statement said. The UME saw hundreds of gray whales become stranded along the west coat of North America between Dec. 17, 2018, to Nov. 9, 2023. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported a total 690 whales died during the UME in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The centers said they had responded to 14 stranded whales in 2019 and 15 in 2021. The increase in deaths comes amid what the organizations described as "an unusually high number" of whale sightings this year in the San Francisco Bay Area. They said 33 individual gray whales have been confirmed in the bay area via photo identification this year, which is up from six gray whales sighted in the bay for all of last year. "The reason or potential reasons behind the massive spike in sightings this year are still being investigated by researchers," it said. "It is expected that gray whales will be in the bay for another one to two weeks before continuing their annual northern migration to Arctic feeding grounds."
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
University of Maryland Names Wendy Powers Dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
COLLEGE PARK, Md., May 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Maryland has named Wendy Powers as Dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, effective July 1, 2025. As Dean, Powers will build on the college's more than 150-year history to promote a culture of impactful scholarship and student success, advancing opportunities for interdisciplinary research and educational partnerships that support the university's land-grant mission. Powers will work with faculty, staff and students across the college to advance its strategic commitments to serve the public good, steward a healthy planet, feed and nourish communities and build a sustainable tomorrow, serving the state of Maryland and beyond. As dean, Powers will also serve as director of the Agricultural Experiment Station and University of Maryland Extension (UME). With four major program areas—Agriculture and Food Systems; Environment, Natural Resources and Sea Grant; 4-H Youth Development; and Family and Consumer Sciences—UME provides Maryland residents grassroots-level support in their communities, on their fields and in their homes. UME has offices in every Maryland county and Baltimore City, and four research and education centers across the state. "Dr. Powers possesses an exceptional track record in leading agricultural colleges to achieve remarkable success in fulfilling their core mission of serving communities," said Senior Vice President and Provost Jennifer King Rice. "I am confident that her leadership will bring similar success to the University of Maryland, propelling the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources into its next phase of excellence." Powers joins UMD from Washington State University (WSU), where she serves as the inaugural Cashup Davis Family Endowed Dean of the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences. In this role, Powers leads the college's 13 departments and schools, serving more than 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students, and the WSU Extension, which has more than 40 offices and four research and extension centers across the state. "I am thrilled to join the University of Maryland, one of the most prestigious land-grant research universities in the nation, to build upon more than a century of work to serve the public good," said Powers. "I look forward to collaborating with communities on campus and beyond to build new and innovative opportunities for students, faculty and staff to the benefit of the people of Maryland and around the world." As Dean, Powers led the development of a new vision for the college in support of its land-grant mission, emphasizing the university's role in building a more resilient state and highlighting the college's societal impacts. During her time at WSU, the college has consistently secured more than $20 million annually in gifts and foundation funds, and exceeded $100 million in grant expenditures for the first time. The college also grew its national ranking from No. 15 to No. 12. Prior to WSU, Powers served as associate vice president for the Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of California, where she led academic, research and outreach programs, overseeing county-based cooperative extension outreach, 12 statewide programs and institutes, and nine research and extension centers across California. Powers began her career at Iowa State University as an assistant professor and extension specialist. She then joined Michigan State University as a full professor in the departments of Animal Science, and Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, extension specialist, and director of environmental stewardship for animal agriculture in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. She was the first director of the Agriculture and Agribusiness Institute for Michigan State University Extension. She has served in national leadership positions throughout her career, in professional societies, and on technical committees to develop policy guidance. Her scholarship is centered around reducing environmental impacts of the livestock industry. Powers holds a B.S. in animal science from Cornell University, and an M.S. in dairy science and Ph.D. in animal science from the University of Florida. About the University of MarylandThe University of Maryland (UMD) is the state's flagship university and a leading public research institution, propelled by a $1.3 billion joint research enterprise. Located four miles from Washington, D.C., the university is dedicated to addressing the grand challenges of our time and is the nation's first Do Good campus. It is driven by a diverse and proudly inclusive community of more than 50,000 fearless Terrapins. UMD is a top producer of Fulbright scholars and offers an unparalleled student experience with more than 300 academic programs, 25 living-learning programs and 400 study abroad programs. Spurred by a culture of innovation and creativity, UMD faculty are global leaders in their field and include Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners and members of the national academies. For more information about the University of Maryland, visit View original content: SOURCE University of Maryland Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘Surprising' number of gray whale strandings in WA, alarming pattern for researchers
Gray whale strandings, which occur during the spring months when whales migrate past the Washington coast, are happening at a higher rate than this time in past years. The strandings began on April 2 when a female was found on the Long Beach Peninsula. Since then, six more dead gray whales have been documented in Washington state. 'The number of strandings this year is higher than we typically see at this point in the stranding season, sparking concerns about the recovery of the gray whale population after the Unusual Mortality Event (UME) that occurred from 2019-2023,' the Cascadia Research Collective said. The UME involved 690 gray whale strandings from December 2018 to November 2023, including 347 in the United States. Necropsy findings from a subset of dead gray whales found malnutrition as a common cause of death and did not identify underlying disease According to Cascadia Research Collective, this year, stranded whales have primarily been adults with evidence of malnutrition: loss of oil in the blubber layer, lack of internal fat stores, and no food in the stomach or intestines. An exception was a healthy whale that was likely the victim of a transient killer whale attack. Two of the deaths were human-caused. 'We expect more strandings in the coming weeks and will be working to examine as many as possible,' Cascadia Research Collective said. To report a large whale stranding in Washington, call Cascadia's stranding hotline at 360-791-9555. Any stranded marine mammal in WA, OR, or CA can be reported to the West Coast Stranding Network Hotline at 1-866-767-6114.
