Latest news with #graywhales
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists work to understand why dozens of whales have recently died in the San Francisco Bay Area
Scientists are investigating a sharp rise in the number of whales killed in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2025 even as local whale pods struggle to recover from a massive die-off in 2019. The California Academy of Sciences said on Monday that researchers had logged the deaths of 21 gray whales, two unidentified baleen whales, and one minke whale in waters near San Francisco this year so far, compared to 14 in 2019 and 15 in 2021. Researchers also reported an "unusually high" number of gray whale sightings in the region, with more than 30 individuals confirmed versus only six in 2024. "This latest gray whale caught everyone a bit by surprise, given how late in the season it is and the fact that we had not sighted the species in the Bay in nearly two weeks," Kathi George, director of cetacean conservation biology at the Marine Mammal Center in nearby Sausalito, told ABC News. "It shows signs of concern for this population as it moves forward into the future... we know that climate change is changing ocean conditions and changing prey available availability for these whales in the Arctic." Researchers have reported an "unusually high" number of gray whale sightings in the region recently (Alfredo Estrella / AFP via Getty Images) A young male gray whale beached at Kirby Cove, on the Marin Headlands near San Francisco (Marjorie Cox / The Marine Mammal Center) Eight of the gray whales were probably killed by vessel strikes, the Academy said, but the cause of death for the others was uncertain. Nor was it clear why so many whales were visible in the Bay Area this year. Gray whale populations in the North Pacific are still reeling from an estimated 45 per cent drop between 2019 and 2023, during which nearly 700 whales died along the west coast of North America. A gray whale breaching (NOAA Fisheries) That episode, known by scientists as an "unusual mortality event", is thought to have slashed whale numbers from around 20,500 in 2019 to just over 14,500 in 2023. A study in 2023 found evidence that melting Arctic sea ice had prolonged the die-off, in comparison to previous such events, by disrupting the food chain of algae and plankton on which gray whales ultimately depend. Gray whales are highly social animals (AFP via Getty Images) Gray whales are large, highly social filter feeders that migrate up and down the west coast of North America, traveling thousands of miles from their summer feeding grounds near Alaska to their winter breeding areas off western Mexico. Once common in the Atlantic Ocean too, they were hunted in huge numbers by humans for their blubber throughout the 19th century. Now they exist in two populations in the northwest and northeast Pacific, with the former group being officially endangered. Solve the daily Crossword
The Independent
22-07-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Scientists work to understand why dozens of whales have recently died in the San Francisco Bay Area
Scientists are investigating a sharp rise in the number of whales killed in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2025 even as local whale pods struggle to recover from a massive die-off in 2019. The California Academy of Sciences said on Monday that researchers had logged the deaths of 21 gray whales, two unidentified baleen whales, and one minke whale in waters near San Francisco this year so far, compared to 14 in 2019 and 15 in 2021. Researchers also reported an "unusually high" number of gray whale sightings in the region, with more than 30 individuals confirmed versus only six in 2024. "This latest gray whale caught everyone a bit by surprise, given how late in the season it is and the fact that we had not sighted the species in the Bay in nearly two weeks," Kathi George, director of cetacean conservation biology at the Marine Mammal Center in nearby Sausalito, told ABC News. "It shows signs of concern for this population as it moves forward into the future... we know that climate change is changing ocean conditions and changing prey available availability for these whales in the Arctic." Eight of the gray whales were probably killed by vessel strikes, the Academy said, but the cause of death for the others was uncertain. Nor was it clear why so many whales were visible in the Bay Area this year. Gray whale populations in the North Pacific are still reeling from an estimated 45 per cent drop between 2019 and 2023, during which nearly 700 whales died along the west coast of North America. That episode, known by scientists as an "unusual mortality event", is thought to have slashed whale numbers from around 20,500 in 2019 to just over 14,500 in 2023. A study in 2023 found evidence that melting Arctic sea ice had prolonged the die-off, in comparison to previous such events, by disrupting the food chain of algae and plankton on which gray whales ultimately depend. Gray whales are large, highly social filter feeders that migrate up and down the west coast of North America, traveling thousands of miles from their summer feeding grounds near Alaska to their winter breeding areas off western Mexico. Once common in the Atlantic Ocean too, they were hunted in huge numbers by humans for their blubber throughout the 19th century. Now they exist in two populations in the northwest and northeast Pacific, with the former group being officially endangered.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Why whales are dying off the San Francisco coast, according to researchers
Nearly two dozen whales have died in the San Francisco Bay Area in recent months, according to animal rescue groups. A total of 19 gray whales, two unidentified baleen whales and one minke whale have died in the Bay Area region so far this year, according to the California Academy of Sciences. At least seven of the gray whale deaths have been determined to be suspect or probable vessel strikes, according to the organization. MORE: 6 gray whales have died in San Francisco in the past week as authorities scramble for answers In addition, there has been an "unusually high" number of whale sightings in the Bay Area this year, with more than 30 individual gray whales confirmed in the region via photo identification, the Academy said, noting that the whales' physical conditions have ranged from normal to emaciated. About a third of the whales have stayed in the region for at least 20 days and researchers expect more sightings for another couple of weeks before the whales migrate north to Arctic feeding grounds. The whales breed off the coast of Mexico but should be farther north at this time of year, Kathi George, director of cetacean conservation biology at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, Calif., told ABC News. In 2024, just six gray whales were sighted in the region. Researchers are investigating the potential reasons behind the "massive" spike in sightings this year. Animal rescue groups in the region have not responded to this many dead gray whale deaths since the unusual mortality event in 2019 that saw more than 70 gray whale deaths on the West Coast, and another event in 2021 in which 15 whales died in the Bay Area, according to the California Academy of Sciences. An estimated 45% of the North Pacific gray whale population was lost between 2019 and 2023, the California Academy of Sciences said. MORE: What to know about the toxic algae bloom killing marine life in Southern California In previous unusual mortality events, the gray whale population has typically rebounded but after 2019, the populations have experienced continued declines, George said. The population was estimated to be at nearly 27,000 in 2016 but fell to as low as 13,230 animals in the winter of 2022-2023 as a result of the mass mortality event, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Marine researchers in the U.S., Mexico and Canada are monitoring the health of the gray whale population in hopes of gaining further insights into the unusual mortality event, the organization said. Earlier this year, scientists in Southern California have reported a record-low gray whale calf count, "which is a cause for concern," according to the Academy. Only about 85 gray whale calves migrated past Central California on their way to feeding grounds in the Arctic earlier this year, according to NOAA. "It shows signs of concern for this population as it moves forward into the future," George said. "What we're trying to learn is we know that climate change is changing ocean conditions and changing prey available availability for these whales in the Arctic." MORE: NOAA declares deaths of 70 gray whales on US west coast 'unusual mortality event' The Bay Area serves as a "puzzle piece" to the gray whales' lengthy annual migration, George said. Dead whales have been reported in the San Francisco Bay Area since March 30, when a female gray whale was found dead at Black Sands Beach, located in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The animal died from a probable vessel strike, according to The Marine Mammal Center. In May, six gray whales died in the region within a week. The latest death occurred on July 7 at the Richmond Long Wharf, located about 20 miles north of San Francisco, according to The Marine Mammal Center. A dead female adult gray whale washed up adjacent to the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge after suffering from blunt force trauma by a suspected vessel strike, the organization said. A necropsy revealed hemorrhaging on the animal's left side, between the head and pectoral fin, likely as a result of the strike, according to the Center. "This latest gray whale caught everyone a bit by surprise given how late in the season it is and the fact that we had not sighted the species in the bay in nearly two weeks," George said in a statement. An estimated 80 whales die annually from vessel strikes, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. Gray whales typically have a "very low profile" in the water that can make them difficult to see, unlike other coastal whales, such as humpback whales, according to the Academy. "It's vital that all boaters – from large commercial vessels to sailboats – be 'whale aware' and continue to slow down," the California Academy of Sciences said. Further south, thousands of marine animals have been sickened by an unprecedented toxic algae bloom that has overrun the Southern California coasts. Species such as seabirds, sea lions and dolphins have been impacted by elevated levels of the neurotoxic domoic acid produced by the algae blooms in the region. However, the harmful algae blooms aren't related to the recent whale deaths in the Bay Area because gray whales transiting north don't stop in Southern California to feed, George said. "That is something we test for, though, when we are doing he necropsies – to see what they may have been exposed to recently," she said. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Marine researchers concerned over uptick in whale deaths in San Francisco Bay Area
Nearly two dozen whales have died in the San Francisco Bay Area in recent months, according to animal rescue groups. A total of 19 gray whales, two unidentified baleen whales and one minke whale have died in the Bay Area region so far this year, according to the California Academy of Sciences. At least seven of the gray whale deaths have been determined to be suspect or probable vessel strikes, according to the organization. MORE: 6 gray whales have died in San Francisco in the past week as authorities scramble for answers In addition, there has been an "unusually high" number of whale sightings in the Bay Area this year, with more than 30 individual gray whales confirmed in the region via photo identification, the Academy said, noting that the whales' physical conditions have ranged from normal to emaciated. About a third of the whales have stayed in the region for at least 20 days and researchers expect more sightings for another couple of weeks before the whales migrate north to Arctic feeding grounds. The whales breed off the coast of Mexico but should be farther north at this time of year, Kathi George, director of cetacean conservation biology at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, Calif., told ABC News. In 2024, just six gray whales were sighted in the region. Researchers are investigating the potential reasons behind the "massive" spike in sightings this year. Animal rescue groups in the region have not responded to this many dead gray whale deaths since the unusual mortality event in 2019 that saw more than 70 gray whale deaths on the West Coast, and another event in 2021 in which 15 whales died in the Bay Area, according to the California Academy of Sciences. An estimated 45% of the North Pacific gray whale population was lost between 2019 and 2023, the California Academy of Sciences said. MORE: What to know about the toxic algae bloom killing marine life in Southern California In previous unusual mortality events, the gray whale population has typically rebounded but after 2019, the populations have experienced continued declines, George said. The population was estimated to be at nearly 27,000 in 2016 but fell to as low as 13,230 animals in the winter of 2022-2023 as a result of the mass mortality event, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Marine researchers in the U.S., Mexico and Canada are monitoring the health of the gray whale population in hopes of gaining further insights into the unusual mortality event, the organization said. Earlier this year, scientists in Southern California have reported a record-low gray whale calf count, "which is a cause for concern," according to the Academy. Only about 85 gray whale calves migrated past Central California on their way to feeding grounds in the Arctic earlier this year, according to NOAA. "It shows signs of concern for this population as it moves forward into the future," George said. "What we're trying to learn is we know that climate change is changing ocean conditions and changing prey available availability for these whales in the Arctic." MORE: NOAA declares deaths of 70 gray whales on US west coast 'unusual mortality event' The Bay Area serves as a "puzzle piece" to the gray whales' lengthy annual migration, George said. Dead whales have been reported in the San Francisco Bay Area since March 30, when a female gray whale was found dead at Black Sands Beach, located in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The animal died from a probable vessel strike, according to The Marine Mammal Center. In May, six gray whales died in the region within a week. The latest death occurred on July 7 at the Richmond Long Wharf, located about 20 miles north of San Francisco, according to The Marine Mammal Center. A dead female adult gray whale washed up adjacent to the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge after suffering from blunt force trauma by a suspected vessel strike, the organization said. A necropsy revealed hemorrhaging on the animal's left side, between the head and pectoral fin, likely as a result of the strike, according to the Center. "This latest gray whale caught everyone a bit by surprise given how late in the season it is and the fact that we had not sighted the species in the bay in nearly two weeks," George said in a statement. An estimated 80 whales die annually from vessel strikes, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. Gray whales typically have a "very low profile" in the water that can make them difficult to see, unlike other coastal whales, such as humpback whales, according to the Academy. "It's vital that all boaters – from large commercial vessels to sailboats – be 'whale aware' and continue to slow down," the California Academy of Sciences said. Further south, thousands of marine animals have been sickened by an unprecedented toxic algae bloom that has overrun the Southern California coasts. Species such as seabirds, sea lions and dolphins have been impacted by elevated levels of the neurotoxic domoic acid produced by the algae blooms in the region. However, the harmful algae blooms aren't related to the recent whale deaths in the Bay Area because gray whales transiting north don't stop in Southern California to feed, George said. "That is something we test for, though, when we are doing he necropsies – to see what they may have been exposed to recently," she said.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
The numbers of gray whales migrating along the California coast continue to plummet
The number of gray whales migrating along the California coast has plummeted again this year, dropping to levels not seen since the 1970s, according to federal officials. There are now likely fewer than 13,000 gray whales migrating along the North American Pacific coast — fewer than half the population's 27,000 peak in 2016, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Although a single cause for the population shrinkage has not been determined, scientists believe it is likely the result of a changing climate and its impact on the animals' Arctic and subarctic food supply. This year, scientists in Mexico reported ominous indicators as they observed gray whales wintering in the shallow, warm, protected lagoons of the Baja California Peninsula. They said that very few calves had been born, and that many adult whales were dying. The pattern has since continued, with U.S. researchers saying they observed only 85 calves migrating north to the whales' Arctic feeding grounds. That's the lowest number of calves counted since researchers began keeping records in 1994. In addition, 47 whales have died along the U.S. Pacific coast this year. Although this number is smaller than the 122 that perished in 2019, the population is now much smaller than it was at that time. Twenty of the whales that have died since March 30 expired in San Francisco Bay, according to the Sausalito, Calif.-based Marine Mammal Center. The bay historically was not visited by this cetacean species. Researchers aren't sure why gray whales began frequenting San Francisco Bay, but have suggested they may do it when they are looking for food. Gray whales tend to summer in Arctic waters, where they gorge themselves on tiny, mud-dwelling invertebrates such as worms and shrimp-like critters called amphipods. During typical years of food abundance, the whales would fill themselves up and fast as they migrated 10,000 miles south to their wintering grounds in the lagoons of the Baja peninsula. They wouldn't eat again until the following summer. But in recent years, observers along the coast and in the bay have seen gray whales exhibiting behaviors suggestive of foraging and feeding — an indication that they may be short on fuel. According to a news release this month by the NOAA, one of the most concerning aspects of these latest numbers is the continued population drop since 2019. While these whales have faced population shrinkages in the past, they tended to rebound after a few years. "The environment may now be changing at a pace or in ways that is testing the time-honored ability of the population to rapidly rebound while it adjusts to a new ecological regime,' NOAA biologist David Weller said in the release. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
