Marine biologists and wildlife authorities are sounding the alarm over a drastic increase in gray whale deaths, with the number of documented strandings in Washington state reaching 23 for the year. This sudden spike, marked by six recent beachings in May following a heavy wave of fatalities in March and April, points toward a critical environmental crisis affecting the species during their annual migration.
Data compiled by the Cascadia Research Collective and NOAA Fisheries reveals that starvation is the predominant factor in these deaths. As the whales travel thousands of miles from their breeding lagoons in Mexico up to their Arctic feeding grounds, an increasing number are running out of fat reserves. Scientists tie this widespread malnutrition to a collapsing food supply in the Arctic, where climate-driven shifts have severely diminished the population of small marine invertebrates that the whales depend on to survive.
Adding to the crisis, the animals’ desperate search for alternative feeding zones is driving them into dangerous, unfamiliar waters. Compounding the starvation issue, investigators found that multiple stranded whales also suffered severe internal injuries from vessel collisions, and at least one showed signs of fishing gear entanglement. Because weakened, malnourished whales surface less frequently and travel slowly beneath the water, they are incredibly difficult for boaters to spot.
While the total count hasn’t yet topped the historical peak of 35 strandings seen in 2019, experts note the current situation is proportionally far worse because the total gray whale population has been cut in half since then. In response to the spike, NOAA Fisheries has issued warnings for boaters to slow down and stay vigilant in high-risk areas, including parts of the Puget Sound, while encouraging the public to promptly report any beached marine mammals to emergency stranding networks.
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