Jun 1, 2019 - Energy & Climate

NOAA launches investigation to find cause of death for 70 stranded gray whales

Orion Rummler

In this image, a crowd stands around a large dead whale on a beach. — The 13th gray whale to wash up on a San Francisco Bay Area beach. Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

At least 70 dead gray whales have washed up on the west coast this year, according to a statement made Friday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries, ABC reports.

Why it matters: The death toll is higher than we presently know. These stranded whales represent only 10% of how many have actually died, per research biologist John Calambokidis. NOAA has launched a scientific investigation into the cause of the deaths, describing it as an "unusual mortality event."

Catch up quick:

37 whales have beached in California, with more than 12 concentrated on the San Francisco Bay. Other locations include Oregon, Alaska and Washington.
Gray whale death rates this high have only been seen once, in 2000 — with the most stranded whales found in Alaska (45) and California (61).
There is a chance the gray whale population can rebound, if environmental and food availability conditions are right.

What they're saying: “It is very unusual. A normal year for us, we have maybe between one and three [dead] gray whales in this season. This is triple that already, in less than a two-month period," Chief research pathologist at the Marine Mammal Center Pádraig Duignan told the Washington Post, on stranded whales in California's Bay area.

The bottom line: Researchers are trying to determine if the cause of death is related to warming temperatures in the Arctic, other environmental factors, disease or human activities like ship strikes.

Go deeper: Climate change could make it harder for blue whales to find food

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NOAA launches investigation to find cause of death for 70 stranded gray whales

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