Nearly 2 dozen whales found dead around San Francisco Bay Area, alarming marine experts
An alarming number of gray whale deaths continue to be reported around the San Francisco Bay Area, with experts now confirming at least 22 carcasses have been spotted, making it the deadliest year for strandings since the height of the Unusual Mortality Event.
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SAN FRANCISCO – An alarming number of gray whale deaths continue to be reported around the San Francisco Bay Area, with experts now confirming at least 22 carcasses have been spotted, making it the deadliest year for strandings since the height of the Unusual Mortality Event.
According to staff at the California Academy of Sciences and The Marine Mammal Center, 19 gray whales, two baleen whales and one minke whale have been discovered dead so far across the Bay Area since the start of 2025.
The figure is the highest since 2021, when what was designated to be an UME was underway.
According to NOAA Fisheries, from 2019 to 2023, the population experienced a decline of roughly 45%, which was investigated by biologists.
A research team determined that ecosystem changes in the whales' feeding areas ultimately led to changes in food availability, malnutrition and a decrease in birthing rates.
ALARMING NUMBER OF WHALE DEATHS REPORTED AROUND SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
Simultaneously, staff with the Center’s Cetacean Conservation Biology Team reported an unprecedented number of live gray whale sightings inside the Bay, with more than 30 individual whales confirmed since January.
The figure is a sharp increase from last year, when only six were sighted during the same time period.
"Roughly one-third of these whales have stayed in the bay for at least 20 days, and their overall body condition has ranged from normal to emaciated. The reason or potential reasons behind the massive spike in sightings this year are still being investigated," researchers stated.
The reason behind the surge in sightings is still unclear, but marine scientists expect many of these whales to depart the bay within the next one to two weeks as they resume their northern migration toward Arctic feeding grounds.
Researchers in Mexico, Canada and the U.S. are said to be actively monitoring the population and have also reported low calf counts.
The long-term health outlook for eastern North Pacific gray whales remains uncertain following what NOAA estimated was a 45% decline in population from 2019 to 2023.
The drop was attributed to changes in feeding zones, leading to impacts such as malnutrition and a reduction in calving rates.
SPECTATORS GATHER AS KILLER WHALE WASHES ASHORE FLORIDA COAST
Gray whale population map (NOAA)
The amount of marine life recently spotted in San Francisco Bay has experts urging boaters to remain aware.
"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," Marine Mammal Center staff stated.
Biologists are said to be working closely with the San Francisco Harbor Safety Committee and the U.S. Coast Guard to explore the possibility of enforcing vessel slow-downs, ferry route adjustments and marine alerts during the period of increased whale activity.