Gray Whale Strandings Rise Along Washington Coast This Spring

Twenty-two gray whale carcasses have been found this spring along the Washington coast, many showing signs of blunt-force trauma from vessel strikes. Researchers attribute the strandings to prolonged malnutrition that has reduced the eastern North Pacific population by half since 2016.

The decline coincides with changes in Arctic feeding grounds. Early sea-ice retreat has reduced the nutritional quality of bottom-dwelling crustaceans that gray whales rely on during summer months.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration counts show calf births fell from 1,600 to 85 over the same period. The current decline has lasted longer than previous cycles recorded in the past 60 years. John Calambokidis of the Cascadia Research Collective said the population is in serious trouble and not part of a normal cycle.

He noted that desperate animals are dying at a high rate and not producing calves. Joshua D. Stewart of Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute said the prey base is extremely sensitive to Arctic warming and shows no sign of recovery. He added that warmer bottom water and stronger currents are reducing the viability of crustaceans as food.

In recent years some malnourished whales have entered Puget Sound instead of continuing south, where several have died. Calambokidis said debilitated whales show impaired navigation and are more likely to collide with vessels or become entangled in fishing gear.