A total of 22 gray whales have been found dead on beaches in Washington state and Puget Sound so far this year, according to local reports. The number marks a significant increase in strandings, prompting concern among wildlife officials.
The whales, which are listed as 'sensitive' in Washington, are considered vulnerable to becoming endangered. A male gray whale discovered near Bremerton last week showed signs of malnutrition and blunt force trauma, experts said.
Malnutrition has been the most common finding in examinations of the dead whales. Researchers believe climate change in the Arctic, where the whales migrate to feed, is reducing their prey. Rising ocean temperatures and acidity are thought to be affecting the small invertebrates that gray whales eat.
Other threats include entanglement in fishing gear, ship strikes, and marine noise. At least four of the whales that washed up this year had injuries consistent with ship strikes, and one showed signs of recent entanglement.
The 2019 stranding season saw 35 gray whale deaths in Washington, and researchers say the 2023 total has already surpassed the number recorded at the same point in that record-breaking year.
