Scientists have responded to 21 gray whale deaths in the San Francisco Bay Area this year, the most in 25 years, according to the Marine Mammal Center. The latest washed up July 7 in Contra Costa County after a suspected vessel strike, the Sausalito-based mammal center and the California Academy of Sciences said Thursday. It marked the highest number of gray whale fatalities since 2000 and came as the population struggles, scientists said.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently released a revised population estimate showing eastern north Pacific gray whale numbers continue to decline to about 13,000, the lowest since the 1970s. The Richmond whale — a subadult female in good body condition — was found floating underneath the Richmond Long Wharf adjacent to the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. It was towed to Angel Island State Park on Thursday for scientists to determine the cause of death.
Sad…. do we know if most die as a result of ship strikes? I had heard there was much less food – leaving them in a weakened condition …. combination of the two? The “officials” lowered ship speed limits a while ago, how effective has that been? How many “citations” were issued? or is there no policing and everybody is on their own honor?
I doubt it’s a food supply issue.
Baleen whales stir up the bottom of the ocean and suck in sand water and lots of small plankton, crustaceans, krill, etc. which they filter out and eat.
I haven’t heard of any shortage of those things or red tide type problems….
I got a few bad clams once & thought I was gonna die.
I thought whales were supposed to be smart.
Dont tell me..windmills are to blame?
no it’s electric cars…. and maybe Trump!!!! Absolute sarcasm.
Cause of death is humans. Greed, capitalism, over fishing, polluting, global warming. That’s why all the animals are dying, the humans.
That’s quite a laundry list of exaggerated causes there Jake… I think it’s more like the whales are so stupid they swim into the direct path of large ships…. kinda like a opossum waddling across a highway in front of a semi truck.
Global Warming eh? Coolest Summer in decades, but it’s Global Warming to blame? LoL!
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https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/bay-area-summer-temperatures-coldest-20763265.php
Jake sounds like my ex-wife. Everything is always my fault!
Thanks Biden.
Actually, the scientists say the gray whale population has rebounded in the last year or so. Could the increase in deaths be because of the higher population?
Are you living in a cave Jake? do you only wear animal skins and drink water from a creek? No just another Lib that lives their one little life and complains about the “bad” things around them. Let the biologist figure it out not the news. boohoo