Gray whale mortality along Pacific Northwest are at an increasing pace
5 hours ago
- #Gray Whales
- #Marine Conservation
- #Climate Change
- 21 dead gray whales washed up on Washington shores since March, alarming scientists.
- Gray whale populations have declined precipitously over the last seven years, linked to climate change affecting Arctic food supply.
- Melting sea ice disrupts algae growth, reducing amphipods, the whales' main prey, leading to malnutrition and starvation.
- Whales exhibit strange behavior and navigational issues due to poor condition, with some found in unusual locations.
- The gray whale population dropped from about 27,430 a decade ago to 12,950 last summer, despite a brief rebound in 2023.
- Some whale groups, like the Sounders and Pacific Feeding Group, show resilience by adopting alternative foraging strategies.
- Gray whales were once a conservation success after whaling restrictions but now face new threats from environmental changes.