Gray Whales in the news: rising mortality and few returns from monitored individuals amid alarming death rates. A Pacific migrator, ~49 ft, feed in Arctic, breed off California.
Recent studies show gray whales in the Pacific are experiencing high mortality rates, largely due to vessel collisions and Arctic food shortages. A whale found dead in Washington highlights ongoing threats, while efforts to reduce vessel strikes are underway. The population remains critically low, with fewer than 13,000 whales counted since 1970.