A female gray whale, the 18th gray whale found dead in Washington waters this year, washed ashore near the Long Beach Peninsula on Friday, according to officials. Teams with the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network responded and are planning a field necropsy to look for clues about what killed the animal, in what scientists say is an unusually heavy and deeply worrying early-season wave of strandings.
As reported by KING5, the whale was found on the sand near the Long Beach Peninsula and identified as a female. The cause of death will remain unknown until the examination is complete. According to the same report, this latest discovery brings Washington's gray whale stranding total to 18 so far this year.
Cascadia Teams Document Emaciated Animals
According to Cascadia Research Collective, many of the gray whales examined this spring were in poor body condition, showing signs that line up with malnutrition. Several carcasses have also shown trauma that fits with vessel strikes or entanglement in gear. The group's working list tracks strandings at locations from Anacortes and Sequim to Ocean Shores and Deception Pass, and it urges the public to report any stranded or injured marine mammals so teams can document what is happening in real time.
Scientists Point to Shrinking Arctic Food Supplies
Veteran biologists say this pattern looks uncomfortably similar to the 2019-2023 die-off and likely reflects larger ecosystem stress all along the whales' migration corridor. John Calambokidis, co-founder of Cascadia Research, told KING5 that climate-driven changes in prey availability in the Arctic and Bering Sea may be forcing whales to take more risks while feeding and leaving some so short on food that they starve. Federal agencies are continuing to track strandings and other population indicators up and down the West Coast.
What To Do If You See a Stranded Whale
Do not approach, touch, or try to move a stranded whale. These are massive, stressed wild animals that can be dangerous and can also carry disease. Instead, report the sighting right away to the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network hotline at 1-866-767-6114, following guidance from Cascadia Research Collective. Keep pets and people well back until trained responders can evaluate the situation.
The necropsy on the Long Beach whale is expected to take several days, and officials say they will release findings when they are available, including whether malnutrition, trauma, or something else played a role. NOAA Fisheries continues to monitor gray whale health and notes that the species has experienced elevated strandings during and after the 2019-23 unusual mortality event.
