A dead gray whale washed ashore Wednesday on the north end of Whidbey Island, turning a quiet stretch of sand into a scene of scientific concern and public curiosity. The animal was found at North Sunset Beach near West Beach Road, and county deputies quickly alerted marine responders to evaluate the carcass. The discovery brings the number of gray whale strandings recorded along Washington's coast to 19 so far this year.
Officials and the scene
The Island County Sheriff's Office reported the stranding and said the NOAA Marine Mammal Stranding Network had been notified, as reported by KIRO 7. KIRO's video and county photos show the whale lying on the sand while deputies keep curious beachgoers at a distance so response teams can work. Authorities urged people to stay away from the carcass, both to protect the public and to give responders space to safely assess the animal.
Nineteen strandings and growing concern
The discovery marks the 19th gray whale found dead along Washington's coastline this year, according to Fox 13 Seattle. John Calambokidis, a senior research biologist with the Cascadia Research Collective, told Fox 13 that "At the end of April we were at 17, so it’s slightly encouraging that we’ve only added two and we’re almost halfway through May." Scientists say that kind of early-season spike in strandings is troubling compared with recent years and that necropsies and lab tests will be needed to determine what is driving the deaths.
What researchers are finding
Data compiled by the Cascadia Research Collective's working list shows many of the whales examined this spring were emaciated, with malnutrition emerging as a common finding in necropsies. Cascadia also notes several carcasses have shown trauma consistent with vessel strikes or prior entanglement, though officials say full cause-of-death determinations will depend on lab results. The group asks the public to report strandings and to avoid disturbing animals so responders can properly document and sample each case.
How to report a stranded animal
If you see a dead, injured or entangled marine mammal, do not approach or attempt to move it; call the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network hotline at 1-866-767-6114, per NOAA Fisheries. The agency coordinates the regional stranding network and connects callers with local response teams that can safely document the animal and, if needed, perform necropsies. Officials say clear photos taken from a safe distance can help investigators, but they stress that people and pets should stay well back from the carcass.
Local context and previous coverage
Washington has seen a run of early-season strandings this spring, including the 18th Gray Whale Found near the Long Beach Peninsula earlier this month. Responders say they will release necropsy findings and lab results when they are available. For now, scientists continue to monitor gray whale migration patterns and are urging the public to report any stranded or distressed whales to the hotline rather than trying to intervene on their own.
