WA gray whale deaths hit 23 after latest Olympic Coast discovery
23rd gray whale death reported along Washington coast
The 23rd gray whale death of 2026 has washed ashore the Washington coastline, marking the sixth death in the state in May alone.
A 23rd gray whale has washed ashore on the Washington coastline, marking the sixth death in the state during May alone as scientists track a record-breaking marine die-off, according to the Cascadia Research Collective.
Starving gray whales face historic crisis
The Latest Discovery:
On Monday, reports came in from Olympic National Park regarding a dead gray whale beaching on the Olympic Coast.
May vs. April Totals:
This latest stranding marks the sixth gray whale found dead in Washington waters during May. This contrasts with a staggering 17 whales found dead up until the end of April.
The Core Cause:
Evidence points directly to a collapsing food supply in the Arctic feeding grounds. Whales migrating north past Washington state have gone months without feeding, and an increasing number lack the energy reserves to survive the journey.
Record Territory:
Washington has recorded 23 gray whale deaths so far this year. While this does not yet surpass the 50-year season record of 35 deaths set in 2019, the current population is estimated to be half the size it was then, making the proportional impact far more severe.
Coastwide Impact:
The crisis extends far beyond local waters, with more than 100 strandings recorded across the whales' migration range stretching from breeding grounds in Mexico to the Pacific coast.
What we don't know:
Scientists have not yet been able to conduct a detailed examination or necropsy on the whale found at Olympic National Park, meaning its exact age, physical measurements and definitive cause of death remain unconfirmed.
Though the rapid rate of stranding has slowed down slightly from April to May, researchers cannot yet determine if the total annual death count will finish above or below the historic 2019 peak.
Timeline:
- End of April: Washington reaches a rapid total of 17 recorded gray whale strandings.
- Mid-May: A separate gray whale strands closer to home in the Bremerton area.
- Monday: Reports confirm the 23rd carcass of the year discovered on the Olympic Coast.
- Through June: Peak stranding season typically continues through May and June, which historically represent the three highest months for local whale beachings.
What they're saying:
We haven’t been able to do a detailed exam on it yet, so we don’t know too much about it," said John Calambokidis, cofounder of Cascadia Research Collective. "So we think it all boils down to a decrease in their food supply in the arctic that’s leading most of these whales to starve to death, or they [face] certain challenges and deaths that relate to them desperately searching for alternative areas to feed."
"What’s more troubling is those 35 deaths that occurred in 2019, occurred when the population was estimated to be twice as large as we think it is now," Calambokidis added. "So proportionally to the population, this number of deaths is even more worrisome."
The Source: Information in this story comes from a live interview with Cascadia Research Collective co-founder John Calambokidis.
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