Scientists sound alarm bells about new gray whale behavior: “Conditions suggest a continuation”

The Northeast Pacific gray whale—a migratory species that travels thousands of kilometers each year from the warm lagoons of Mexico to the Arctic waters of Alaska—is facing an alarming situation.

Nearly 50 whales have washed up dead so far in 2025 along the coasts of California, Washington, and Oregon, according to a report from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), confirmed by local media outlet KNKX Public Radio in Tacoma, Washington.

This figure already surpasses the 31 strandings recorded in all of 2024 and has raised concerns among scientists about a possible resurgence of the so-called “Unusual Mortality Event” that afflicted the species from 2019 to 2023. “We are seeing sick animals in conditions that suggest a continuation, rather than a rebound, of that mortality event,” warned John Calambokidis, a marine biologist with Cascadia Research, based in Olympia, Washington.

These cetaceans undertake one of the longest migrations in the animal kingdom—a round trip of roughly 15,000 kilometers—from Mexico’s Pacific coast to the Arctic feeding grounds. During this journey, they rely on fat reserves to sustain them, as they do not feed en route. However, scientists are now observing malnourished whales with empty digestive tracts and alarmingly low fat levels, indicating that food in the Arctic may be increasingly scarce.

Even more concerning to researchers is the fact that some whales are now stopping to feed in unusual locations, such as San Francisco Bay and the coast of Grays Harbor, Washington. This behavior was not seen prior to the 2018–2023 crisis and may represent a desperate adaptation to dwindling food sources in their traditional feeding grounds.

According to Cascadia Research, this disruption may be linked to climate change. Rising ocean temperatures and the loss of sea ice are altering the populations of crustaceans and other organisms that gray whales depend on. The impacts are being felt all along their migration route. In Washington state alone, 13 strandings had been recorded by the end of May—more than double the average for that time of year. In Baja California, Mexico, where females give birth, at least 80 whales died this winter, and birth rates were significantly lower, according to KNKX.

Gray whales are considered key indicators of ocean health, and the patterns of mortality and malnutrition they exhibit highlight how climate change is already disrupting marine ecosystems on a global scale. Events like these also underscore how biodiversity loss affects food webs, fisheries, and the overall balance of the oceans.

NOAA Fisheries continues to monitor whale strandings and behavioral changes closely. While structural global action—such as international agreements on emissions and marine protection—is urgently needed, experts stress that individual actions also matter.

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