A massive, 36-foot gray whale washed up on a California beach, raising concerns among marine researchers eager to determine its cause of death.
According to an April 1 news release from the Marine Mammal Center, the center was first alerted to the whale's presence on March 29 after National Park Service (NPS) staff reported a deceased gray whale on Alcatraz Island.
Responding by boat, researchers tagged the whale with a buoy to facilitate tracking and collected skin and blubber samples for analysis. The carcass was later seen floating under the Golden Gate Bridge before ultimately washing ashore at Black Sands Beach in Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
After securing permission from the NPS, research teams conducted an animal autopsy during low tide. Officials found no signs of blunt force trauma or indications that the whale had been struck by a vessel. The cause of death remains unknown, and researchers estimate it will take several weeks to determine the findings.
"While this number of gray whales in San Francisco Bay is exciting to see, it does raise concerns for both human and whale safety," said Kathi George, director of cetacean conservation biology at the center. "Gray whales are difficult to see due to their low profile and coloration patterns that naturally blend into the bay. It's important for all boaters to be extra vigilant and whale aware."
Gray whales along the Pacific Coast have faced challenges in recent years. In 2019, an Unusual Mortality Event (UME) was declared after ecosystem changes in the species' feeding areas led to mass deaths. Over four years, more than 45% of the eastern North Pacific gray whale population was lost. While the UME has since been closed, concerns over the species' health persist.
Officials encourage the public to report any dead or stranded whales in the San Francisco Bay Area by contacting the California Academy of Sciences at 415-379-5381.
