Final week, six lifeless grey whales had been discovered within the space of ββthe San Francisco Bay, the officers stated on Wednesday in a single 12 months wherein there was an unusually excessive variety of sightings within the space.
The grey whales had been discovered lifeless from Might 21 to Wednesday when one was washed ashore in Level Reyes Nationwide Seashore. The California Academy of Sciences said.
On Monday two had been discovered on the identical day – one on Alcatraz and one at Level Bonita, it stated.
Typically, no post-mortem that’s like an post-mortem for an animal was carried out. The partly necropsia for an annual grey whale present in Bolinas was not conclusive, and the outcomes of the necropsy on Wednesday are nonetheless pending, in keeping with the academy.
The whales had been found as an unusually massive variety of them in San Francisco Bay, officers stated.
It was not clear why the whales died.
“That’s the open query, why” told the NBC Bay Area this week.
“Why are there not solely so many deceased whales within the area, however why was it a banner 12 months wherein it had extra sightings in San Francisco Bay than we noticed in at the least 20 years?”
Thus far, 14 grey whales and a Minke whale have died within the Better San Francisco Bay Space, in keeping with the academy, and the dying of three of them comes from boat strokes.
Within the bay, extra grey whales had been noticed this 12 months in comparison with the final time – 33, in comparison with solely six in 2024.
Some appeared regular and others have emaciated, it stated.
“Researchers are nonetheless investigating the rationale or the potential causes for the huge climbs this 12 months,” stated the academy. “It’s anticipated that Grauwhales can be within the bay for an additional one to 2 weeks earlier than persevering with their annual northern migration to feed arctic.”
Grey whales was once widespread in waters in all the northern hemisphere, however are actually usually solely out there within the North Pacific, Ocean, According to the National Marine Fisheries ServiceA part of the nationwide oceanic and atmospheric administration. They journey round 10,000 miles in an annual backwards and migration, it stated.
As is thought, grey whales are interested in boats, which implies that they’re typically seen on whale watching journeys, stated the company. You’ll be able to develop lengthy on about 49 toes and weigh about 90,000 kilos.
Because of the lengthy migration, the whales are generally hit by vessels and concerned in fishing tools, that are a part of their prime threats, in keeping with the fishing service.
