Environmental Groups Urge NOAA to Relist Gray Whales After 2,500-8,000 Deaths

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 10

NOAA faces a petition to restore Endangered Species Act protections for gray whales after an estimated 2,500-8,000 died in 2026, a level advocates say qualifies as a catastrophic mortality event.
Fewer than 13,000 gray whales remain, down from about 20,000 in 2019, as melting Alaska sea ice cuts off food supplies and stranded whales are turning up emaciated.
146 carcasses were counted in the first half of 2026 after 179 strandings in 2025, versus a 43-year average from 2006-2023; scientists estimate many more deaths go unseen offshore.
Ship strikes, oil pollution, algal blooms, microplastics and Russian harvesting of up to 40 whales a year are also cited, while California's voluntary ship-slowdown zones have cut strike deaths about 50%.
NOAA is due to respond within about a month, but advocates say approval is unlikely under a Trump administration that has moved to weaken ESA protections and has not listed any species so far.

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The Guardian2h ago

Environmental Groups Petition NOAA to Relist Gray Whales Amid Catastrophic Die-Off

AOL2h ago

Pacific gray whales facing 'catastrophic' die-off as climate crisis hits food supply - AOL

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With a staggering 145 gray whales found stranded dead on the West Coast this year, researchers declared it a "catastrophic mortality event." Here's what they say is the leading factor: http://www.13wmaz.com/article/news/nation-world/catastrophic ...

If starvation is the true killer, are protections from ships and pollution too little, too late for gray whales?

With calf births at a record low, is the gray whale population already past the point of no return?

Catastrophic Decline of Pacific Gray Whales: 30% Population Loss and the Push for Endangered Status

Overview

The Pacific gray whale population is facing a severe crisis, highlighted by an unusual mortality event between 2019 and 2023. During this period, there were alarmingly low birth rates and a surge in stranded whales along the coast. Investigations revealed that starvation and vessel strikes were common causes of death. However, the whales found ashore represent only a small portion of the actual fatalities, suggesting a much higher, hidden mortality rate. This situation points to a much larger problem for the species, emphasizing the urgent need for stronger protections and immediate conservation action.

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