San Francisco Bay Area – A troubling trend continues along the California coastline as the body of another gray whale was discovered on June 7, 2025, at Lands End in San Francisco. This marks the 18th gray whale death reported in the region this year, raising concerns among marine scientists and conservationists.
The deceased male gray whale was found beached without a necropsy, leaving the cause of death undetermined, according to the California Academy of Sciences. This alarming figure, confirmed jointly by the Academy and the Marine Mammal Center, highlights an unsettling increase in whale strandings during the ongoing 2025 migration season.
Unusual Whale Mortality Event in 2025
So far in 2025, 18 gray whales and one minke whale have died in the San Francisco Bay Area. Particularly shocking is the fact that nine of these deaths occurred within just two weeks, suggesting an acute crisis. While vessel strikes are suspected in four of the cases, experts remain uncertain about the overall cause behind this spike in marine mammal fatalities.
This year’s numbers mirror previous spikes, including 14 whale deaths in 2019 and 15 in 2021, indicating that the pattern may be part of a broader environmental issue impacting the species.
Surge in Gray Whale Sightings in San Francisco Bay
In addition to the rising death toll, researchers have observed an increase in gray whale sightings within San Francisco Bay. In 2025 alone, 33 individual gray whales have been identified through photo ID — a significant jump compared to only six sightings in 2024.
Even more concerning is the increased duration of their stay. Approximately one-third of the whales remained in the bay for 20 days or longer, diverging from typical migratory behavior. Experts anticipate these whales will stay in the bay for another 1–2 weeks before resuming their northbound migration to Arctic feeding grounds.
Facts About Gray Whales
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA):
- Adult gray whales can grow up to 49 feet in length.
- They can weigh as much as 90,000 pounds.
- Gray whales undertake one of the longest migrations of any mammal, traveling approximately 14,000 miles round trip annually.
- The species is protected under the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Why This Matters
The ongoing deaths and behavioral changes in gray whales raise critical questions about ocean health, shipping traffic, pollution, and the impacts of climate change. As scientists investigate, public awareness and conservation efforts remain vital to protecting these majestic marine mammals.
Stay tuned for updates as researchers continue to monitor the situation and search for answers behind the gray whale mortality surge in 2025.