Beachgoers look at a decomposing gray whale while visiting Muir Beach on April 17, 2021. Scientists from the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California, found evidence the whale had been struck by a vessel. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Beachgoers look at a decomposing gray whale while visiting Muir Beach on April 17, 2021. Scientists from the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California, found evidence the whale had been struck by a vessel. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Something is killing gray whales. Is it a sign of oceans in peril?

Advertisement

Scientists are now scrambling to figure out what is killing these 40-foot-long marine mammals. The “what” is anything but obvious.

Something is killing gray whales. Is it a sign of oceans in peril?

Balvi Vasquez pets and talks to a gray whale in San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California, on February 16, 2021. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Balvi Vasquez pets and talks to a gray whale in San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California, on February 16, 2021. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Advertisement

Something is killing gray whales. Is it a sign of oceans in peril?

A gray whale swims into Los Angeles Harbor on February 23, 2021. It’s not unusual for gray whales to stay in the harbor for a few weeks in February and March before migrating farther north toward Alaska. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

A gray whale swims into Los Angeles Harbor on February 23, 2021. It’s not unusual for gray whales to stay in the harbor for a few weeks in February and March before migrating farther north toward Alaska. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Advertisement

Something is killing gray whales. Is it a sign of oceans in peril?

Gray whales can be seen from California's Mendocino Headlands, where observers such as Scott and Tree Mercer say they have observed gray whales year-round. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Gray whales can be seen from California's Mendocino Headlands, where observers such as Scott and Tree Mercer say they have observed gray whales year-round. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Advertisement

Something is killing gray whales. Is it a sign of oceans in peril?

Scott Mercer, left, a whale biologist in New England, relocated to the Pacific Coast with his wife, Tree Mercer, right. During the pandemic, they spent nearly every day monitoring whales and recording data from a bluff near Point Arena Lighthouse in Mendocino County, California. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Scott Mercer, left, a whale biologist in New England, relocated to the Pacific Coast with his wife, Tree Mercer, right. During the pandemic, they spent nearly every day monitoring whales and recording data from a bluff near Point Arena Lighthouse in Mendocino County, California. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Advertisement

Something is killing gray whales. Is it a sign of oceans in peril?

Beachgoers look at a decomposing gray whale while visiting Muir Beach on April 17, 2021. Scientists from the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California, found evidence the whale had been struck by a vessel. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Beachgoers look at a decomposing gray whale while visiting Muir Beach on April 17, 2021. Scientists from the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California, found evidence the whale had been struck by a vessel. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Advertisement

Something is killing gray whales. Is it a sign of oceans in peril?

A playful gray whale comes close to a boat of visitors and turns on his side to see. Whales are drawn to boats by the hum of their outboard motors, Baja guides say. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

A playful gray whale comes close to a boat of visitors and turns on his side to see. Whales are drawn to boats by the hum of their outboard motors, Baja guides say. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Advertisement

Something is killing gray whales. Is it a sign of oceans in peril?

A dead gray whale washed ashore in Del Norte County, in Northern California in October 2020. Since January 1, 2019, elevated gray whale strandings have occurred along the west coast of North America from Mexico through Alaska. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

A dead gray whale washed ashore in Del Norte County, in Northern California in October 2020. Since January 1, 2019, elevated gray whale strandings have occurred along the west coast of North America from Mexico through Alaska. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Advertisement

Something is killing gray whales. Is it a sign of oceans in peril?

Mexico's Baja Peninsula, including places like San Ignacio Lagoon, provide warm, shallow estuaries where gray whale mothers come each year to nurse their calves, as other adults arrive to mate. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Mexico's Baja Peninsula, including places like San Ignacio Lagoon, provide warm, shallow estuaries where gray whale mothers come each year to nurse their calves, as other adults arrive to mate. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Advertisement

Something is killing gray whales. Is it a sign of oceans in peril?

Ranulfo Mayoral is a guide with Pachico's Ecotours, one of the first whale tour businesses in San Ignacio Lagoon. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Ranulfo Mayoral is a guide with Pachico's Ecotours, one of the first whale tour businesses in San Ignacio Lagoon. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Advertisement

Something is killing gray whales. Is it a sign of oceans in peril?

A whale-watching group gets a view of a gray whale “spy hopping” in San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California, Mexico. The term refers to when a whale sticks its head above the water, possibly to get a view of surrounding objects. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

A whale-watching group gets a view of a gray whale “spy hopping” in San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California, Mexico. The term refers to when a whale sticks its head above the water, possibly to get a view of surrounding objects. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Advertisement

Something is killing gray whales. Is it a sign of oceans in peril?

A gray whale pushes her calf to the surface in San Ignacio Lagoon. In 2019 and 2020, researchers noticed a big drop-off in mother-calf pairs in Baja lagoons — a pattern seen when there was a significant die-off of gray whales 20 years ago. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

A gray whale pushes her calf to the surface in San Ignacio Lagoon. In 2019 and 2020, researchers noticed a big drop-off in mother-calf pairs in Baja lagoons — a pattern seen when there was a significant die-off of gray whales 20 years ago. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Advertisement

Something is killing gray whales. Is it a sign of oceans in peril?

"Spy hopping" is a behavior exhibited by cetaceans, such as the gray whale above, and some sharks. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

"Spy hopping" is a behavior exhibited by cetaceans, such as the gray whale above, and some sharks. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Advertisement

Featured Photos

Advertisement
Advertisement