Gray Whales in Crisis | Sacramento News

Gray whales are dying at an alarming rate on the West Coast—145 already this year, far surpassing the average of 43 per year. Scientists are sounding the alarm, calling it a “catastrophic mortality event,” with 2026 potentially marking one of the worst years ever. Starvation is a major culprit, driven by warming Arctic waters that disrupt the food chain and leave whales hungry during critical feeding seasons. Human impacts like ship strikes are compounding the crisis, as seen in a whale found with fatal ship damage. Conservationists are pushing for slower vessel speeds and stronger climate action, as the population has plummeted by half in just a decade. This is a stark wake-up call for marine life survival. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/24d7836c4be8ce7c