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Gray whales face a tough road ahead after a significant die-off

Gray whales face a tough road ahead after a significant die-off

A recent study suggests the dramatic increase in gray whale deaths along the Pacific Coast over the last six years may be due to a critical shortage of food in their Arctic feeding grounds.

Susanne Rust reports for Los Angeles Times.

In short:

  • The gray whale population has suffered a dramatic decline, with more than 700 whales found dead since 2018, raising questions about their survival.
  • Researchers pinpoint a drop in Arctic and sub-Arctic food supplies as a primary cause, though the exact reasons for this scarcity remain unclear.
  • This die-off provides a crucial data point for understanding and potentially addressing the challenges faced by marine life in changing oceanic environments.

Key quote:

"We didn’t find any evidence of anything that looks like an infectious disease. There were no telltale signs of infection of any kind."

— Padraig Duignan, pathologist at the Marine Mammal Center

Why this matters:

Gray whales along the Pacific Coast have experienced significant die-offs, tentatively attributed to changing Arctic conditions and a decline in their primary food sources. Some researchers have observed a direct correlation between these die-offs and both the levels of Arctic sea ice and the biomass of benthic amphipods, a key food source for the whales.

EHN’s coverage: The century began with a great deal of optimism around marine protected areas as tools to protect the oceans. Two decades later, conservation goals and fishing interests remain at odds.

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