grey whales in san francisco bay

Rare sighting of mother humpback whale fluke, Megaptera novaeangliae, swimming in San Francisco Bay with Golden Gate Bridge in background

More than fifty whales have died on the West Coast of North America as of May 31st, already making it the second deadliest year for the aquatic mammals. Eleven of the fatalities were in the San Francisco Bay area, two as a result of ship strikes. Historically, 40% of grey whale deaths have been caused by collisions with ship propellers, but a new technology rolled out earlier this year hopes to reduce those numbers.

Grey whales are federally protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act after their numbers dropped by more than half in the last 10 years. They pass the West Coast on their normal migratory pattern from Alaska to Mexico, but increasingly have wandered into the San Francisco Bay to feed as climate changes reduce their food supply.

Originally published on theroamreport.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.