At least 22 whale carcasses have been confirmed in the San Francisco Bay Area so far in 2025, including 19 gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus), two unidentified baleen whales, and one minke whale. This is the highest number reported in the region since 2021, when an Unusual Mortality Event (UME) affected gray whales along the Eastern North Pacific.
Data collected by local observers and the Marine Mammal Center indicate that more than 30 gray whales have been seen alive in San Francisco Bay over the same period. This represents an increase from just 6 whales observed by May 2024.
Approximately one-third of those whales remained in the bay for more than 20 days, with visible signs of varied health that ranged from normal to emaciated condition.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported a total of 47 gray whale strandings along the U.S. West Coast by mid-June 2025. These include 27 in California, 13 in Washington, and 7 in Oregon…