A catastrophic mortality event
At least 145 gray whale carcasses have been documented on beaches from California to Alaska so far in 2026, according to stranding networks and federal agencies. Researchers say the number is only a fraction of the real death toll, because most whales that die at sea sink to the ocean floor and are never counted.
The die-off has been declared a catastrophic mortality event. Last year, 179 gray whales were found dead along the coast. Alaska has recorded 13 strandings this year. In Washington state alone, stranding teams have tracked a steady series of deaths from March through May, according to the working list kept by Cascadia Research.
Starvation is the main finding
Malnutrition is the most common finding among examined whales. Scientists link the problem to warming oceans and shrinking food supplies in the Pacific, where gray whales feed on tiny crustaceans called amphipods. Some whales also showed internal trauma consistent with vessel collisions.
The gray whale population has gone through boom-and-bust cycles before, but researchers say the current losses are coming on top of a broader decline. A recent count put the eastern North Pacific population at its lowest level in years, and scientists warn that climate-driven changes to the Arctic feeding grounds may be cutting the amount of food available each season.
What researchers are watching
NOAA and the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network are tracking the losses and asking the public to report sightings of dead or distressed whales. Researchers are examining each carcass for clues about body condition, disease and injury.
The key question is whether the strandings will ease as the feeding season progresses or continue through the year. With food supplies under pressure from a warming climate, scientists say the coming winter will be a test of how much the population can recover before the next migration cycle begins.