Gray Whale Found Dead After River Journey

Gray Whale Found Dead in Washington River

A juvenile gray whale that amazed Washington state residents after it swam 20 miles up a small river was found dead, and an official with a marine mammal research group suspects hunger may have driven the whale to new hunting grounds as the species’ population declines. The whale was discovered Saturday near Raymond, Washington, in the Willapa River, which feeds into the ocean at Willapa Bay.

Unusual Migration Behavior

A number of gray whales are currently in the bay on their 5,000-mile (8,000-kilometer) spring migration from birthing grounds in Baja California, Mexico, north to feeding grounds in Alaska. The whale’s unusual journey far inland drew attention and concern, as such behavior is rare for the species.

Food Shortages and Population Decline

The larger issue that the population of gray whales in the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean has faced since 2019 is reduced food availability in the northern Bering and Chukchi seas off Alaska’s coast, John Calambokidis, a research biologist with the Cascadia Research Collective, said. “Gray whales are facing a major crisis and the heart of it does seem to be feeding on their prey in the Arctic,” he said.

Mass Mortality Event and Ongoing Concerns

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries agency declared an unusual mortality event for eastern gray whales from late 2018 to late 2023, involving 690 strandings from Alaska to Mexico. NOAA investigators cited ecosystem changes in feeding areas leading to malnutrition, decreased birth rates and increased mortality. Although officials once believed the population was recovering, the most recent 2025 estimate shows about 13,000 whales, the lowest count since the 1970s, with many appearing emaciated and undernourished.