A juvenile gray whale seen swimming in the Willapa River in Southwest Washington died Saturday, according to the nonprofit Cascadia Research Collective.
The whale was first spotted on April 1, around 20 miles inland. Scientists noted that although the whale was thin, it appeared to behave normally and showed no obvious signs of injury.
Following the initial sightings, the Cascadia Research Collective, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Chinook and Shoalwater Bay tribes began a multi-day search to relocate the whale.
The search team finally found the whale in such a shallow part of the river that half its body stuck out of the water, Cascadia Research Founder John Calambokidis said.
Calambokidis said it’s not uncommon for whales to swim into rivers when they’re injured or sick.
“That’s not a normal healthy behavior, but it does seem to be something that happens to whales, especially when they’re extremely debilitated,” he said.
No cause of death was listed, although an examination will take place. The group has asked the public to avoid the whale carcass if they see it.
Calambokidis, who has authored studies on gray whales, said it’s part of a larger mortality event that has seen the gray whales’ population decline to their lowest levels in more than 50 years.
The exact causes are still unknown, but researchers suspect it stems from a lack of prey in arctic areas where the animal breeds. While the gray whale has previously rebounded from population declines, this recent mortality event has scientists alarmed, Calambokidis said.
“This isn’t this boom-bust cycle we’ve seen before,” he said. “This looks like something more prolonged, more extended, something much more troubling.”
In addition to the whale in Willapa River, two adult gray whales washed up dead in Ocean Shores, Washington, on Friday and were extremely emaciated. Calambokidis said six gray whales have died in Washington so far this year, which is above average.
The Chinook Tribe will also host a private ceremony for the juvenile whale, according to the Chinook Observer.
This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.