LA Times: Why are Gray Whales and Other Marine Life Visiting San Francisco Bay?
- Species conservation
- Climate change
- Population monitoring
Unprecedented numbers of gray whales are visiting San Francisco Bay, and nobody quite knows why
Published in LA Times: July 14, 2024
When Bill Keener started working at the Marine Mammal Center as a field biologist in the 1970s, there were no whales or dolphins in San Francisco Bay. The waters east of the Golden Gate Bridge were chock- full of life — sea lions and harbor seals galore — but not a cetacean to be seen.
Starting in the late 2000s, things began to change.
There are now four cetacean species living in or regularly visiting the busy waters east of the Golden Gate — harbor porpoises, gray whales, humpback whales and bottle-nosed dolphins.
...researchers aren’t sure if the animals’ presence is a sign of ecosystem health and rejuvenation or a portent of planetary disaster.
Yet Keener and other marine researchers aren’t sure if the animals’ presence is a sign of ecosystem health and rejuvenation or a portent of planetary disaster. And in each case, the story is a little different.
Please note this article is behind a paywall.
Learn More About Our Work Saving Whales
Learn More About Gray Whales
{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Humpback whale\/cropped-images\/humpback-whales-feeding-photo-by-bekah-lane-c-the-marine-mammal-center-202-14-2724-2128-1709768938.jpg","alt":"two humpback whales surface while feeding","title":"Your Visual Guide to Whale Breaching, Lunge Feeding and Other Behaviors","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/your-visual-guide-to-whale-breaching-lunge-feeding-and-other-behaviors","label":"News Update","date":"2024-03-08 01:00:00","type":"news"}
Your Visual Guide to Whale Breaching, Lunge Feeding and Other Behaviors
March 8, 2024
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Gray whale\/cropped-images\/gray-whale-baleen-shutterstock-526-1-3317-2591-1604510915.jpg","alt":"gray whale with mouth open above water","title":"Fish Feeding and Rapid Foraging Behavior Switching by Gray Whales (Eschrichtius robustus) in California","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/fish-feeding-and-rapid-foraging-behavior-switching-by-gray-whales-eschrichtius-robustus-in-california","label":"Research Paper","type":"publication"}
Fish Feeding and Rapid Foraging Behavior Switching by Gray Whales (Eschrichtius robustus) in California
Read More{"type":"manual","image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Gray whale\/cropped-images\/gray-whale-tail-shutterstock-341-0-2389-1866-1719960555.jpg","transparent":"0","alt":"gray whale tail seen above the water","label":"Cetaceans","text":"Gray Whale","link_text":"","link_url":"\/animal-care\/learn-about-marine-mammals\/cetaceans\/gray-whale","page_id":"52","person_id":null,"pub_id":null,"news_id":null,"event_id":null}
{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Humpback whale\/humpback-whale-breach-shutterstock.jpg","alt":"","label":"Report an Animal","title":"Whale & Dolphin Sightings","link_url":"\/report-an-animal\/whale-dolphin-sightings","type":"page"}
Yes, I want to save a life!
Yes, I want to save a life!
You’ll be giving sick and injured animals the best possible care at the Center’s state-of-the-art hospital. With your gift today, you are giving a patient a second chance at life in the wild.
See Our Latest News
{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Elephant seal\/1-es-liddie-disentangledphoto-by-heather-harris-c-the-marine-mammal-centernoaa-permit-24359.jpg","alt":"A sedated northern elephant seal on the beach with a wound on its neck.","title":"Life-Saving Disentanglement Frees Northern Elephant Seal Liddie from Ocean Trash","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/life-saving-disentanglement-frees-northern-elephant-seal-liddie-from-ocean-trash","label":"Patient Update","date":"2024-12-06 13:43:00"}
Life-Saving Disentanglement Frees Northern Elephant Seal Liddie from Ocean Trash
December 6, 2024
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Elephant seal\/cropped-images\/01. SNI Andromeda_NOAA permit-174-0-1270-992-1733414759.jpg","alt":"A northern elephant seal with a satellite tag on its head on the beach in front of crashing waves. ","title":"Studying Elephant Seals of the Central California Coast","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/studying-elephant-seals-of-the-central-california-coast","label":"News Update","date":"2024-12-06 12:21:47"}
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/Hawaiian monk seals\/2024\/keaka-c-the-marine-mammal-center-noaa-permit-24359.jpg","alt":"Hawaiian monk seal Keaka","title":"Big Island Now: Honok\u014dhau Harbor\u2019s new Hawaiian monk seal pup neighbor welcomed, but maybe too much?","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/big-island-now-honokohau-harbors-new-hawaiian-monk-seal-pup-neighbor-welcomed-but-maybe-too-much","label":"In the News","date":"2024-11-26 16:46:45"}
Big Island Now: Honokōhau Harbor’s new Hawaiian monk seal pup neighbor welcomed, but maybe too much?
November 26, 2024
Read More{"image":"\/Misc\/Graphics\/Ocean Plastic Pollution.jpeg","alt":"plastic pollution floating in the ocean","title":"NBC Bay Area: Plastic pollution causing a sea of trouble","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/nbc-plastic-pollution-causing-a-sea-of-trouble","label":"In the News","date":"2024-11-26 01:00:00"}
climate change
population monitoring
Kathi George
Bill Keener
Common Bottlenose Dolphin
Humpback Whale
Gray Whale
Harbor Porpoise