San Francisco Chronicle: Gray Whale Numbers Plunge Almost 40% Along California Coast
- Species conservation
- Climate change
Gray whale numbers plunge almost 40% along California coast
Published in the San Francisco Chronicle: October 7, 2022
The gray whales that are often seen swimming with their calves near Point Reyes or Devil’s Slide in spring are declining in number.
The drop in population is likely due to changes in the amount of food that is available to them in the Arctic, as well as deaths from killer whales and ship strikes, scientists say.
...
That raises concerns for conservationists like Jeff Boehm, chief external relations officer at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito.
Our ocean and our marine mammals are sending SOS signals, and we need to listen and do more to address climate change now, not later.
Boehm ... noted that the news about gray whales comes at the 50th anniversary of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. “If ever a headline pointed to the need to utilize all the tools that legislation affords to protect this sentinel species, this is the one.”
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\/Patients\/California sea lions\/2023\/cropped-images\/csl-thunder-photo-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-214-50-2868-2240-1713984238.jpg","alt":"California sea lion Thunder","title":"30 Percent of Patients in 2023 Experienced Some Form of Human or Dog Disturbance","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/30-percent-of-patients-in-2023-experienced-some-form-of-human-or-dog-disturbance","label":"Press Release","date":"2024-04-24 02:00:00"}
30 Percent of Patients in 2023 Experienced Some Form of Human or Dog Disturbance
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/Harbor seals\/2024\/cropped-images\/hs-sandia-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-313-14-4124-3222-1713562157.jpg","alt":"A newborn seal pup with a fluffy lanugo coat looks up. ","title":"Pupping Season Spotlight: Caring for an Orphaned Harbor Seal Pup","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/pupping-season-spotlight-caring-for-an-orphaned-harbor-seal-pup","label":"Patient Update","date":"2024-04-22 02:00:00"}
{"image":"\/Misc\/Graphics\/cropped-images\/climate-change-graphic-giant-earth-shutterstock-1798-6-5113-3994-1680046432.jpg","alt":"An Earth Day graphic of people holding the planet, recycling, planting a tree and moving a solar panel.","title":"5 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/5-ways-to-celebrate-earth-day","label":"News Update","date":"2024-04-18 02:00:00"}
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/Hawaiian monk seals\/2024\/cropped-images\/hms-rs10-release-photo-c-the-marine-mammal-center-noaa-permit-24359-0-0-966-755-1712699238.jpg","alt":"Hawaiian monk seal RS10 is released and heads toward the water","title":"Endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal Back Home on Kaua\u02bbi After Receiving Life-Saving Care for Ingested Fishing Gear","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/endangered-hawaiian-monk-seal-back-home-on-kauai-after-receiving-life-saving-care-for-ingested-fishing-gear","label":"Press Release","date":"2024-04-09 02:00:00"}
Endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal Back Home on Kauaʻi After Receiving Life-Saving Care for Ingested Fishing Gear
Read Moreclimate change
Jeff Boehm
Gray Whale