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Whales in San Francisco Bay

Roughly 30 gray whales have been spotted in the Bay this season, many more than is typical. Sadly, there have also been at least 14 deaths this year, which is more than in all of 2024. 

We are investigating to help determine the cause of these deaths. By gaining insights into what is causing these tragedies, we can better understand how to help prevent them.

Learn more
gray whale fluke
Joe Pollastro

Joe Pollastro

Response Dispatcher

Joe Pollastro joined The Marine Mammal Center in 2022 as Response Dispatcher, helping take calls from the public on the Center’s animal response hotline. She also helps organize responses and rescues for the Center’s northern range, coordinate animal transport logistics across the California range and support animal releases back to their ocean home. Additionally, she keeps enormous amounts of documentation about the animals we respond to in support of our partner agencies and permits. 

Joe graduated from the University of Washington with her B.S. in Aquatic and Fishery Sciences and a minor in Marine Biology. She has held internships with California Wildlife Center, University of Washington’s Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team, and with Florida Fish and Wildlife as their Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Intern. 

In her free time, Joe loves to bake, hang with her dog, Olive, and go tide-pooling in as many beautiful locations as possible.

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