Stejneger's Beaked Whale Strandings in Alaska, 1995–2020
- Species conservation
- Pathology
- Natural history
- Ocean trash
Abstract
Presented here is the first comprehensive and updated compilation of history, distribution, and findings of Stejneger's beaked whales (Mesoplodon stejnegeri) in Alaska. Stejneger's beaked whales are a poorly understood, elusive, deep-diving cetacean species found in the North Pacific Ocean. Since Stejneger's beaked whale strandings data in Alaska through 1994 were last published, 35 additional strandings have been documented. Twenty-seven animals stranded in the Aleutian Islands, seven stranded in Southcentral Alaska, and one animal stranded on St. Lawrence Island. Twenty-two carcasses were necropsied, but only four were fresh. Seventeen of the 22 died during mass stranding events and cause of death could not be definitively determined. Barotrauma was suspected in three cases and infectious disease possibly complicated by barotrauma occurred in two cases. We documented an expansion of strandings into the northern Bering Sea, characterized a sex bias, examined stomach contents that included macroplastic, and identified parasites not previously associated with Stejneger's beaked whales. Also included are data on the largest known mass stranding of Stejneger's beaked whales, which occurred on Adak Island in 2018. The history, distribution, and findings presented here are central to further our understanding of this species.
Savage, K.N., Burek‐Huntington, K., Wright, S.K., Bryan, A.L., Sheffield, G., Webber, M., Stimmelmayr R., Tuomi, P., Delaney, M.A., and Walker, W. 2021. Stejneger's beaked whale strandings in Alaska, 1995–2020. Marine Mammal Science 2021:1-7.
Meet The Experts
{"image":"\/People\/Portrait\/cropped-images\/marc-webber-0-196-1204-940-1618436847.jpg","alt":"Marc Webber","title":"Marc Webber","text":"Cetacean Field Research Associate","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/person\/marc-webber","link_text":"Read Bio"}
Related Publications
{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Harbor porpoise\/cropped-images\/harbor-porpoise-by-bill-keener-c-the-marine-mammal-center-309-73-1207-943-1610670087.jpg","alt":"Harbor porpoise surfacing in the water","title":"The Sex Life of Harbor Porpoises: Lateralized and Aerial Behavior","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/the-sex-life-of-harbor-porpoises-lateralized-and-aerial-behavior","label":"Research Paper"}
{"image":"\/Misc\/Graphics\/cropped-images\/marine-mammals-of-the-world-book-cover-wide-graphic-201-0-882-689-1618448911.jpg","alt":"Marine Mammals of the World book cover","title":"Marine Mammals of the World: A Comprehensive Guide to Their Identification","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/marine-mammals-of-the-world-a-comprehensive-guide-to-their-identification","label":null}
Marine Mammals of the World: A Comprehensive Guide to Their Identification
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Other species\/cropped-images\/striped-bass-shutterstock-754-2-4392-3430-1651011006.jpg","alt":"school of striped bass","title":"Seasonal Movement Patterns and Habitat Use of Striped Bass","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/seasonal-movement-patterns-and-habitat-use-of-striped-bass","label":"Research Paper"}
{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Harbor seal\/cropped-images\/harbor-seal-keith-luke-unsplash-454-733-2557-1997-1666129163.jpg","alt":"harbor seal with head out of the water","title":"Marine Mammal Occurrence, Distribution and Behavior in the Inland Waters of Washington from Aerial Surveys","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/marine-mammal-occurrence-distribution-and-behavior-in-inland-waters-of-washington-from-aerial-surveys","label":"Research Paper"}
Marine Mammal Occurrence, Distribution and Behavior in the Inland Waters of Washington from Aerial Surveys
Read MoreRelated News
{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Sea otter\/cropped-images\/sea-otter-shutterstock-118-0-2496-1950-1604015482.jpg","alt":"sea otter eating clams","title":"What Do Sea Otters Eat? And Other Otter Trivia","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/what-do-sea-otters-eat-and-other-otter-trivia","label":"News Update","date":"2026-09-01 02:00:00"}
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/Harbor seals\/2021\/cropped-images\/hs-meringue-photo-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-2-117-0-1270-992-1744225251.jpg","alt":"Animal care volunteers gently position a feeding tube into a harbor seal pup\u2019s mouth.","title":"How Seal Milk and \u201cFish Smoothies\u201d Help Pups Grow Strong","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/how-seal-milk-and-fish-smoothies-help-pups-grow-strong","label":"Patient Update","date":"2026-04-29 09:41:00"}
{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Bottlenose dolphin\/cropped-images\/dolphinphoto-by-adam-li-c-noaa-0-0-1270-992-1769539954.jpg","alt":"A bottlenose dolphin jumps out of the water.","title":"What\u2019s the Difference Between Dolphins and Porpoises? And Other Animal Trivia","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/whats-the-difference-between-dolphins-and-porpoises-and-other-animal-trivia","label":"News Update","date":"2026-01-26 23:00:00"}
What’s the Difference Between Dolphins and Porpoises? And Other Animal Trivia
January 26, 2026
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Hawaiian monk seal\/cropped-images\/hms-wild-photo-1-c-noaa-pifsc-hmsrp-35-0-1270-992-1759760452.jpg","alt":"A Hawaiian monk seal rests on its side on a sandy beach.","title":"Where Do Hawaiian Monk Seals Live? And Other \u2018\u012alio Holo I Ka Uaua Trivia","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/where-do-hawaiian-monk-seals-live-and-other-ilio-holo-i-ka-uaua-trivia","label":"News Update","date":"2025-10-06 00:00:00"}
Where Do Hawaiian Monk Seals Live? And Other ‘Īlio Holo I Ka Uaua Trivia
October 6, 2025
Read More