Vessel Strikes Confirmed in San Francisco Whale Deaths

An unusually high number of gray whale deaths has been reported in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2025, with 14 strandings so far—13 gray whales and one minke whale—including five found dead within a week. This matches the scale of previous unusual mortality events in 2019 and 2021, which significantly reduced the gray whale population. Researchers have noted a record 33 live whale sightings in the Bay this year, far surpassing last year's total of four, but the reasons behind the surge in both sightings and deaths remain unclear. Necropsies have been difficult due to decomposition and inaccessible locations, but at least three of this year's deaths have been confirmed as vessel strikes. Scientists are urging boaters to slow down and remain vigilant, as the whales are hard to spot in busy shipping lanes. The whales are expected to stay in the bay for another one to two weeks before continuing their migration north.