Overview

• Six gray whales washed ashore between May 21 and May 28, bringing the total number of 2025 strandings in the Bay Area to 15.
• Officials suspect at least three of the recent deaths were caused by vessel strikes as necropsy teams face inaccessible sites and advanced decomposition.
• The San Francisco Harbor Safety Committee has adjusted ferry lanes using whale‐sighting data to reduce collision risks.
• Researchers have logged a record 33 individual gray whale sightings this year, with many whales lingering in the bay for over 20 days.
• A 45% population decline from the 2019–2023 unusual mortality event adds urgency to conservation and monitoring efforts.