Overview

• Twenty-one gray whale carcasses have been documented in Bay Area waters in 2025, marking the highest annual count since 2000.
• The July 7 subadult female recovered under Richmond Long Wharf was towed to Angel Island for necropsy, which revealed hemorrhaging consistent with a vessel strike.
• Researchers identified more than 35 individual gray whales in the bay via photo identification, signaling an unusual surge in local sightings.
• NOAA estimates place the eastern North Pacific gray whale population at roughly 13,000 individuals, its lowest level since the 1970s.
• The Marine Mammal Center and conservation partners have issued navigational advisories urging boaters to slow speeds and remain vigilant to prevent further collisions.