Wednesday April 22, 2026
KGW8 —
Biologists are sounding the alarm over the number of gray whales washing up dead along the Washington coast, with five discovered on Ocean Shores beaches alone this month and at least 13 found statewide since March.
John Calambokidis, research biologist and founder of the Cascadia Research Collective, said the mounting deaths have crossed a troubling threshold.
“It is heartbreaking. I used to say in recent years, you know, these deaths are worrisome, but they’re not yet alarming. Well, now they are alarming. They clearly got our attention,” Calambokidis said.
He said the record for whales discovered on the coast and within Puget Sound was set last year at 18.
Colambokidis said the peak season for whale deaths in Washington state typically runs through the end of June.
He said most of the whales discovered this spring have been males, who likely died of starvation.