Why have so many whales washed up on the Pacific coast?

Gray whale.

Gray whale. Credit: Sam Beebe/CC BY 2.0.

At least 81 gray whales have washed up this year along the coasts of California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. Scientists are calling this an “unusual mortality event," and they're trying to figure out what to do with the carcasses.

From this Episode:

Credits

Host:

Madeleine Brand

Producers:

Sarah Sweeney, Michell Eloy, Alexandra Sif Tryggvadottir, Rosalie Atkinson, Gabriela Sierra Alonso