Aerial view of a large whale swimming just below the surface of clear turquoise water, with a smaller whale alongside it, their bodies visible through the sunlit sea.

Scientists finally figured out why hundreds of gray whales washed up on the west coast, dead.

NOAA

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NOAA

In 1999 hundreds of gray whales washed up along the west coast of North America. More in 2000. They lost an estimated 25% of their population. But then the whale population recovered and people moved on. Until it happened again in 2019. And 2020, and 2021. It’s still happening today. Host Regina G. Barber dives into this mystery with marine ecologist Joshua Stewart, who explains how scientists like himself solved it – and the tough questions that came up along the way. 

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This episode was produced by Berly McCoy. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez. Tyler Jones checked the facts. The audio engineer was Jimmy Keeley.