3 Gray whales found dead in Washington, including 2 malnourished on Ocean Shores beach

OCEAN SHORES, Wash. — Marine biologists are investigating three Gray whales found dead in Washington State in recent days, with two washing up on the coastline and a third dying in a river.

According to the non-profit Cascadia Research Collective, two dead Gray whales washed up in Ocean Shores on April 3. The whales, one male and the other female, were both malnourished.

The male had “significant trauma to the head” that could have been from being struck by a ship.

“The female was not lactating and would not have been nursing a calf,” biologists from Cascadia Research Collective said.

A third juvenile Gray whale was seen a few times in the Willapa River last week, but later died.

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Last Wednesday, biologists closely monitored the juvenile in the north fork of the Willapa. On Saturday, however, they confirmed the whale had died and they were working with local groups to conduct an examination.

They ask people to steer clear of the whales if they come across them.

“Gray whales are generally solitary and do not travel in family groups; the timing and proximity of these strandings are considered to be most likely the result of general migration patterns, tides and currents,” the nonprofit said.