Disturbing Behavioral Shift Observed in Whales, Researchers Say It Is a Warning Sign for the Rest of the World

Whales, like many other animal species, are facing troubling circumstances on Earth. Recent reports about starving gray whales moving from Baja California have made experts worldwide concerned, according to Oregon Live. Not only is the state of whales alarming, but it is also an indicator of the grievous situation Earth is currently in. 

Experts have noted the poor health condition of the migrating gray whales and also observed that very few calves have been born this winter. All of these insights point towards another die-off being on the horizon. This implies that due to some specific cause, a large number of whales are dying in the area. 

Whales for eons have been gathering in the shallow, protected lagoons of Mexico's Baja California peninsula to give birth, nurse, and breed, according to the Los Angeles Times. After this stage, they migrate northwards to their summer feeding grounds in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions.

Researchers believe that the dying off is related to altered feeding conditions, according to Oregon Live. Gray whales usually feed on shrimp-like creatures, which, due to Arctic warming, have suffered a huge decline. The warming is causing sea ice to melt at a faster rate, and much further than its typical positions. This is an issue because sea ice on its underside has a specific algae. This alga reaches an untimely death if the sea ice melts at a faster rate. 

Mature algae are required to fertilize the sea floor, which is only possible if sea ice remains stable for a longer time. It is through this fertilization that the shrimp-like creatures that gray whales feed on are facilitated. "Now, fewer dying algae are making their way to the sea floor," Josh Stewart, an ecologist in Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute in Newport, said. "Instead, it’s getting mixed into the water column, causing a huge shift in the amount of available biomass."

Less food is causing the whales to become malnourished, according to The Cool Down. Researchers spotted these malnourished whales gearing up for their typical 12,000-mile migration to the north from Baja California. Another noteworthy observation made by officials was that the number of gray whale calves had also taken a hit.

In the southbound journey, there were no calves, while in the northbound journey, three were spotted, much lower than the 21 just last year. "The numbers so far are the lowest ever, and the whales we are seeing are extremely emaciated," said Alisa Schulman-Janiger, a leading whale census worker. "They have bulging ribs with shoulder blades and vertebrae visible even from shore. It's really just horrific."

During the northbound journey, three gray whales were reported to have died, according to the Los Angeles Times. One of the whales had been evaluated and was determined to be uncharacteristically skinny and malnourished. Mass deaths of whales had previously been reported in 2019, and an investigation was opened. In that case also whales were also noted to be malnourished. A total of 216 dead whales were spotted on the beaches and near-shore waters of the North American Pacific coastline. A specific cause could never be established, but the investigation was closed in 2023 because numbers became normal again. However, recent updates reveal that the danger is back again.

Gray whales play a very important role in regulating the ocean's carbon cycle and are also a part of several food chains. Whales are key members of the ecosystem, and their endangerment can send the entire ecosystem into mayhem. Depleting numbers of whales could also severely impact the livelihood of many humans as they are a crucial part of the fishing and tourism industries.