NOAA researchers said they are seeing positive signs amid a recent wave of whale deaths in Washington waters.
SEATTLE — After weeks of concern over malnourished gray whales washing up dead on Washington beaches, federal researchers say they are beginning to see signs that some migrating whales may be in better condition.
A survey team with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently spotted the first gray whale mother and calf seen swimming north along the northern Washington coast this migration season.
According to NOAA, the mother appeared to be in “fair shape,” while the calf looked healthy and well-fed.
The sighting comes amid a recent wave of dead gray whales found stranded along Washington beaches, many of them appearing thin or emaciated. NOAA biologists monitoring the migration previously reported seeing numerous whales offshore in poor condition. So far, 17 gray whales have washed up dead on Washington shores.
Scientists with NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center Marine Mammal Laboratory said they recently observed roughly 20 gray whales feeding off the Washington coast during recent surveys from Willapa Bay to the northwestern tip of the state. Researchers said the whales appeared more active and healthier than those seen earlier this spring.
The team also reported that the northbound migration may be slowing, as the mother and calf were the only actively migrating whales observed during the survey period.
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