Gray Whale Found Dead in Washington River

Juvenile swam 20 miles up Willapa River, likely driven by hunger

Apr. 6, 2026 at 6:56pm

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A bold, abstract painting in earthy tones featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the complex ecosystem changes and migratory patterns of gray whales in the northern Pacific.As gray whales face dwindling food supplies in their Arctic feeding grounds, some individuals are driven to desperate measures, exposing the fragility of their migratory ecosystem.Raymond Today

A juvenile gray whale that amazed Washington state residents after it swam 20 miles up the Willapa River was found dead, and an official with a marine mammal research group suspects hunger may have driven the whale to new hunting grounds as the species' population declines.

Why it matters

The larger issue is that the population of gray whales in the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean has been facing a major crisis since 2019 due to reduced food availability in their northern feeding grounds, leading to increased strandings and mortality.

The details

The whale was discovered Saturday near Raymond, Washington, in the Willapa River, which feeds into the ocean at Willapa Bay. NOAA Fisheries investigators concluded the preliminary cause was "localized ecosystem changes in the whales' sub-Arctic and Arctic feeding areas that led to changes in food, malnutrition, decreased birth rates and (increased) mortality." Researchers will attempt to examine the whale, possibly as soon as Monday.

  • The whale entered the north fork of the Willapa River on Wednesday.
  • Researchers attempted to find the whale on Friday, but it had traveled further upriver into unnavigable waters.

The players

John Calambokidis

A research biologist with the Cascadia Research Collective who suspects hunger may have driven the whale to new hunting grounds.

NOAA Fisheries

The federal agency that declared an unusual mortality event for eastern gray whales from late 2018 to late 2023, involving 690 strandings.

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What they’re saying

“Gray whales are facing a major crisis and the heart of it does seem to be feeding on their prey in the Arctic.”

— John Calambokidis, Research Biologist, Cascadia Research Collective

What’s next

Researchers will attempt to examine the whale, possibly as soon as Monday.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing challenges facing the gray whale population in the eastern Pacific, with reduced food availability in their Arctic feeding grounds leading to increased instances of whales straying into unfamiliar waters in search of sustenance. Understanding and addressing the root causes of this crisis will be crucial for the long-term conservation of this iconic marine species.