A juvenile gray whale that swam 20 miles up a small river in Washington state was found dead near Raymond, Washington, in the Willapa River, according to major media reports. The gray whale population in the eastern Pacific has been facing reduced food availability since 2019, said John Calambokidis, a research biologist with the Cascadia Research Collective. NOAA Fisheries declared an unusual mortality event for eastern gray whales from late 2018 to late 2023, during which 690 gray whale strandings occurred from Alaska to Mexico. NOAA Fisheries concluded the preliminary cause was localized ecosystem changes in feeding areas leading to malnutrition, decreased birth rates, and increased mortality. The most recent count from 2025 estimated about 13,000 gray whales, the lowest since the 1970s.
In Norway, a sperm whale stranded on a beach in Lista, estimated to be 15 meters long and weighing 40-50 tons. At least ten sperm whales have stranded in Denmark, the UK, and Norway in the last month. The cause of the sperm whale strandings is not certain. A necropsy of the stranded sperm whale in Lista showed its stomach was completely empty, indicating starvation. The sperm whale was a young male that likely starved due to lack of food in the North Sea. No foreign objects were found in the sperm whale's stomach. However, whale researcher Audun Rikardsen says loud sounds from military operations or seismic activity related to petroleum may cause whales to panic and swim too fast to the surface, leading to decompression sickness. Rikardsen does not rule out that the sperm whale on Lista died naturally of old age.
A beluga whale is staying along a river stretch in Hokksund, Norway, according to major media reports. The beluga whale attempted to swim down the river on Thursday evening but turned back. A rowing regatta is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday in Drammen, and the rowing club has taken precautions in case the beluga whale appears. Whale researcher Audun Rikardsen says the beluga whale is on an exploration trip in the Drammen River and that it is not unusual for this species to wander into rivers. A beluga whale was observed in the Drammen River in Hokksund in 1964, and was killed with dynamite, according to major media reports. That whale was 4.5 meters long and stayed for five days.
A killer whale was found dead off Haugesund, Norway, with its tail entangled in fishing gear, according to major media reports. The killer whale, named NKW-280c, is the younger brother of Elida, who died in Sognefjorden in 2021 with high levels of environmental toxins. Elida had the highest levels of environmental toxins ever recorded in a Norwegian killer whale. Norwegian Orca Survey will investigate whether NKW-280c died from the same cause as its sister. Drowning is considered the most likely cause of death for NKW-280c.
A humpback whale stranded off Germany's Baltic Sea coast is expected to die after becoming stuck again on the island of Poel, according to major media reports. The humpback whale was freed from shallower waters at Timmendorfer Strand last week with the aid of an excavator. Burkard Baschek, scientific director of the Ocean Museum Germany, stated the whale is breathing at highly irregular intervals and is expected to die. The whale was first spotted in the region on March 3.
Several unknowns remain. What caused the gray whale to swim 20 miles up the Willapa River is unclear. Why multiple sperm whales are stranding in Denmark, the UK, and Norway in a short period is still under investigation. It is also uncertain whether the beluga whale in the Drammen River will survive and return to the open sea. The exact levels of environmental toxins in the recently deceased killer whale NKW-280c have not been determined. And what caused the humpback whale to repeatedly strand in the Baltic Sea, far from its natural habitat, remains a mystery. Ongoing investigations by marine biologists and authorities aim to answer these questions and inform conservation efforts.