Whales killed by ship strikes and malnutrition in San Francisco Bay Area

Friday, April 19, 2019
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Ship strikes and malnutrition are what caused the deaths of half a dozen gray whales in the past two months in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The most recent whale washed ashore in Pacifica on Apr. 16.

RELATED: Experts, community concerned over dead whales discovered in the Bay Area

After performing a necropsy, The Marine Mammal Center of Sausalito says the whale died from blunt force trauma that can be blamed on a ship strike.
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A whale found days before in Richmond likely also died after being hit by a ship. It had deep propeller wounds that had severed its tail, or fluke.

RELATED: Why gray whales may be starving to death along the California coast

There's no cause of death yet for a whale which washed ashore near Hercules on Apr. 13.
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Seven gray whales have died in the bay area over the last two months.



Three died from malnutrition and three from ship strikes.

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