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