PACIFICA, Calif. (KRON) — Another dead whale has been found in the Bay Area.
The whale washed up at Pacifica State Beach on Friday.
A viewer sent KRON4 photos of the whale at shore.
No other details are known at this time, but KRON4 News has reached out to The Marine Mammal Center for more information.
This is the 12th whale found dead in the Bay Area since late February, according to the Marine Mammal Center.
Five were found in April, including three that were found in eight days.
This is the full list of dead whale responses released by the Marine Mammal Center:
SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA WHALE NECROPSIES IN 2021:
- 9 gray whales, 1 pygmy sperm whale, 1 fin whale
- 11 responses: 5 adult, 1 subadult, 1 juvenile, 4 undetermined (5 F / 2 M /4 UNK)
- Necropsies: 2 ship strike, 2 suspected ship strikes, 4 undetermined, 3 did not do
February 20, 2021: adult female pygmy sperm whale (pregnant); North Salmon Creek Beach (Point Reyes National Seashore); Cause of death: undetermined
April 1, 2021: adult female gray whale; Angel Island State Park via San Francisco Bay (Crissy Field); Cause of death: undetermined
April 3, 2021: adult female gray whale; Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, San Mateo County; Cause of death: suspected ship strike
April 8, 2021: subadult male gray whale; Angel Island State Park via San Francisco Bay (Berkeley Marina); Cause of death: undetermined
April 8, 2021: adult female gray whale; Muir Beach; Cause of death: ship strike
April 24, 2021: juvenile male fin whale; Fort Funston (San Francisco) now at Thornton Beach in Daly City; Cause of death: suspected ship strike
April 27, 2021: gray whale; Keil Cove (Tiburon) now currently at Kirby Cove/Lime Point (Sausalito); Cause of death: undermined (no necropsy performed, only samples taken)
May 3, 2021: gray whale; Port of Oakland; Cause of death: (no necropsy performed due to inaccessible location underneath pier)
May 4, 2021: gray whale; Angel Island State Park; Cause of death: undetermined
May 11, 2021: gray whale; Francis State Beach, last rewashed ashore at Poplar Beach (Half Moon Bay); Cause of death: (no necropsy performed due to inaccessible location)
May 14, 2021: subadult male gray whale; Agate Beach (Bolinas): ship strike
It has been concerning for experts to find this many dead whales in the Bay Area in such a short time span.
“Our team hasn’t responded to this number of dead gray whales in such a short span since 2019 when we performed a startling 13 necropsies in the San Francisco Bay Area,” said Dr. Pádraig Duignan, Director of Pathology at The Marine Mammal Center.
To report a dead whale or whale in distress, call the Center’s rescue hotline at 415-289-SEAL (7325).
