The Wire: Nearly 1 in 5 Gray Whales Swimming Into the Bay Never Swim Out

The Wire: Nearly 1 in 5 gray whales swimming into the Bay never swim out

Also: A UCPD officer arrested a student wearing a keffiyeh on suspicion they were involved in protesting the Turning Point USA event. Was the arrest politically biased?

San Francisco Bay emerges as high-risk area for migrating gray whales

Gray whales have one of the longest known migrations of any mammal — from the Arctic near Alaska, to the lagoons of Baja Mexico, where they mate and give birth. This annual migration, longer than 19,000 kilometers (12,000 miles), has been altered by climate change, with profound consequences for the 15-meter (50-foot) mammals. Since 2016, the population has declined by more than 50%. Historically gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) were not know…

Why the San Francisco Bay has become a death trap for gray whales

Gray whales are appearing more frequently in San Francisco Bay. But for many, the journey is ending in tragedy. New research suggests the busy waterway has become a danger zone for these massive marine mammals, with a notable number dying after entering the bay in recent years, according to The New York Times. What's happening? A recent study found that nearly 18% of gray whales entering the bay between 2018 and 2025 died. Of those deaths, at le…