The gray whale that was found dead in Elliott Bay on April 15 was the seventh that has been found stranded in Washington state so far this year, according to Cascadia Research Collective.
The state is close to the annual average of stranded gray whales, despite it being early in the season - April through June. It suggests this year will be the second year in a row we'll see more whales stranded than normal, according to researchers.
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An adult gray whale was found dead at the Coast Guard Pier. Crews with the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife towed the whale toward Whidbey Island where Cascadia Research Collective scientists performed a necropsy Monday afternoon.
The examination found evidence of malnutrition and "poor body condition, with dry fibrous blubber and a small amount of woody debris in the stomach but no food remains," according to a report from the Research Collective.
There was evidence of a past killer whale encounter, which had since healed. There were no signs of entanglement or being struck by watercraft.
Of the seven stranded whales, three have been in good enough condition for examination, and showed signs of malnutrition, according to the Research Collective.