The mysterious deaths of 30 large whales in the western Gulf of Alaska is being declared an “unusual mortality event” by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, the agency said Thursday.
Since May 2015, 11 fin whales, 14 humpback whales, one gray whale, and four unidentified marine mammals have been stranded around the islands of the western Gulf of Alaska and the southern shoreline of the Alaska Peninsula. To date, this brings the number of whale strandings for this region to almost three times the historical average, according to a statement from NOAA.
The “unusual mortality event” designation will allow NOAA to work in tandem with federal, state, and tribal partners to conduct an investigation and come up with a response plan. A UME is defined by the government agency as a casualty event that is significant to the population (whales, in this case), is unexpected, and demands urgent action. The current priority for the agency is to determine the causes of death for the 30 whales found beached along the Alaskan coast since May.
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