Gray Whale Ecology and Conservation

Background

Gray whales have experienced major population declines over the past decade, with widespread reports of poor body condition and elevated mortality. In Sitka Sound, Southeast Alaska, unusually large numbers of whales have begun targeting Pacific herring eggs each spring, revealing a novel foraging strategy with potentially significant ecological impacts.

Our project combines vessel surveys, drone-based photogrammetry, and biologging tag deployments to quantify whale abundance, body condition, and foraging effort, while linking whale distribution to herring spawn dynamics. Together, these efforts aim to shed light on the ecological role of gray whales in Sitka Sound and provide management-relevant data to support sustainable fisheries, ecosystem stewardship, and community-driven conservation.

Aims

• Determine the importance of Sitka Sound to Eastern North Pacific gray whales

• Evaluate the impact gray whales are having on Sitka's ecosystem and community

• Quantify the energetic costs of gray whales in Alaska and Mexico