Beloved gray whale dies after 53 days in Klamath River

An adult female Pacific gray whale that spent 53 days in Northern California's Klamath River died of unknown causes Tuesday at about 4:30 a.m.

The 45-foot cetacean, which had become beloved by locals and tourists, developed respiration problems Monday afternoon and had trouble swimming upright. It beached itself on a sandbar at about 7 p.m. It was coaxed back into the water but beached itself again.

Photographer Ashala Tylor, who has chronicled the whale's time in the river on her blog, posted this entry Monday night: "Please send love and light or prayers, or just plain good energy, to our beautiful whale, Mama. Tonight she floated down the river towards the ocean and is now caught on a sand bar [at] low tide. 

"... Please send good energy and prayers that this wonderful being will either pass on easily or somehow make it out to the ocean.  She has graced our river with nothing short of love and dignity and brought thousands of people together to share in her magnificence."

Scientists on Tuesday were conducting a necropsy in the hope of pinpointing a precise cause of death.

"Based on the photos and everything, her fat layer looks good, so we don't think she starved to death," Sarah Wilkin, stranding coordinator for NOAA Fisheries, told the Associated Press. "There's something else going on."

The mother whale entered the river on June 23 with her calf, immediately becoming a tourist attraction. After the calf swam back into the ocean on July 23, facing an uncertain future, marine mammal experts and members of the Yurok Tribe tried many tactics in an attempt to persuade the 40-ton mother whale to leave.

They included water cannon, banging on pipes, chanting and broadcasting killer whale sounds. Tourists serenaded the whale with music and song. Some even prayed while in the company of the whale, hoping "Mama" would leave.

-- Top photo: Yurok Fisheries staff examine the deceased whale located just below the Highway 101 bridge on the Klamath River. The Yurok Tribe, NOAA Fisheries and Humboldt State University are working on plan to remove the whale from the waterway. Credit: Matt Mais/Yurok Tribe

-- Bottom photo shows mother whale with her calf after both had entered the Klamath River on June 23. Credit: Ashala Tylor

Comments

[nancy wride]

I am really sorry to read this Pete but thanks for keeping us informed.

[Mark Dale]

I was there to take many photographs of her exactly two weeks ago to this day. She was then full of life. Swimming up and down under the bridge. Even taking time to rub her belly on the shallow end of the riverbed for spectacular views of this magnificent animal.
I was deeply sadden to read about her demise once I returned home from my journey. I was literally downloading photos of her when I happened to see the report of her death. I just hope her young calf seeks refuge from killer whales in some way. Not sure if passing Gray Whales take in the calf as one of it's own or not. Being a smart mammal, I see no reason they should not....

[drudown]

The White sharks are probably already lingering outside the rivermouth, waiting to feast on this whale's unfortunate demise.

[Camilla Thorsson]

Her baby calf separated from its mom and left the river for the ocean 3 weeks ago. It faces an uncertain future considering killer whales and sharks (who often attack gray whales). So sad... :(

[shara jean]

Id be interested to know the levels of toxins in her body after the recent crisis with japans radioactivity and also the oil issues we have been having, plus its a good opportunity to test what our whales are getting into... what will happen with her baby?