Over the past week, six dead gray whales have been discovered in the San Francisco Bay area, coinciding with an unusually high number of whale sightings this year. The whales were found between May 21 and Wednesday, with causes of death still unclear; three of the deceased whales were confirmed to have died from boat strikes. Researchers are investigating the reasons behind the spike in sightings, with 14 gray whales and a minke whale reported dead in the region this year, compared to only six in 2024.