The mystery of the disappearing whales

Graceful, playful and tough, the gray whale is a beloved icon of the Pacific coast. The whales’ annual migration from the waters off Alaska to Baja California is one of the longest undertaken by any mammal, a journey that has happened for thousands of years.

But in the last couple of years, fewer gray whales have made the trip. These magnificent giants are dying in numbers unseen in decades. Nobody knows exactly why, but there are some clues.

Today, we speak with Los Angeles Times investigative reporter Susanne Rust about what’s happening.

More reading:

Something is killing gray whales. Is it a sign of oceans in peril?

Gray whales: What to know about our West Coast leviathans and their uncertain future

As cargo shipments boom, ship strikes imperil whales in California and worldwide

How we delved into the odyssey of whale deaths even as a pandemic raged