Whale That Swam 20 Miles Up Washington River Is Found Dead
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- A young gray whale, approximately 30 feet long with mottled charcoal skin, was spotted swimming in the Willapa River in Washington State, an unusual location for the species.
- Onlookers were surprised and initially skeptical, especially as the sighting occurred on April 1, leading some to suspect an April Fools' joke.
- The whale swam 20 miles inland but was found dead three days later, marking the third gray whale death in Washington within a week and the sixth this year.
- Researchers are increasingly concerned that these deaths indicate a broader decline in the gray whale population in the region.
