Officials are trying to figure out what caused a deceased gray whale to wash ashore at Crissy Field on Wednesday morning.
The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito told KCBS Radio they received a call from San Francisco Police around 7:30 a.m. reporting the whale in the water about 100 yards off the St. Francis Yacht Club.
An hour later, it washed ashore at Crissy Field.
Crews were able to tow it to Angel Island, where veterinarians will perform a necropsy on Thursday.
Marine Mammal Center Spokesperson Giancarlo Rulli said a record 13 gray whale carcasses washed ashore in the Bay Area in 2019, with just five coming to shore last year. Those deaths were caused either by malnutrition or boats.
Rulli added that San Francisco Bay is filled with humpbacks and gray whales at the moment, some coming into Bay Area waters way ahead of schedule.
Anyone who spots one of these whales is asked to visit the Marine Mammal Center's website and fill out a description form so they can keep track. If you see a dead whale or sea lion, you're urged to call the Marine Mammal Center's hotline at 415-289-SEAL.
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