--- title: Whale Deaths in Alaska Spark Concern description: 30 whales have died mysteriously since May canonical: https://time.com/4007434/whale-deaths-alaska/ author: Tanya Basu article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-08-23T15:48:49.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:58:04.154Z article:section: Science og:title: Massive 'Mortality Event' Kills 30 Whales in Alaska og:description: 30 whales have died along the western Gulf of Alaska since May—a historic high og:url: https://time.com/4007434/whale-deaths-alaska/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt05f56e126d9d9080/698860810b72e397e16e57ef/ap_713887533412.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Alaska Dead Whales og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Massive 'Mortality Event' Kills 30 Whales in Alaska twitter:description: 30 whales have died along the western Gulf of Alaska since May—a historic high twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt05f56e126d9d9080/698860810b72e397e16e57ef/ap_713887533412.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Massive 'Mortality Event' Kills 30 Whales in Alaska ## Video: Japan Ordered To Stop Antarctic Whaling [Watch (HLS stream): Japan Ordered To Stop Antarctic Whaling](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/216avIFF.m3u8) (2:11)  _Published 2014-03-31. A United Nations court rules Japan must stop its whaling in the Antarctic, a major victory not just for Australia. The men and women who literally fought with whaling fleets at sea have been labeled everything from heroes to eco-terrorists._  by [Tanya Basu](https://time.com/author/tanya-basu/)  ## Tanya Basu Aug 23, 2015 3:48 PM UTC  A fin whale carcass found on Whale Island, Alaska in the Kodiak Archipelago on June 5, 2015. A fin whale carcass found on Whale Island, Alaska in the Kodiak Archipelago on June 5, 2015.Bree Witteveen—Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program/AP  by [Tanya Basu](https://time.com/author/tanya-basu/)  ## Tanya Basu Aug 23, 2015 3:48 PM UTC Scientists are deeply troubled and puzzled by the sudden deaths of 30 large whales that washed up on the coast of Alaska, calling the incident an “unusual mortality event.” “While we do not yet know the cause of these strandings, our investigations will give us important information on the health of whales and the ecosystems where they live,” Dr. Teri Rowles, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries’ marine mammal health and stranding response coordinator, [said in a statement](http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/newsreleases/2015/whales-ume082015.htm). “Members of the public can greatly assist the investigation by immediately reporting any sightings of dead whales or distressed live animals they discover.” The deaths of the whales—which include 11 fin whales, 14 humpback whales, one gray whale, and four unidentified others—are strange: the rate is nearly three times the historical average. NOAA’s declaration of the situation as an “unusual mortality event” will allow the agency to partner with federal, state, and tribal agencies to coordinate a response plan. Residents are urged to report stranded whales using a [special site](http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/health/mmume/large%5Fwhales%5F2015.html) established by NOAA Fisheries. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4007434/whale-deaths-alaska/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4007434/whale-deaths-alaska/"},"headline":"Massive 'Mortality Event' Kills 30 Whales in Alaska","datePublished":"2015-08-23T15:48:49.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:58:04.154Z","description":"30 whales have died along the western Gulf of Alaska since May—a historic high","url":"https://time.com/4007434/whale-deaths-alaska/","keywords":["animals","Environment","Wildlife","NOAA","Whales"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt05f56e126d9d9080/698860810b72e397e16e57ef/ap_713887533412.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Tanya Basu","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/tanya-basu/"}],"articleSection":"Science","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt05f56e126d9d9080/698860810b72e397e16e57ef/ap_713887533412.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Alaska Dead Whales","caption":"Alaska Dead Whales","creditText":"Bree Witteveen—Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program/AP","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/science/","name":"Science"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/animals/","name":"animals"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4007434/whale-deaths-alaska/","name":"Massive 'Mortality Event' Kills 30 Whales in Alaska"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Japan Ordered To Stop Antarctic Whaling","description":"A United Nations court rules Japan must stop its whaling in the Antarctic, a major victory not just for Australia. 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