Gray whales along the West Coast have faced a catastrophic die-off this year. At least 187 gray whales have stranded and died so far in 2026, according to NOAA. Hundreds more have died in recent years. These figures don't even account for the true number of whale deaths, as most dead whales sink to the bottom of the ocean and are never recorded. To save these whales, we petitioned the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service to protect the Eastern North Pacific gray whale under the Endangered Species Act. The Fisheries Service was required to decide by Aug. 24 whether listing this gray whale species under the Act is warranted, but they've missed the deadline — so we're taking them to court. Every moment without protections add more risk to these imperiled whales. We won't stand for it. 💙🐋 #GrayWhales #SaveTheWhales #WhaleConservation #EndangeredSpecies