Whale abundance in Glacier Bay-Icy Strait increased after a four-year period (2020-2023) in which abundance had remained relatively flat, however numbers remain ~30% lower than before the 2014- 2016 NE Pacific marine heatwave. 

We documented a “baby boom” with a record-high number of mother/calf pairs (n = 24). This year’s crude birth rate (12.8%) was one of the highest on record; not only reaching, but exceeding, the pre-marine heatwave mean (9.2%).

Several of this year’s mothers had unusually long calving intervals (9-11 years) and seven females had their first known calves at ages much older than the average for this population. These delays are likely attributable to the NE Pacific marine heatwave and its aftermath.

For the second year in a row, we received several reports of killer whales “attacking” or “harassing” humpback whales and in June a humpback calf acquired injuries consistent with a killer whale predation attempt, which is extremely rare in Southeast Alaska.

An unusually high number of whale-vessel collisions were reported in Icy Strait. In addition, two humpback whales were found dead: