Size comparison of Pacific Coast Feeding Group gray whale. (IMAGE)

Oregon State University

Size comparison of Pacific Coast Feeding Group gray whale.

Caption

This schematic shows the difference in length between a PCFG gray whale born in 2020 vs one born prior to the year 2000. OSU researchers determined that a full-grown PCFG gray whale born in 2020 is expected to reach an adult body length that is 1.65 meters (about 5 feet, 5 inches) shorter than a gray whale born prior to 2000. For PCFG gray whales that grow to be 38-41 feet long at full maturity, that accounts for a loss of more than 13% of their total length.

Credit

Courtesy K.C. Bierlich, OSU Marine Mammal Institute

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