A mottled gray whale of the North Pacific, with a low hump in place of a dorsal fin.
A row of smaller bumps extends from the hump toward the tail.
Some gray whales spending summer off Oregon feed with their heads directed toward the seabed and tails upward. During feeding, they may exhale underwater, producing bubbles that spread across the surface. Feeding can continue after the bubbles disperse.
Drone footage from two Oregon coastal areas in 2016–2022 documented 645 foraging events by 75 whales, including 87 bubble-blast events. During headstands, longer whales and those in better body condition were more likely to release bubbles.
The model predicted headstands lasting about 20 seconds longer when bubbles were released. The authors suggest that exhaling may adjust buoyancy and reduce the effort of holding position in shallow water. Underwater bubbles may therefore help whales maintain a feeding posture.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
Oregon’s conservation guidance identifies fishing-gear entanglement, vessel strikes and feeding disturbance from vessel traffic as concerns for local gray whales. It recommends slow travel in feeding areas and avoiding close approaches. Proper gear marking is also recommended to improve understanding of where and how entanglements occur.