The increased presence of gray whales in San Francisco Bay poses significant risks to their survival. Ship strikes are a leading cause of death, with blunt force trauma identified in several cases. The gray whale population in the North Pacific has dropped to approximately 13,000, down from 26,000 a decade ago. Malnourishment is another concern, as climate change reduces Arctic prey availability, forcing whales to seek alternative feeding grounds. The loss of even a few individuals has a substantial impact on the species' recovery, highlighting the urgency of mitigating these risks.