Susanne Rust: Tracking The Gray Whale

Aug 10, 2021 7:40 PM ET
Susanne Rust

Audio File

Gray whales are dying in record numbers -  over 400 have washed up on West Coast shores since 2019. And yet, scientists aren’t quite sure why. With all the man-made problems affecting ocean ecosystems, it’s hard to point to just one cause. But scientists do know that these majestic mammals are not getting enough nutrition. This week on Sea Change Radio, we speak to Susanne Rust, an environmental reporter for the Los Angeles Times, about her work tracking the plight of the gray whale. We learn about some of the steps that marine biologists are taking, how the food supply of gray whales has greatly decreased, and what it’s like to try to investigate this crisis during a global pandemic.