RAYMOND, Wash. — The Cascadia Research Collective (CRC) is asking folks to keep their distance from a gray whale that made its way into the north fork of the Willapa River in Pacific County.
The gray whale is reported to be a “juvenile,” and while it is thin, it is behaving normally and does not appear to have any injuries, according to CRC.
A CRC team was out on the river on Thursday trying to relocate the whale, but was unsuccessful.
CRC hopes the whale will find its own way out, but if not, an on-water response is planned for Friday to encourage the whale to go downstream.
“We are giving the whale time and space to leave the river on its own, but plans are being made with our partners at NOAA and WDFW if intervention is needed in the coming days,” CRC wrote on Facebook.
It’s unclear how far inland the whale got.
If you see this whale, do not approach it. Contact the Cascadia Research stranding hotline at 360-791-9555 with any information.