California launches AI detection network as whale deaths skyrocket
California has launched an AI detection network called WhaleSpotter to monitor whale activity in San Francisco Bay. This initiative aims to reduce the rising number of gray whale deaths, which have surged due to ship strikes. The system will help mariners adjust their routes to protect these marine mammals during their migration.
- ▪WhaleSpotter scans the bay for whale blows and heat signatures, alerting mariners to nearby whales.
- ▪Last year, 21 dead gray whales were found in the Bay Area, the highest number in 25 years, with many killed by ship strikes.
- ▪The gray whale population has decreased by half over the last 10 years, with only 13,000 remaining.
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US News California launches AI detection network as whale deaths skyrocket By Associated Press Published May 20, 2026, 1:17 p.m. ET See more of our coverage in your search results. Add The New York Post on Google SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Ferries, cargo ships and tankers cut through choppy waters in the San Francisco Bay on Tuesday as a whale surfaced nearby, its spout barely visible against the white caps. Until now, whales could easily go unnoticed by mariners, but an AI-powered detection network launched this week is designed to track them day and night. The system, called WhaleSpotter, scans the bay around the clock for whale blows and heat signatures up to two nautical miles away, alerting mariners to slow down or reroute when whales are nearby.
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