East coast Whale deaths have skyrocketed. Experts are investigating

Since Dec. 1, 23 whales have been found dead along the Atlantic Coast, part of a trend in unusually high deaths among three whale species since 2016-2017. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is investigating “unusual mortality” events for humpback whales, North Atlantic right whales and minke whales. 

Many of the deaths are from still-unknown causes, but necropsies have shown many of the whales died from boat collisions and fishing gear entanglements.