A coalition of environmental organizations intends to sue the United States National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS) over its failure to act on a petition to relist Eastern Pacific gray whales under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Gray whale populations have experienced a significant decline, dropping from approximately 20,500 individuals in 2019 to 14,526 by 2023. Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) states this represents nearly a 30% loss in four years. Scientists attribute recent mortality to climate change and disruptions in the Arctic food web, leading to starvation. The whales were previously protected under the ESA and delisted in 1994. Environmental groups petitioned NMFS in 2025 to relist the species, but the agency missed its August 24, 2026 deadline for a finding.
Source: Mongabay