Leigh Torres

Newport-based scientists win award for research, crab industry outreach to help protect whales

September 2, 2025

A research and outreach effort led by Oregon State University to protect whales and help sustain Oregon’s commercial Dungeness crab fishery has been recognized as one of four regional winners of the 2025 W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Engagement Scholarship Award.

Seven years of drone pictures now giving OSU researchers new insights into coastal whale group

September 30, 2024

By MICHELLE KLAMPE/OSU News Service NEWPORT – Drone footage captured by researchers in Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute is offering new insight into the acrobatics undertaken by gray whales foraging in the waters off the coast of Oregon. The whales’ movements, including forward and side-swimming, headstands and the use of “bubble blasts” change as the whales grow, said

OSU study of whales off central Oregon coast finds they’re eating millions of microplastics and fibers each day

June 27, 2023

By SEAN NEALON/OSU News Service NEWPORT — Oregon State University researchers estimate that gray whales feeding off the Oregon coast consume up to 21 million microparticles per day, a finding informed in part by poop from the whales. Microparticle pollution includes microplastics and other human-sourced materials, including fibers from clothing. The finding, just published in the journal Frontiers in Marine

New OSU research website “IndividuWhale” designed to help public understand Oregon’s resident gray whales

December 30, 2021

By MICHELLE KLAMPE/OSU News Service NEWPORT – Scarlett is known for the large scar on her back. Equal bears the mark of a boat propeller injury. Roller Skate’s fluke was damaged due to entanglement with fishing gear. Solé has a favorite foraging ground she returns to each year. Each of these gray whales was nicknamed by researchers in the Geospatial