ARE GRAY WHALES HITTING "K" HARD?

Dead gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) were reported along the North American coast, from Baja California, Mexico, to Alaska in record numbers in 1999 and 2000. A total of 273 whale carcasses were reported for the 1999 calendar year, with an unofficial tally of 361 in 2000. What is killing all these whales? Speculation usually focuses on starvation, disease, or anthropogenic impacts (e.g., pollution, vessel strikes, etc.), or some synergistic combination of the three. In whatever combination, the response of gray whales to these or other factors may simply indicate that the Eastern North Pacific (ENP) population is reaching environmental carrying capacity (K). But even if gray whales are at or near K, why are they hitting this hypothetical boundary so hard?.