Scientists have found that the Pacific gray whale population has not fully recovered from whaling and is only a fraction of what it used to be. By analyzing DNA samples from 42 gray whales, researchers at Stanford University and the University of Washington discovered that the current population of 22,000 is significantly smaller than the estimated 96,000 gray whales that existed before large-scale hunting began in the 19th century. This means that the current population is only 19 to 29 percent of what it was before hunting. The gray whale, a large baleen whale that feeds on small sea creatures, has been swimming in the world's oceans for about 20 million years. Despite being one of the few baleen whale populations to have fully recovered from whaling, recent genetic surveys indicate that there were once many more gray whales in the Pacific Ocean than there are now. The population of these marine giants was nearly wiped out by the end of the 19th century and into the 1920s. The gray whale has been extinct from the Atlantic Ocean for centuries, with whaling being pointed out as a possible cause. Found along North America's Pacific Coast, these whales migrate between arctic waters and the lagoons near Mexico's Baja California. Named for the gray patches and white spots on their dark skin, they can grow up to 46 feet (14 meters) long and weigh as much as 40 tonnes. Gray whales feed by scooping up mud from the sea bottom, consuming small crustaceans and tube worms found in the sediments. The International Whaling Commission granted partial protection to the gray whale in 1937, followed by full protection in 1947, according to the American Cetacean Society. While once heavily hunted, gray whales are now a popular sight for whale watchers along the Pacific coast of North America. Despite this protection, some gray whales are still illegally hunted, as evidenced by the recent incident involving five Washington state American Indian hunters from the Makah tribe who shot and killed a gray whale using harpoons and a rifle typically used for hunting elephants. Scientists have also observed a concerning number of gray whales suffering from starvation in recent years. The researchers stated that the whales are experiencing a decrease in their food supply as a result of climate change in the Arctic. They also mentioned that other animals, such as seabirds, are being impacted by the reduced population of gray whales. Fellow researcher Steve Palumbi explained that Arctic seabirds rely on the food brought up by the whales while they feed on the ocean floor. He estimated that if there were 96,000 gray whales present, over a million seabirds would benefit from their feeding habits each year.