Experts have discovered that the Pacific gray whale population, previously believed to have recovered fully from whaling, is actually now only a small fraction of what it once was. By examining genetic variation within the species, researchers found that the current population of 22,000 whales is significantly lower than the estimated 96,000 that existed before large-scale hunting in the 19th century. This means that the current count represents only 19 to 29 percent of the pre-hunting population. The gray whale, a large filter-feeder that has been swimming in the world's oceans for about 20 million years, is one of the few baleen whale populations that has fully recovered from whaling. Despite the current population size, genetic diversity surveys have revealed a higher level of diversity than expected, suggesting that there were once many more gray whales in the Pacific Ocean. At one point, the gray whale population was hunted to near extinction, with only a few thousand remaining by the late 19th century and into the 1920s. The gray whale was once present in the Atlantic Ocean but disappeared centuries ago, possibly due to whaling activities. This species migrates along the Pacific Coast of North America, traveling between arctic seas and lagoons near Baja California, Mexico. Named for the gray patches and white mottling on its dark skin, gray whales can grow up to 46 feet (14 meters) long and weigh as much as 40 tonnes. They feed by scooping up mud from the sea bottom and consuming small crustaceans and tube worms found in sediments. The International Whaling Commission granted the gray whale partial protection in 1937 and full protection in 1947, according to the American Cetacean Society. While once heavily hunted, gray whales are now a popular attraction for whale watchers along the Pacific coast of North America. Despite this protection, there are still instances of illegal hunting, such as the recent incident where five Washington state American Indian hunters from the Makah tribe illegally shot and killed a gray whale using harpoons and a rifle typically used for hunting elephants. Scientists have reported seeing several gray whales in recent years that are suffering from starvation. The researchers indicated that the decrease in available food in the Arctic feeding grounds of the whales is likely due to changing climate conditions. They also mentioned that other animals, such as seabirds, may also be impacted by the reduced population of gray whales. According to fellow Stanford researcher Steve Palumbi, Arctic seabirds rely on the creatures unearthed by the whales during feeding, and an estimated 96,000 gray whales could have provided food for over a million seabirds each year.