Scientists have found that the Pacific gray whale population, believed to have fully recovered from whaling, is actually only a fraction of what it used to be. By examining genetic variation in 42 gray whales, researchers determined that before 19th-century hunting began, there were about 96,000 gray whales in the Pacific Ocean. This means that the current population of 22,000 whales is only 19 to 29 percent of the pre-hunting population. The gray whale, a large baleen whale known as a "filter feeder," has been swimming in the world's oceans for around 20 million years. Researchers have found that the gray whale population has recovered significantly from whaling, but genetic diversity indicates that there were once many more gray whales in the Pacific Ocean. At one point, the gray whale population was nearly extinct, with only a few thousand remaining by the late 19th century and into the 1920s. The gray whale has been absent from the Atlantic Ocean for many years, possibly due to whaling activities. This species migrates along the Pacific Coast of North America, traveling between arctic waters and the lagoons near Baja California in Mexico. Named for the gray patches and white markings on its dark skin, these whales can grow up to 46 feet long and weigh as much as 40 tonnes. They primarily feed by scooping up mud from the sea bottom, consuming small crustaceans and tube worms found in the sediment. 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. Once heavily hunted, gray whales are now a popular attraction for whale watchers along the Pacific coast of North America. Despite this, they are still sometimes targeted by hunters. Recently, five American Indian hunters from Washington state could potentially face prosecution from their Makah tribe for unlawfully shooting and killing a gray whale using harpoons and a rifle typically used for hunting elephants. Scientists have observed a number of gray whales in recent years showing signs of starvation. The researchers concluded that the whales are experiencing a decrease in food availability in their Arctic feeding areas due to changing climate conditions. They also noted that other animals, such as Arctic seabirds, may be impacted by the reduced population of gray whales. Fellow Stanford researcher Steve Palumbi explained that the seabirds relied on the creatures unearthed by the whales during feeding, estimating that 96,000 gray whales could have provided food for over a million seabirds each year.