By Guardian staff reporter
Publication Date: 2026-05-20 18:43:00
FFerries, cargo ships and tankers cut through choppy waters in San Francisco Bay on Tuesday when a whale surfaced nearby, its spout barely visible against the white caps. Until now, whales could easily go unnoticed by sailors, but an AI-powered detection network launched this week aims to track them day and night.
The system, called WhaleSpotter, scans the bay around the clock for whale strikes and heat signatures up to 2 nautical miles away, warning sailors to slow down or reroute if whales are nearby.
“They will be able to make adjustments long before they even get close,” said Thomas Hall, operations manager for the San Francisco Bay ferry. “It will also allow us to track data over time and see where the whales are camping, so we can adjust our routes during whale season to avoid these areas entirely.”
The effort comes amid an alarming increase in gray whale deaths in the bay. Last year, 21 dead gray whales were found in the wider Bay Area – the highest number…
