National Geographic Rise in Tailless Whales off California Has Scientists Concerned.

It was a whale without a tail. "My jaw literally dropped," she recalls.
Since then, there have been occasional sightings of tailless whales in western North America. But so far this year, at least three flukeless gray whales have been spotted migrating northward along California's coast—a spike that has Schulman-Janiger concerned for their well-being.