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It's the longest migration of any animal on earth. Moreover, we use our whale watching cruises as an opportunity to collect photographic identification data on whales, which we share with a network of researchers throughout the eastern Pacific. Gray whales are true to their name, and are dark gray in color with blotchy white patches. "petting"). Distinctive Dorsum (Back): Gray whales do not have a dorsal fin. In the last few decades, however, whale scientists have noted that not all gray whales migrate the entire way. Adult male and non-pregnant female whales also make the journey to Baja's lagoons in order to mate. You can follow Scott’s daily observations of the Gray whale migrations directly on their Facebook page, Mendonoma Whale and Seal Study. These charismatic marine mammals can reach 40-50 feet in length and weigh more than 36 tons (72,000 pounds) when fully grown. BIRDSONG and the ECO-WONDERS have created this fun, educational video for kids about the California Gray Whale. The sighting Tuesday of a gray whale famously known as “Scarback” has helped signal the beginning of the 2019-20 southbound migration off Southern California. Scientists have tracked the movements of individual gray whales within the. Blow or spout: Like other baleen whales, gray whales have two blowholes. All of the net proceeds will support the Laguna San Ignacio Ecosystem Science Program, a project of The Ocean Foundation. Gray whale migration patterns through the Southern California Bight from multi-year visual and acoustic monitoring Regina A. Guazzo 1,5, *, Alisa Schulman-Janiger 2, Michael H. Smith 3, Jay Barlow 4, Gerald L. D’Spain 1, Dennis B. Rimington 1, John A. Hildebrand 1. Oceanic Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to ocean conservation. Amazingly, they appear not to feed during the southerly migration so they lose almost a third of their bo… Some, a few hundred at most, stop well south of the Arctic region and spend some, if not all, of their summer foraging and feeding far from the rest of the population. In addition to gray whales, there is some other wildlife you may spot on our Half Moon Bay whale watching trips. Newborn gray whale calves are about 15 feet long and weigh 1,500 lbs. The 2011 population of California gray whales was thought to number around 28,000, and they all pass the coast as they migrate. If you visit Redwood National and State Parks in the summer time after the peak gray whale migration period of March through May, don’t despair; you may still get to see one of these magnificent creatures surface off the coast. California Gray Whale Migration. https://www.latimes.com/.../southern-california-whale-watching-gray-whales Every year the whales undertake the longest migrations of any mammal, traveling 12,000 miles round-trip from their feeding grounds in the Arctic to calve and breed in the Baja lagoons, and then back again. It is also a field guide to gray whale behavior and the diverse botanical and avian wildlife in the area. (NASA image edited by GA) Whale watching boats are common along the coast of … The goal of Mendonoma Whale and Seal Study is to enhance understanding of the presence of marine mammals along the coast of California. Amanda earned a Bachelor’s in Psychology from the University of San Diego and a Master’s in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation from Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Most gray whale calves are born in January, as well as during the end of December and start of February. 95531. Gray whales don’t strike you with their beauty. 1111 Second Street The California coastline has some of the best places in the world for whale watching. Gray whales travel at approximately 5 miles per hour and average about 75 miles a day. Beginning in the Bearing and Chukchi Sea and ending in the warm water lagoons of Mexico’s Baja peninsula, their round trip journey moves them … That is about the same as traveling across the United States from San Francisco, California to Washington D.C., 3 times! There are four lagoons in Baja that the whales inhabit. The most southern area of the gray whale Pacific Coast Feeding Aggregation region is right off the coast of Redwood National and State Parks–a strong indicator that the regional marine ecosystem is very productive. During this time, the mother and calf pairs are known for their curious and "friendly" behavior, whereby they actively seek out interaction with whale watchers (e.g. About Mendonoma Whale and Seal Study. January: Open ocean birds like murres and auklets seek a reprieve in calmer waters along the coast and elephant seal breeding season has begun at Año Nuevo State Park. When they breathe out, the spray (also called the 'blow') sometimes takes the shape of a heart. The white patches are variations in pigmentation, scars and even barnacles and whale lice. These mother-calf pairs tend to stay close to the coast throughout their migration, and will be looking to avoid predators, especially killer whales and great white sharks. Instead they have a low hump and have a knobby/bumpy appearance. Its relative, the Western Pacific Gray whale is ecologically extinct. January - March | Baja's Lagoons & the California Coast: January through March is an ideal time to see migrating gray whales along the California coast, with whales traveling both northward and southward. Interesting facts about Gray whale migration, feeding, challenges & more! It reaches a length of 14.9 meters (49 ft), a weight of up to 41 tonnes (90,000 lb) and lives between 55 and 70 years, although one female was estimated to be 75–80 years of age. It was assumed that the entire population of approximately 20,000 California (or eastern Pacific) gray whales migrated the whole way from Baja to the Bering and Chukchi Seas non-stop. Gray whales have the longest known migration of any mammal. Probably the most amazing thing about gray whales is their annual migration; gray whales undertake the longest annual migration of any known mammal. The California coast is an outstanding place to see gray whales, Eschrichtius robustus, during their annual migration between feeding and breeding areas. The clean, nutrient-rich waters offer prime feeding areas for many species of whales, and are part of a migration pathway that has been used for thousands of years. Gray Whale Migration Gray whales make one of the longest migrations of any mammal on earth. March - early April: Humpback whales can be spotted in Half Moon Bay from. Aside from the seasonally migrating gray whales there is also a small population that spends its year traveling between Canada and California rather than making the long 7,000 mile journey towards the Alaskan waters from the Gulf of California and the Baja peninsula of Mexico. Is migration important for gray whales? February - late April | Northward Migration: Gray whales leave Baja's lagoons to migrate back north starting at the beginning of February and continuing through April. Though the whales are leaving the cold northern waters in the north and traveling to California in the warm south, it can still be cold on these trips in Southern California so we urge our guests to dress in layers and bring hats so you can spend time on the outer decks in comfort. Side preference can be determined by looking at the whale's head—the side with fewer barnacles and some evidence of scraping on the skin is their preferred side. It presents information on the Pacific gray whales that winter in Baja California beginning in 1977 to the present. The whales get so close to the shore that no boat ride is required to observe them. California gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) are famous for their extraordinary 9,000 to 12,000 mile (15,000 to 20,000 km) round trip migration along the west coast of North America. This is also the time during which gray whales arrive in Baja. The California Gray Whale migration south occurs in late December through February and migration north… She is an avid traveler with a professional career that includes diving, marine ecotourism research, and strategic communications for conservation organizations. Each whale consumes hundreds of pounds of small marine animals every day. Gray Whale Migration Route. December to early February the California Gray Whales are migrating south. Leffingwell Landing Trail, Moonstone Beach, and all along the gorgeous ocean bluffs are the perfect places to watch whales and wildlife. They travel 10,000-12,000 miles round trip every year between their winter calving lagoons in the warm waters of Mexico and their summer feeding grounds in the cold Arctic seas. Beyond their coloration, there are a few distinguishing characteristics that can help you identify gray whales along the California coast. The Pacific Gray Whale, Eschrichtius robustus, is related to the Humpback Whale and the Fin Whale, but is distinctive enough to be placed in its own family and genus—the Gray Whale has noticeably shorter baleen plates in its mouth, different skeletal proportions, and lacks the deep throat folds found in other whales. These gray whale watching tours run weekends between January to March, which means you may see both south- and northbound whales! Late December | Arrival to Baja California: Adult females and males begin to arrive in the lagoons of Baja California. Every year of their lives they swim more than 10,000 miles roundtrip, between nursery lagoons in Mexico to feeding grounds in the Arctic. Pregnant females (carrying calves conceived a year earlier) are coming here to give birth in the sheltered, warm waters where they can nurse their calves and help them develop strength for the journey back north. Crescent City, CA September - October | Southward Migration: Gray whales begin to leave their Arctic feeding grounds in September, migrating south along the coastline to breed and calve in Baja California, Mexico. Breaching Behavior: Though not quite as acrobatic as the humpback whale, gray whales will emerge from the water and land in a giant splash, a behavior known as breaching. These individuals belong to what scientists call the. Female whales with newborn calves are the last to depart to the lagoons in order to give the calves as much time as possible to grow. The whales leave their summer feeding grounds in early fall and migrate all the way to Mexico, a distance of close to 6,000 milesone way! Their flukes are wide with an uneven end, and their pectoral fins are long - almost one-third of their body length. Golden Gate Sailing Cruise - San Francisco, Farallon Islands Wildlife Expedition - Sausalito, 3-hour whale watching tours from Half Moon Bay, fund our global ocean conservation programs, Field Notes: The State of the World's Sea Turtles with Roderic Mast, Field Notes: Using Drones for Marine Mammal Conservation, How Our Blue Habits Community is Taking Action for Plastic Pollution, Update Regarding COVID-19 and Oceanic Society Expeditions. Amanda Townsel is an Oceanic Society communications strategist, copywriter, and community coordinator. Migration of the Gray Whale The gray whale migrates between its summer feeding grounds in the North Pacific and Bering Sea and its winter breeding grounds in the lagoons of Baja California. Every fall and winter, about 20,000 gray whales make a long journey from the Bering Sea and Alaska in the north to Baja California, in the south. Gray whales have the longest migration of any mammal Their migration is between 10,000 and 12,000 miles round trip every year from the winter calving lagoons in the warm waters of Baja California, to the summer feeding grounds in the cold Arctic Seas. Gray whale calves will nurse for approximately seven months and will stay by their mom's side for up to nine months. "Gray whales are currently on their southbound migration and will pass by the Dana Point San Clemente Coast daily through February," she said. Like people, gray whales show left and right side preference! Migrating gray whales, NOAA Some California Gray Whales Spend Their Summers at Redwood National and State Parks. Summer (approx. And, for the majority of the population, this is true. March 12, 2019 1:23 pm The northbound gray whale migration is peaking off Southern California, where a recent sightings spike has astounded scientists and landing operators. While eating, gray whales move along the seafloor on their side, using their baleen to sift their food from the sediment. For more information, see our Half Moon Bay Gray Whale Watching page. Gray whales travel at approximately 5 miles per hour and average about 75 miles a day. Most whales arrive to Baja's lagoons during January and February, and by mid-March the majority of the population has reached the lagoons where they will mate and calve. Over 20,000 California Gray Whales make this migration annually. This is an excellent time to see migrating gray whales along the California coast, with large numbers of whales traveling northward. Beginning in February you begin seeing whales migrating back to Alaska with their newborn babies by their sides. The latter two can contribute up to 400 pounds to the whale’s weight! California's coast is a great place to observe this massive migration. Thanks to a moratorium on whaling and other multinational protections, the Eastern Pacific population of the gray whale is thriving with around 26,000 individuals, and a Red List status of Least Concern. In the mid 1800s to early 1900s, commercial whaling severely depleted the California Gray Whale (known as the Eastern Pacific Gray Whale). The annual migration of the gray whales is one of the longest of all mammals. Year-round: Harbor seals, California sea lions, and pelicans hang out near Half Moon Bay year-round and, very rarely, sea otters make an appearance. Keep an eye out for these distinct puffs on the horizon! Gray whales migrate 10,000 miles round trip every year, traveling between their winter calving lagoons in Mexico and summer feeding grounds in the Arctic. The whales undertake this enormous journey to take … Gray whales feed on small animals (usually amphipods) that live in the seafloor sediment. Amazing footage of humans and Gray whales interacting! May - September) | Arctic Feeding Grounds: Gray whales spend their summers feeding in the nutrient rich waters of the Arctic, though some whales are seen further south during this time, even in California. They are unable to defend themselves from human activity and intense industrialization along their migration route. The Migration route of the Pacific Gray Whale is often described as the longest known mammal migration in the animal kingdom. September - October | Southward Migration: Gray whales begin to leave their Arctic feeding grounds in September, migrating south along the coastline to breed and calve in Baja California, Mexico. Right now it’s the peak of The Gray Whale Migration, and there's no better place to see these majestic creatures from shore or by boat than in Monterey California. A large majority of gray whales spend the summer in the Bering and Chukchi Seas building up fat for their incredible journey. Engaging in the longest migration of any mammal, the California gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) swims ~16,000 kilometers (~10,000 miles) each year, spending about one third of its life migrating from the cold, nutrient-rich waters of Alaska, to the warm, shallow lagoons of Baja California. California coastline has some of the net proceeds will support the Laguna San Ignacio Ecosystem Science Program, a of. 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