10/29/2022 0 Comments Gray whaleDuring 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. Newborn gray whale calves are about 15 feet long and weigh 1,500 lbs. Gray whale calves are born between the end of December and start of February. 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. This is also the time during which gray whales arrive in Baja. January through March is an ideal time to see migrating gray whales along the California coast, with whales traveling both northward and southward. January – March | Baja’s Lagoons & the California Coast Adult male and non-pregnant female whales also make the journey to Baja’s lagoons in order to mate. 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. There are four lagoons in Baja that the whales inhabit: Guerrero Negro, Laguna Ojo de Liebre, Magdalena Bay, and Laguna San Ignacio. Late December | Arrival to Baja CaliforniaĪdult females and males begin to arrive in the lagoons of Baja California. Gray whales travel at approximately 5 miles per hour and average about 75 miles a day. Gray whales begin to leave their Arctic feeding grounds in September, migrating south along the coastline to breed and calve in Baja California, Mexico. September – October | Southward Whale Migration #Gray whale skin#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. Like people, gray whales show left and right side preference! While eating, gray whales move along the seafloor on their side, using their baleen to sift their food from the sediment. Gray whales feed on small animals (usually amphipods) that live in the seafloor sediment. 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. May – September) | Arctic Feeding Grounds That is about the same as traveling across the United States from San Francisco, California to Washington D.C., three times! Summer (approx. © Rhys Watkin Gray Whale Migration: A Guide to Sightings by SeasonsĮvery year, gray whales undertake one of 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. Read on!Ī gray whale breaches near Half Moon Bay, CA. We’ll also discuss the best places and months to see gray whales in California, Mexico, and Alaska, and cover some key facts about gray whales. In this guide, we will explore the gray whale migration season and pathway, with an emphasis on whale migration in California. The latter two can contribute up to 400 pounds to the whale’s weight! The white patches are variations in pigmentation, scars and even barnacles and whale lice. Gray whales are true to their name, and are dark gray in color with blotchy white patches. Gray whales are charismatic marine mammals that can reach 40-50 feet in length and weigh more than 36 tons (72,000 pounds) when fully grown. Thanks to a moratorium on whaling and other multinational protections, the eastern Pacific population of gray whales is thriving with around 26,000 individuals, and a Red List status of Least Concern. The annual gray whale migration is one of Earth’s greatest wildlife spectacles, and the California coast is an outstanding place to see migrating gray whales.
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