Gray Whale
Migration Update: March 9, 2005
Today's Report Includes:
- Track the Whales: Latest Migration Data
- Migration Math: Challenge Question #3
- Field Notes and Video Clip from Laguna Ojo de Liebra, BCS Mexico
- Race to Build Blubber: Challenge Question #4
- Field Notes from Channel Islands, CA, Observation Post
- Whale Watch Lingo: You’re the Observer
- Why Still Heading South? Hear From the Experts
- Zeroes Talk: Discussion of Challenge Question #2
- Whale
Fest Kodiak, a Migration Celebration
Track the Whales: Latest Migration Data
Make your own graphs using the data at the links below, or print and anayze our graphs. (For lesson background and new blank graphs/data sheets for March, see Tracking Gray Whale Migration from California Observation Posts)
| Gray
Whale Migration Off the California Coast Whales passing per day Feb 1 - Mar 7, 2005 |
Channel Islands Data | |
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| Northbound
and Southbound Los Angeles |
Northbound Los Angeles |
Northbound Channel Islands |
| Data Courtesy of the American Cetacean Society of Los Angeles and Channel Islands | ||
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Baby Whale Photo Keith Jones |
Analyze the Data
- Where would you rather go to watch whales, Los Angeles or Channel Islands? Why?
- Study the ACS-LA northbound/southbound graph. What key migration event took place in February? When?
- Alisa Schulman-Janiger, Director of the ACS/LA census, tells us the peak for the non cow/calf northward migration is usually the last of February up to mid-March. “But we don’t expect mothers and calves until about six weeks after the peak of northbound non cow/calf whales.” What do you think will happen next at the LA post? Explain your prediction.
- If Los Angeles were the only observation post, what might you assume by mistake? [You might assume no calves are migrating yet.]
- Explain why it is valuable to collect data from two observation posts.
- What changes have taken place during the last two weeks at each site? (See February 23, 2005 update.) Use words to describe the pattern you see.
- At the Los Angeles observation post, the turnaround date for the 2004 migration was February 19, 2004. How does that compare with this year, 2005?
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Migration Math: Challenge Question #3
The ACS-LA census began on December 1. Since then, 614 southbound whales
have been counted. Twenty-six were babies.
Challenge Question #3:
“ What percentage of this season's southbound migrants were newborn calves?”
(To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.)
What’s the outlook for babies born during the southbound migration? If you’re curious, read more here:
Field Notes and Video Clip from Laguna Ojo de Liebra, BCS Mexico
Whale-watching tour guide Keith (Baja) Jones writes from the warm
lagoons of Mexico: “We are just ending a series of windy
days here at Laguna Ojo de Liebre. The baby whales are getting
really big now. I
guess they
weigh between 3,000 and 4,000 pounds. They have now grown strong
enough to jump clear out of the water. Like kids everywhere,
they love to
jump! On February 25-26 I observed a few mother whales teaching their
youngsters
how to jump better. It is really impressive to see a 40-foot mother
whale jump out of water that is only 20 or 30 feet deep. Their strength
is
simply incredible.
“
Today we had a mother and baby whale come up to our boat and look at
us. It is always exciting to see them floating with their eye submerged
just inches below water’s surface, staring up at us as we lean
over the side of the boat--laughing and screaming because we are just
so excited.
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|
|
Baby
Up Close |
“ About 10 days ago (Feb 24), whales began to leave the lagoon in numbers
greater than they are arriving. Suddenly I realized there just weren't
as many whales around as there had been. There are still well over
a thousand whales remaining and I expect that I will see whales here until
the second week of April.”
Keith Jones,
Baja Jones Adventures
Laguna Ojo de Liebre in Baja California Sur, Mexico
Race to Build Blubber: Challenge Question #4
Now you’ve seen a baby whale, or calf. Can you imagine it swimming 2,500 miles or more in just a few weeks? Right now the calves are doing serious spring training with their moms. They are nursing and gaining weight as fast as they can. How fast? Read more here, and then come back to answer our Challenge Question.
Challenge Question #4:
" About how much will a calf weigh by the time it is two months old and begins the long migration north? Why is this weight gain important?"
(To respond to this question, please follow instructions below.)
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There's one! Photo M. H. Smith |
A spyhopping, gray-whale calf gave us a look as it swam by with mother, reported Michael H. Smith on March 1. Michael tells us about the weather when he reports the whale counts each day. Does this comment shed more light on last week’s Challenge Question #2? (Discussed below.)
“ Our sighting range on a great day is maximum 5 to 6 miles with 3 to 4 the maximum on good days, and we know there are going to be days we can't see 1/4 mile. Throw on top of that that we are only on station most days from 10 AM to 4 PM. We are only seeing a sampling of whales that choose to go north through the Channel Islands region. Over time, our numbers may become meaningful when compared with the many census sites.
“ I know a significant number of gray whales chose to go north through the Channel Islands, which is a more direct route north. How many? Don't know. But, those whales merge with our whales (and perhaps others) beyond Point Conception and swim by Wayne Perryman's site at Piedras Blancas. Since Wayne is particularly interested in calves, it will be very interesting to compare our data over time because we believe that many cow/calf pairs choose the coast route through the Channel. We'll see (maybe).”
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Click photo to enlarge. What's the clue that a whale is out there? Photo Mike Hawe |
Whale Watch Lingo: You’re the Observer!
The gray whale migration isn't easy to track. Although most of the world's estimated 17,000 gray whales migrate past California, census takers spot only a small part. Sure, whales are big and they usually travel near shore; but some days the weather is bad and whales are hard to see. On other days they may travel farther offshore. And some folks might not be quite sure what they're looking at. This photo offers a clue that whales are out there. What is the clue?
Whale watchers have their own lingo. If a whale watcher calls “BLOW, 300 degrees at 45 mil,” what does that mean? A great whale watcher named Mike gives you a fun lesson on whale watchers’ lingo below—-with a challenge to use what you learn. Check it out and decode the lingo:
Why Still Heading South? Hear from the Experts
Last time we asked you to write in your journal about reasons you think gray whales would still be traveling south so late. This week we share the thoughts of two gray whale experts, who wonder about this too! How do their thoughts compare with yours?
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The ACS-CI observation post is popular with humans AND whales! Photo M.H.Smith |
"Why is it valuable to record zeros in the migration data? What does that information tell you?"
Iselin Middle School/7th graders answered in a nutshell: “The scientists record zeros in the migration data for grey whales so they can track what days they are seen and what days no whales are seen. (Danielle, Michael, Bassett, Rose)
Their classmates Andrea, Joanne, Nastacia and Jewel tell us why: “It is valuable to record "zeros" for every day whales aren't seen because it helps scientists know on what days whales were not visible. It doesn't cause confusion in the data.”
Thanks to ALL the students who thought about this and sent
their answers! Here’s another way zeros are valuable:
When you finally DO see whale calves, you will know the
calves were not there before because of a zero in the
data. You'll know you are recording the first to be seen.
Whales migrate 24/7. Some days, whales can be passing but no one can see them because of fog, drizzle, rain, or big waves. Whales might also be passing (like at night, or when they left due to bad visibility) when no census observers are there to see and record them. (Or you might not see the spout because you were watching a surfer.) When you see a zero in the data, you know the observers were watching for at least part of that day, but they saw no whales. If a zero had not been recorded, you might wonder if it meant nobody was watching. The challenge of counting whales makes us grateful to those dedicated observers at the observation posts, and to their zeros too!
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Folks in Kodiak, Alaska are waiting eagerly for the whales. Each spring, they plan a big celebration when the whales begin to arrive from their winter lagoons in Mexico. Talks by experts, shark dissection, films, radio talk shows and children's activities are in the plans. You’ll find plenty of fun, right from your classroom. See:
How to Respond to Today's Challenge Questions:
IMPORTANT: Answer only ONE question in each e-mail message.
1. Address
an email message to: jn-challenge-gwhale@learner.org
2. In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge
Question #3 (OR #4).
3. In the body of EACH message, give your answer to ONE of the questions
above.
The Next Gray Whale Migration Update Will Be Posted on March 23, 2005.
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