Gray
Whale Migration Update: March 23, 2005
Track the Whales: Latest Migration Data Gray whale migration is in full swing! Take a look; make your own graphs using the data at the links below, or print and anayze our graphs. (For background, see lesson:Tracking Gray Whale Migration from California Observation Posts)
Field Notes from Alaska: Gray Whales and “Kodiak Killers” Arrive
The gray whales have once again arrived in Kodiak and in Seward, Alaska! The first ones were reported March 15, but it’s still weeks until peak time for cow/calf pairs, which will arrive mid-May through about the first week in June. Along with the gray whales come the “Kodiak Killers,” reports Susan Payne from Kodiak, AK. Susan posts the week’s Whale Alerts on the Whale Fest site every Wednesday. Check it out at the link below! You’ll also find links to all the fabulous events of Whale Fest Kodiak, their annual migration celebration: If you’re wondering about the “Kodiak Killers” that appear when the gray whales return, learn more here:
Field Notes from Channel Islands, CA Wow! What a surge in whales! Michael H. Smith, Director at the ACS Channel Islands Census Post, shared the news and some photos. March 16 set their record, while bad weather sent them home early on a few other days. About those days, Michael reminds us: “Unlike baseball, we don't get a rain check. I am sure there were whales and they did not make our tally sheet.” How do high winds, waves and rain affect the whales? Michael says, “The whales do swim 24/7. I am sure the rough seas slow some. Rough seas may change breathing patterns to one blow and down [a dive], which is very difficult for us to see.” Here’s a sampling of what Michael reported from the Channel Islands post:
(Left) ACS-CI volunteers stand at their position with a scope and binoculars approximately forty feet above the beach and Santa Barbara Channel. The debris is from recent storms. (Middle) This is Platform Holly, an oil platform two miles offshore of the ACS-CI Gray Whale Census site at Coal Oil Point Natural Reserve. Platform Holly pumps oil amidst one of the largest natural oil seeps in the world. Gray whales pass on either side of the platform as they navigate the near-shore waters through the Santa Barbara Channel on both their southbound and northound migrations. Oil holding tanks (white) are visible to the left. Coal Oil Point, in the picture, is between the holding tanks and Platform Holly. Campus Point (University of California, Santa Barbara) juts out into the Channel to the right of the oil platform. The Santa Ynez Mountains form the backdrop. (Right) This is a view of Platform Holly at about 3 PM from the ACS-CI Gray Whale Census site. We have lost whales in this area. Any idea why?
On day Michael said, “Through the fog, we watched the Condor Express (whale-watching boat) with our telescope, but we could not make out what they were looking at. (It was about seven miles away). The captain called and said he had 2 adult humpbacks amidst a huge pod of Common dolphins! While gray whales are on their migration through the Santa Barbara Channel to feeding waters off Alaska, humpbacks start arriving at their feeding waters: the Santa Barbara Channel and points north. Humpbacks don't usually come as close to shore as gray whales. But both species can be seen between 2 and 4 miles off shore, within our observation range. This brings me to my question for you:”
Any Naps for Migrating Whales? Migrating gray whales travel 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. So far, scientists have found no real difference in the whales' swimming patterns during nighttime hours. The whales must get tired! Do you wonder how they might rest along the way? Read more about this curious question here, and try your own test tonight when you go to bed: Field Notes and Video Clip from Laguna Ojo de Liebra, BCS Mexico At Laguna Ojo de Liebra, whale-watching tour leader Keith Jones thinks the migration started early this spring. Why? How many whales are left? Keith says, “It seems the migration north began early this year. Normally there isn't a noticeable change in number of whales in the lagoons until around March 15th. But as early as March 5, I began to notice a rapid decrease in number of whales. The Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve counted over 400 whales still present about one week ago (March 15-16). That is still quite a few for this time of year. But 2005 is the second year in a row of a record high whale counts in the lagoons. The peak census was 1948 whales present.” Jump in Keith’s panga (low motorboat) for spectacular whale watching with this mother and baby in the lagoon:
Keith Jones Migration Math: Answer to Challenge Question #3 The ACS-LA census began on December 1. Since then, 614 southbound whales have been counted. Twenty-six were babies. We asked, “What percentage of southbound migrants were newborn calves?” The percentage
of this season's southbound migrant newborn calves is 4.23%. We divided
the 26 newborn calves by
the total of southbound
whales
(614) then multiplied it by 100 to get the percent. Race for Weight: Discussion of 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?" A
big HOORAY for all these students who correctly
figured the weight:
How to Respond to Today's Challenge Questions:
1. Address
an email message to: jn-challenge-gwhale@learner.org Copyright
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