Field Notes 2012 Besides a small number of gray whales including mothers and their new calves, Magdalena Bay has had a visiting whale that's made headlines all over the world! The whale is an 8-year-old female that is tagged (she wears a satellite tracker). Scientists named her Varvara, and she has an unusual story. February 12: Varvara has spent time this week in a small area within 20 km of shore and 46 km in north-south length. The area is north of Magdalena Bay, where she came near several lagoon entrances. The follow weeks, she moved north to Laguna Ojo de Liebre (see Post #3 on the Route Map).
Credit: This research was conducted by A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IEE RAS) and Oregon State University Marine Mammal Institute in collaboration with the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service, Kronotsky State Nature Biosphere Reserve and the Kamchatka Branch of the Pacific Institute of Geography. The research was contracted through the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with funding from Exxon Neftegas Ltd. and Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd. |
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