To: Journey North
From: Laura Gorodezky, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
Date: February 21, 1996
Greetings from the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary in Santa Barbara, California!
The first northbound California Gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) were spotted off the coast of Santa Barbara last weekend on Saturday February 10. Three juvenile gray whales (20-25 ft) were observed from the CONDOR, a local whale watching vessel.
These animals are moving up from their calving lagoons in Baja, California to feeding grounds in Alaska. Their yearly migration constitutes a 10,000 to 12,000 round trip - one of the longest migrations of any mammal. On their way down from Alaska, the whales tend to travel out near the Channel Islands and shoot the gap between Santa Cruz And Santa Rosa Islands. In contrast, northbound whales tend to hug the Califronia coast. Can you think of any reasons why they might do this? (If you think you know, please answer the Challenge Question at the end of this report.)
Gray whales mate one year and give birth the next. Calves are born in the warm, shallow lagoons of Baja California from late December to early February. Newly pregnant females leave Baja in early to mid- February to begin the northward migration. They are soon followed by males and juveniles from previous years. Mothers and new calves are the last to leave, sometimes staying as late as May or June.
I will be working with the Los Marineros Program to help them submit sightings reports from their whale watching cruises. Los Marineros is a hands-on marine science program for fifth graders in Santa Barbara which is sponsored by the Sanctuary and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. There are 9 schools and 27 classes that will go whale watching between now and the end of March. Ms. Miller's Class at Peabody School has agreed to be the data collection center for the program and will be sending you reports and gray whale information as well as other marine mammal sightings.
Next week I hope to send maps with migration routes up and down the coast and around the Channel Islands.
That is all for now.
Laura Gorodezky
Education Coordiator
Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
"Why do you think gray whales might travel between the Channel Islands on their southbound migration and hug the California coast on their spring migration?"
How to Respond to this Journey North Challenge Question
1. Address an e-mail message to: jn-challenge@learner.org
2. In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge Question #13
3. In the body of the message, give your answer!
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