In the fall, eastern North Pacific gray whales migrate from their summer feeding grounds, heading south along the coast of North America to spend the winter in their wintering and calving areas off the coast of Baja California, Mexico .
Where does the gray whale end its migration?
But even against this monumental landscape, all eyes are on the horizon for one of nature’s most graceful giants: the gray whale. It is here that they begin and end the longest migration of any mammal – 12,000 miles from the icy waters of the Arctic to the warm lagoons of Baja, Mexico, and back again .
Why do GREY whales migrate south?
Gray whales migrate north each spring to feast and grow fat in the rich feeding waters of the Arctic. They migrate south each fall to mate and give birth in lagoons on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. With Journey North, you can follow the northward migration each spring on the Web. ...
How far does the California gray whale migrate?
California gray whales migrate 5,000 miles every year from their summer feeding grounds in the Arctic to their calving grounds in the lagoons of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, where they typically stay until the end of March and early April, before heading back north.
What months do gray whales migrate?
February – late April | Northward Whale Migration
Gray whales leave Baja’s lagoons to migrate back north starting at the beginning of February and continuing through April.
What is the lifespan of a GREY whale?
Gray whales reach sexual maturity at five to 11 years or when they reach 36-39 ft (11–12m) in length. Their life span is estimated to be 50–60 yrs.
Are GREY whales friendly?
Gray whales are known to be very curious and inquisitive, giving them reputation of being the “friendly” whale . They often swim right up to boats and poke their heads vertically out of the water to get a better view of their surroundings in a behavior called spyhopping.
Are GREY whales smart?
Using these measures, bottlenose dolphin and orcas (very social, toothed whales) are considered to be VERY “smart”; both have been extensively studied in the wild and in captivity. ... Based on what is known so far, gray whales are not considered to be as “smart” and dolphins and orcas.
Which is bigger blue whale or GREY whale?
Size. The size of the two whales is what distinguishes them the most. The Gray Whale is the seventh largest whale in the species, being around 44-48 ft in length and weighing about 60,000 pounds. The Blue Whale is the largest mammal in existence.
How deep can a gray whale dive?
Gray whales are usually found in shallow waters, along the continental shelf, so they do not have to dive much deeper than 150 meters (about 500 feet) .
Why do gray whales migrate each year from Alaska to Baja California Mexico?
Most gray whales migrate south in the fall when the Arctic ice pack starts to form . They swim along the North American coastline to Baja California, Mexico — a distance of more than 6,000 miles (9,656 km). ... After a ban in 1946 on hunting the whales, the population of California gray whales began to recover.
Where do GREY whales go in winter?
In the fall, eastern North Pacific gray whales migrate from their summer feeding grounds, heading south along the coast of North America to spend the winter in their wintering and calving areas off the coast of Baja California, Mexico .
Is a California GREY whale a fish or a mammal?
425.5 The California gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) is the official State Marine Mammal .
How long does it take a whale to migrate?
Whales spend 6-8 weeks migrating between Alaska and the Hawaiian Islands.
What makes gray whales unique?
The gray whale is a baleen whale, having approximately 300 baleen plates which hang from their upper jaw. The baleen plates which are made of keratin, allow them to filter food from surrounding waters. They are unique among large whales in that they feed on the bottom in shallow coastal waters .
What is the longest whale migration?
Swim from Brazil to Madagascar is longest known. A lone female humpback whale travelled more than 9,800 kilometres from breeding areas in Brazil to those in Madagascar, setting a record for the longest mammal migration ever documented.
