box-sizing: border-box; [152], Currently, the annual quota for the gray whale catch in the region is 140 per year. [117], There had been 24 records along Chinese coasts including sighting, stranding, intended hunts, and bycatches since 1933. #googlesearchform { [37] The substantial nearshore industrialization and shipping congestion throughout the migratory corridors of the western gray whale population represent potential threats by increasing the likelihood of exposure to ship strikes, chemical pollution, and general disturbance. nav#block-mainnavigation h2 { Glimpse into the mysterious world of these gentle giants. nav#block-symbolicmigration a:hover, display: block; In South Korea, the Gray Whale Migration Site [ko][154] was registered as the 126th national monument in 1962,[155] although illegal hunts have taken place thereafter,[116] and there have been no recent sightings of the species in Korean waters. height: auto; .nav-embed * { nav#block-sunlightseasons a:hover, [153], As of 2008, the IUCN regards the gray whale as being of least concern from a conservation perspective. margin-top: -50px; } width: 1px; [48] Gray whales (Icelandic sandlægja) were described in Iceland in the early 17th century. The historical calving grounds were unknown but might have been along southern Chinese coasts from Zhejiang and Fujian Province to Guangdong, especially south of Hailing Island[91] and to near Hong Kong. nav#block-mainnavigation > ul > li > ul.l1 > li { [69] Males also show seasonal changes, experiencing an increase in testes mass that correlates with the time females undergo oestrus. [97] Reviewing on other cases on different locations among Japanese coasts and islands observed during 2015 indicate that spatial or seasonal residencies regardless of being temporal or permanental staying once occurred throughout many parts of Japan or on other coastal Asia. When mysids are abundant gray whales are present in fairly large numbers. The cause of death in some specimens appears to be related to poor nutritional condition. On September 8, 2007, five members of the Makah tribe shot a gray whale using high-powered rifles in spite of the decision. The winter migration is to the warm waters of Southern and Baja California for breeding and giving birth. [69], The gestation period for gray whales is approximately 13 ​1⁄2 months, with females giving birth every one to three years. padding-right: 20px; [24], Many other names have been ascribed to the gray whale, including desert whale,[25] devilfish, gray back, mussel digger and rip sack. The Gray Whales are a highly migratory species, the longest migration route measuring 11,000 kilometers! [145] He returned the following winter (1858–59) with the bark Ocean Bird and schooner tenders A.M. Simpson and Kate. position: absolute; } padding-left: 20px; .jnorth-footer-uw-logo { The gray whale became extinct in the North Atlantic in the 18th century. [102] The northwestern pacific population consists of approximately 300 individuals, based on photo identification collected off of Sakhalin Island and Kamchatka.[7]. -moz-osx-font-smoothing: grayscale; [36] The state of the population hit an all-time low in 2010, when no new reproductive females were recorded, resulting in a minimum of 26 reproductive females being observed since 1995. ul.social .icon-pinterest { /* padding: 0; */ [57], Several whales seen off Sakhalin and on Kamchatka Peninsula are confirmed to migrate towards eastern side of Pacific and join the larger eastern population. /*ul.social { nav#block-monarch a, Gray whales are typically bottom feeders, preferring to filter tiny crustaceans from the seafloor. border-top-color: #0074d9 !important; As of July 2013, the Namibian whale was still being seen regularly. Foraging patterns of gray whales in central Clayoquot Sound, British Columbia, Canada. [92] In 2011, presences of gray whales were acoustically detected among pelagic waters in East China Sea between Chinese and Japanese waters.[118]. nav.block-project a { However, the specific subpopulation in the northwest Pacific is regarded as being critically endangered. /* font-size: 18px; */ -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; [147] A whaling station in Richmond, California, caught 311 gray whales for "scientific purposes" between 1964 and 1969. Orcas are gray whales’ number one predator, often targeting their calves. padding-left: 20px; nav#block-mainnavigation #main-menu-toggle { (1998). Whale watching in Baja's lagoons is particularly popular because the whales often come close enough to boats for tourists to pet them.[89]. } font-size: 1em; border-bottom: 2px solid #969799; font-weight: normal; } Gray whales are native or seasonally present in the following countries: Canada; China; Japan; Korea, Democratic People's Republic of; Korea, Republic of; Mexico; … border-top: 1px solid #aaa; Both male and female whales reach puberty between the ages of 6 and 12 with an average of eight to nine years. color: #535353; (n.d.). position: absolute; } nav#block-hummingbird > ul > li > a, right: 0; [119] There have been eight to fifteen sightings and stray records including unconfirmed sightings and re-sightings of the same individual, and one later killed by net-entanglement. margin: 0; .jnorth-footer-learner-logo, nav.block-project > ul > li:nth-of-type(1) { display: block; padding: 1px !important; Humpback whales also migrate far - one humpback was sighted off the Antarctic Peninsula in April 1986 and then resighted off Colombia in … div#block-tuliptitle #project-menu-toggle, An adult can stay submerged up to 15 minutes. nav#block-tulip > ul, box-sizing: border-box; Other than DNA structures, differences in proportions of several body parts and body colors including skeletal features, and length ratios of flippers and baleen plates have been confirmed between Eastern and Western populations, and some claims that the original eastern and western groups could have been much more distinct than previously thought, enough to be counted as subspecies. position: absolute; /* color: #222; */ padding-left: 15px; } padding-top: 4px; } [38][106] It is unknown whether the whales' normal range once reached further south, to the Gulf of Tonkin. nav#block-tulip a:hover, Gray whales inhabit shallow coastal waters of the eastern North Pacific. The gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus),[1] also known as the grey whale,[4] gray back whale, Pacific gray whale, or California gray whale,[5] is a baleen whale that migrates between feeding and breeding grounds yearly. Retrieved from, Solar Storms Might Be Causing Gray Whales to Get Lost. font-size: .875em; nav#block-hummingbird > ul > li, (n.d.). display: block; #googlesearchform .gsc-input { div#block-hummingbirdtitle #project-menu-toggle, [77] Calf gray whales drink 50–80 lb (23–36 kg) of their mothers' 53% fat milk per day. Retrieved February 21, 2020, from. Beginning in the Bearing and Chukchi Sea and ending in the warm water lagoons of Mexico’s Baja peninsula, their round trip journey moves them through 12,500 miles of coastline. text-decoration: none; } When there was a high prevalence of sunspots, gray whales were five times more likely to strand. The small zooplanktonic crustaceans that make up the majority of the gray whale's diet are called amphipods but the gray whale has been known to consume other crustaceans like shrimp, … text-decoration: none; } font: 11px system-ui; [70] This single ovulation event is believed to coincide with the species’ annual migration patterns, when births can occur in warmer waters. } Throughout February and March, the first to leave the lagoons are males and females without new calves. They have two blowholes on top of their head, which can create a distinctive heart-shaped blow[28] at the surface in calm wind conditions. [92] However, there were numerous records of whales along the Genkai Sea off Yamaguchi Prefecture,[104] in Ine Bay in the Gulf of Wakasa, and in Tsushima. line-height: 40px; div#block-monarchtitle #project-menu-toggle, #googlesearchform .gsc-search-button { North Atlantic populations were extirpated (perhaps by whaling) on the European coast before AD 500, and on the American coast around the late 17th to early 18th centuries. clear: both; } line-height: 1.5em; } Similar to the narrow breeding season, most calves are born within a six-week time period in mid January. (2019, June 3). display: none; [98], The current western gray whale population summers in the Sea of Okhotsk, mainly off Piltun Bay region at the northeastern coast of Sakhalin Island (Russian Federation). NOAA has collected surveys of gray whale population since at least the 1960s. text-indent: -99999px; Pursuant to an agreement between the United States and Russia, the Makah tribe of Washington claimed four whales from the IWC quota established at the 1997 meeting. nav#block-tulip a, position: relative; } Supporting Wildlife & Nature. As of 2016, the population of western Pacific (seas near Korea, Japan, and Kamchatka) gray whales was an estimated 200. width: 300px; }, .jnorth-footer * { Humpback Whale breaching off the coast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. margin-bottom: 20px; } margin: -1px; Gray whales have a double blowhole. float: right; } Individual whales are typically identified using photographs of their dorsal surface and matching the scars and patches associated with parasites that have fallen off the whale or are still attached. #googlesearchform .gscb_a { Our small batch gin is a celebration of this incredible journey. width: 100%; These first whales to arrive are usually pregnant mothers looking for the protection of the lagoons to bear their calves, along with single females seeking mates. nav#block-symbolicmigration > ul > li, z-index: 9; } nav#block-sunlightseasons > ul > li > a, margin-bottom: 40px; } There has been gradual melting and recession of Arctic sea ice with extreme loss in 2007 rendering the Northwest Passage "fully navigable". Gray Whale Watching Cruise. nav#block-hummingbird a:hover, ul.social li { Shore-based observers have conducted systematic counts of eastern North Pacific gray whales migrating south along the central California coast in most years since 1967. -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; It is roughly estimated that 33% of the gray whales born in a given year might be killed by predation. line-height: 50px; } padding-bottom: 20px; What can gray whales teach us about survival. [56] Factors limiting or threatening current population levels include ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, and changes in sea-ice coverage associated with climate change. div.block-projecttitle #project-menu-toggle { Whalebone was once used to make ladies' corsets and umbrella ribs. Footage of a baby gray whale migrating south with its mother was captured off the coast of Dana Point, California, after the pair were spotted by local whale watchers.Taken during a whale-watching cruise organized by Capt Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari, a local company, the calf can be seen … /* top: -8px; */ At nearly 14,000 miles round-trip, it is the longest annual migration of any mammal. nav#block-sunlightseasons > ul > li > a, More ships followed in the two following winters, after which gray whaling in the bay was nearly abandoned because "of the inferior quality and low price of the dark-colored gray whale oil, the low quality and quantity of whalebone from the gray, and the dangers of lagoon whaling. font-size: 18px; B. background-position: cover; border-bottom: 5px solid gray; padding-left: 8px; } nav#block-hummingbird > ul, #block-jnorth-branding { Retrieved February 11, 2020, from, Daley, J. nav#block-tulip > ul > li, Long Beach Whale Watching, Gray Whales Migrating South 2021Long Beach, California daily Whale watching trips. This project runs during daylight hours, from … [70] Currently there are no accounts of twin births, although an instance of twins in utero has been reported. The whale died within 12 hours, sinking while heading out to sea. .jnorth-footer p { padding-top: 20px; nav#block-robin, nav#block-robin a:hover, Retrieved February 11, 2020, from, 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T8097A12885255.en, "Gray whale off Israel called 'most amazing sighting in history of whales, "First grey whale spotted south of the Equator", "Gray whale travels more than 22,000 kilometres, smashes world record", The Paleobiology Database Eschrichtiidae entry, "Cetacean mitochondrial DNA control region: sequences of all extant baleen whales and two sperm whale species", "Mitochondrial Phylogenetics and Evolution of Mysticete Whales", "Radiation of Extant Cetaceans Driven by Restructuring of the Ocean", "What Happened to Gray Whales during the Pleistocene? #googlesearchform { The gray whale undergoes the longest migration of any mammal. div#block-symbolicmigrationtitle #project-menu-toggle, .nav-embed header { This is known as the dorsal ridge. top: 61px; } nav#block-mainnavigation #main-menu-toggle { box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); padding-bottom: 4px; This unique feeding selection makes gray whales one of the most strongly reliant on coastal waters among baleen whales. For example, it is not known if the whales visited the southern coasts of the Korean Peninsula, adjacent to the Island of Jeju), Haiyang Island, the Gulf of Shanghai, or the Zhoushan Archipelago. nav#block-mainnavigation > ul > li > ul.l1 > li > ul.l2 { Retrieved February 11, 2020, from, Noaa. Possibly the first confirmed record of living animals in Japanese waters in the Sea of Japan since the end of whaling occurred on 3 April 2014 at Nodumi Beach. "[35] Typically three to four killer whales ram a calf from beneath in order to separate it from its mother, who defends it. In August, Gray whales continue to feast in the cold arctic feeding waters in order to be ready for fall migration and mating just weeks away. [38][81], Along Japanese coasts, four females including a cow-calf pair were trapped and killed in nets in the 2000s. ul.social .icon-fb { padding-bottom: 0px; © 1997 – 2019 Journey North. nav#block-robin > ul > li > a, nav#block-robin > ul > li, bottom: 0; [38][81], Predicted distribution models indicate that overall range in the last glacial period was broader or more southerly distributed, and inhabitations in waters where species presences lack in present situation, such as in southern hemisphere and south Asian waters and northern Indian Ocean were possible due to feasibility of the environment on those days. [146] In the winter of 1859–60, Scammon, again in the bark Ocean Bird, along with several other vessels, entered San Ignacio Lagoon to the south where he discovered the last breeding lagoon. display: table; [38][150], Offshore gas and oil development in the Okhotsk Sea within 20 km (12 mi) of the primary feeding ground off northeast Sakhalin Island is of particular concern. This round trip of 16,000–22,000 km (9,900–13,700 mi) is believed to be the longest annual migration of any mammal. p.copyright { width: 100%; } [68][71] In the latter half of the pregnancy, the fetus experiences a rapid growth in length and mass. background-position: center center; Grays have existed for approximately 10 million years. height: auto !important; } From 1891 to 1966, an estimated 1,800–2,000 gray whales were caught, with peak catches of between 100 and 200 annually occurring in the 1910s. height: 96px; [169] The last gray whale, J.J., first beached herself in Marina del Rey, California where she was rushed to SeaWorld San Diego. .nav-embed .clearfix:after, .nav-embed header:after, .nav-embed > div.primary-nav > nav:after, .nav-embed > div.primary-nav > div:after { padding-top: 30px; #block-jnorth-footer > ul li a { Paper SC/66a/BRG/17", Краснокнижный серый кит приплыл под окна офиса заповедника «Командорский», Conservation Plan for Western North Pacific Gray Whales (, Chuẩn hóa lại tên cá voi xám trong bộ sưu tập mẫu vật của bảo tàng lịch sử tỉnh Quảng Ninh, Bí ẩn những con cá khổng lồ dạt vào biển Việt Nam, "濒危物种数据库 - 灰鲸 Eschrichtius robustus (Lilljeborg, 1861)", "Report of Gray Whale Sighting Survey off Korean waters from 2003 to 2011", National Fisheries Research & Development Institute, Disappearing Whales: Korea's Inconvenient Truth, Western gray whale activity in the East China Sea from acoustic data: Memorandum for Dr. Brandon Southall, "Status Report of Conservation and Researches on the Western North Pacific Gray Whales in Japan, May 2014 - April 2015", "2014年 日本海に出現したコククジラ / Grey whale 2014 Sea of Japan", "コククジラ in 日本（超貴重）Western Gray Whale sightings (Extremely Rare! .jnorth-footer-uw-logo img { border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; top: 0px; [72][35], On 7 January 2014, a pair of newborn or aborted conjoined twin gray whale calves were found dead in the Laguna Ojo de Liebre (Scammon's Lagoon), off the west coast of Mexico. By 1934, the western gray whale was near extinction. overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0, 0, 0, 0); [85][86], Gray whales once ranged into Sea of Cortez and Pacific coasts of continental Mexico south to the Islas Marías, Bahía de Banderas, and Nayarit/Jalisco, and there were two modern calving grounds in Sonora (Tojahui or Yavaros) and Sinaloa (Bahia Santa Maria, Bahia Navachiste, La Reforma, Bahia Altata) until being abandoned in 1980s.[87][88]. [10] Even so, on May 8, 2010, a sighting of a gray whale was confirmed off the coast of Israel in the Mediterranean Sea,[11] leading some scientists to think they might be repopulating old breeding grounds that have not been visited for centuries. [167], Because of their size and need to migrate, gray whales have rarely been held in captivity, and then only for brief periods of time. Recent studies using genetics and acoustics, suggest that there are several wintering sites for western gray whales such as Mexico and the East China sea. } The gray whale is distributed in an eastern North Pacific (North American), and an endangered western North Pacific (Asian), population. position: absolute; Gray whales make one of the longest migrations of any mammal on earth. [67], Breeding behavior is complex and often involves three or more animals. [16][17] But other recent studies place gray whales as being outside the rorqual clade, but as the closest relatives to the rorquals. display: none; In 1936, gray whales became protected in the United States. padding-top: 10px; They had been seasonal migrants to coastal waters of both sides of Atlantic, including the Baltic Sea,[41][42] Wadden Sea, the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Bay of Fundy, Hudson Bay (possibly),[43] and Pamlico Sound. position: absolute; .nav-embed header { [33], Most notable observations of living whales after the 1980s were of 17 or 18 whales along Primorsky Krai in late October, 1989 (prior to this, a pair was reported swimming in the area in 1987), followed by the record of 14 whales in La Pérouse Strait on 13th, June in 1982 (in this strait, there was another sighting of a pair in October, 1987). ul.social a { These whales were darker in body color than those whales seen in Sea of Okhotsk. } padding-right: .75em; color: #00b2ff; } [144] Aboriginal hunters, including those on Vancouver Island and the Makah in Washington, have hunted gray whales. Disturbance from underwater industrial noise may displace whales from critical feeding habitat. font-family: 'cabinregular', sans-serif; background: #99bfde; color: white !important; position: relative; This was the first of 11 winters from 1855 through 1865 known as the "bonanza period", during which gray whaling along the coast of Baja California reached its peak. Former feeding areas were once spread over large portions on mid-Honshu to northern Hokkaido, and at least whales were recorded for majority of annual seasons including wintering periods at least along east coasts of Korean Peninsula and Yamaguchi Prefecture. width: 1px; right: 0; Not only were the whales taken in Magdalena Bay, but also by ships anchored along the coast from San Diego south to Cabo San Lucas and from whaling stations from Crescent City in northern California south to San Ignacio Lagoon. -moz-box-sizing: border-box; .nav-embed, nav#block-mainnavigation > ul { font-size: 2em !important; [23] In his 1835 history of Nantucket Island, Obed Macy wrote that in the early pre-1672 colony a whale of the kind called "scragg" entered the harbor and was pursued and killed by the settlers. font-size: 0; div#block-symbolicmigrationtitle, Other Name(s): Grey whale, gray back whale, Pacific gray whale, California gray whale Scientific name: Eschrichtius robustus Type of Animal: Mammal, order Artiodactyla, infraorder Cetacea (whales, porpoises & dolphins) Animal Family: Eschrichtiidae Where Found: North Pacific … Oceanside CA— Carla Mitroff, Manager at Oceanside Adventures reports that they recently had their first sighting of baby gray whale in the current migration season: Oh Baby! div#block-sunlightseasonstitle #project-menu-toggle, nav#block-symbolicmigration > ul > li > a, (n.d.). nav#block-mainnavigation > ul > li > a { ul.social { nav#block-monarch > ul > li:nth-of-type(1), The changing seasons drive the endless travels. The only other significant catch was made in two seasons by the steam-schooner California off Malibu, California. margin-bottom: 20px; } [7] Females lactate for approximately seven months following birth, at which point calves are weaned and maternal care begins to decrease. [114] Hideo Omura [jp] once considered the Seto Inland Sea to be a historical breeding ground, but only a handful of capture records support this idea, although migrations into the sea have been confirmed. position: absolute; div#block-tuliptitle, .nav-embed div.primary-nav { ul.social .icon-twitter { The Marine Mammal Center. [95][96] One of the pair returned to the same coasts at the same time of the year in 2015 again. #block-jnorth-branding > p { Dunham, J. S., & Duffus, D. A. This information and the recent sightings of Pacific gray whales in the Atlantic, suggest that another range expansion to the Atlantic may be starting. nav#block-sunlightseasons > ul > li, nav.block-project > ul > li { [44] Radiocarbon dating of subfossil or fossil European (Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom) coastal remains confirms this, with whaling the possible cause. padding-top: 4px; nav#block-hummingbird, background: #e4e5e6; Physical habitat damage from drilling and dredging operations, combined with possible impacts of oil and chemical spills on benthic prey communities also warrants concern. display: inline-block; } zoom: 1; left: 0px; background-size: 55% 55%; } padding-bottom: 20px; } .nav-embed div#block-robintitle div, The three most popular are San Ignacio, Magdalena Bay to the south, and, to the north, Laguna Ojo de Liebre (formerly known in English as Scammon's Lagoon after whaleman Charles Melville Scammon, who discovered the lagoons in the 1850s and hunted the grays). These areas may also have included feeding grounds. clip: rect(0 0 0 0); line-height: 1.125em !important; clip: rect(0, 0, 0, 0); [112] There is no evidence of historical presence in Japan south of Ōsumi Peninsula;[113] only one skeleton has been discovered in Miyazaki Prefecture. [70] Most females show biennial reproduction, although annual births have been reported. nav#block-symbolicmigration, [148], The Japanese began to catch gray whales beginning in the 1570s. One of the above pair returned on the same beaches at the same time of a year in 2015. [13], The gray whale is traditionally placed as the only living species in its genus and family, Eschrichtius and Eschrichtiidae,[14] but an extinct species was discovered and placed in the genus in 2017, the Akishima whale (E. Information from this census is listed through the American Cetacean Society of Los Angeles (ACSLA). [91][92] Some of the better documented historical catches show that it was common for whales to stay for months in enclosed waters elsewhere, with known records in the Seto Inland Sea[93] and the Gulf of Tosa. All rights reserved. Beginning in the Bering and Chukchi seas and ending in the warm lagoons of Mexico’s Baja peninsula. display: inline-block; } background: white; .jnorth-footer a { border-bottom: 5px solid gray; color: #0074d9; } } nav#block-hummingbird > ul > li:nth-of-type(1), Paper SC/58/O14 presented to the IWC Scientific Committee, June 2006, Zhu, Q. Brownell Jr., R. L. and Swartz, S. L. 2006. nav#block-symbolicmigration a, font-size: inherit; .nav-embed .visually-hidden { [8] Gray whales were once called devil fish because of their fighting behavior when hunted. [58] Recent findings from either stranded or entangled specimens indicate that the original western population have become functionally extinct and possibly all the whales appeared on Japanese and Chinese coasts in modern times are vagrants or re-colonizers from the eastern population. background-size: 55% 55%; } Close Encounters With Bajas Gray Whales. [160][161] Meats for sale were also discovered in Japanese markets as well. The Russian IWC delegation has said that the hunt is justified under the aboriginal/subsistence exemption, since the fur farms provide a necessary economic base for the region's native population. nav#block-mainnavigation > ul > li > ul.l1 { nav#block-mainnavigation > ul > li > ul.l1 > li > ul.l2 > li { -webkit-text-size-adjust: none; @media all and (min-width: 800px) { [165] This may apply to the other species of cetaceans, such as sperm whales. nav#block-mainnavigation > ul > li { [35] Killer whales will often arrive in Monterey Bay to intercept gray whales during their northbound migration, targeting females migrating with newborn calves. .nav-embed div#block-robintitle div, [79][99] Its migration routes and wintering grounds are poorly known, the only recent information being from occasional records on both the eastern and western coasts of Japan[100] and along the Chinese coast. In addition, the existence of historical calving ground on Taiwan and Penghu Islands (with some fossil records[107] and captures[108]), and any presence in other areas outside of the known ranges off Babuyan Islands in Philippines and coastal Vietnamese waters in Gulf of Tonkin are unknown. display: block; At Kawajiri, Nagato, 169 gray whales were caught between 1698 and 1889. max-width: 300px; display: inline-block; } width: 220px; } font-family: 'cabinregular', sans-serif; background: url("/themes/custom/jnorth/img/icon-twitter.svg") no-repeat; [6][7] The common name of the whale comes from the gray patches and white mottling on its dark skin. width: 1px; #block-jnorth-branding a { text-align: center; Map of the Gray Whale Migration. overflow: hidden; [115] Prior to this, the last was of catches of 5 animals[116] off Ulsan in 1966. The Sea of Japan was once thought not to have been a migration route, until several entanglements were recorded. ul.social .icon-fb { background-position: center center; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; } Notable features that distinguish the gray whale from other mysticetes include its baleen that is variously described as cream, off-white, or blond in color and is unusually short. text-align: center; } background-position: center center; nav#block-sunlightseasons > ul, left: 0; Census keepers volunteer from December 1 through May, from sun up to sun down, seven days a week, keeping track of the amount of gray whales migrating through the area off of Los Angeles. This long distance migration can … color: #535353; } Only a few were caught from two whaling stations on the coast of California from 1919 to 1926, and a single station in Washington (1911–21) accounted for the capture of another. Small depressions on the upper jaw each contain a lone stiff hair, but are only visible on close inspection. this was a distance of 13,988 miles in 172 days. padding-top: 0; background-size: 55% 55%; } Every year, they swim over 10,000 miles roundtrip between Mexico's nursery lagoons and feeding grounds in the Arctic. } div.block-projecttitle { It is classified as a baleen whale and has baleen, or whalebone, which acts like a sieve, to capture small sea animals, including amphipods taken in along with sand, water and other material. border-top-left-radius: 1px; [51][52] These apparently were migrants from the North Pacific population through the Arctic Ocean. clip: rect(0 0 0 0); Reeves, R.R., Brownell Jr., R.L., Burdin, A., Cooke, J.G., Darling, J.D., Donovan, G.P., Gulland, F.M.D., Moore, S.E., Nowacek, D.P., Ragen, T.J., Steiner, R.G., Van Blaricom, G.R., Vedenev, A. and Yablokov, A.V. [69] During the breeding season, it is common for females to have several mates. padding-top: 10px; height: 56px; height: 1px; position: absolute; Off Vancouver Island, gray whales commonly feed on mysids. Although the Soviet government denied these charges as recently as 1987, in recent years the Russian government has acknowledged the practice. [12] The round-trip journey of one gray whale has set a new record for the longest mammal migration, covering a distance of more than 22,000 kilometres across the Pacific Ocean.