GRAY WHALES MIGRATION | OVER 10,000 OF GRAY  WHALES   MIGRATE IN 2020

    Gray whales migration is the most  excited and longest mass  migration of any marine mammals.  Every year, over than ten of thousands of gray whales traveling 12,000 miles round-trip from their feeding grounds in the Arctic to  Baja Lagoons in the California Coast to calve and breed , and then back again. During the gray whales migration , other types of whales can also be seen including humpback whales, humpback whales, and amber whales with many types of dolphins.

    

    These charismatic marine mammals can reach 40-50 feet in length and weigh more than 36 tons (72,000 pounds) when fully grown. Gray whales are true to their name, and are dark gray in color with blotchy white patches. These white patches are variations in pigmentation, scars and even barnacles and whale lice. The latter two can contribute up to 400 pounds to the whale’s weight!

 Gray Whale Migration: 

1- Arctic Feeding Grounds:

    Gray whales feed on small animals that live in the seafloor sediment in the nutrient rich waters of the Arctic. While eating, gray whales move along the seafloor on their prefer side, using their baleen to sift their food from the sediment because they have no teeth. Side preference can be determined by looking at the whale's head—the side with fewer barnacles and some evidence of scraping on the skin is their preferred side.

2- Southward Migration: 

    Gray whales begin to leave their Arctic feeding grounds in September, migrating south along the coastline to breed and calve in Baja California, Mexico. Gray whales travel about 3-6 miles per hour, and cover about 100 miles a day. 

3- Arrival to Baja California:

    Adult females and males begin to arrive in the four lagoons of Baja California. Pregnant females (carrying calves conceived a year earlier) are coming here to give birth in the sheltered, warm waters where they can nurse their calves . Adult male and non-pregnant female whales also make the journey to Baja's lagoons in order to mate.

4- Baja's Lagoons & the California Coast: 

    Most whales arrive to Baja's lagoons during January and February, and by mid-March the majority of the population has reached the lagoons where they will mate and calve.

Most gray whale calves are born in January, as well as during the end of December and start of February. Newborn gray whale calves are about 15 feet long and weigh 1,500 lbs. 

5- Northward Migration: 

    Gray whales leave Baja's lagoons to migrate back north starting at the beginning of February and continuing through April. Female whales with newborn calves are the last to depart to the lagoons in order to give the calves as much time as possible to grow. These mother-calf pairs tend to stay close to the coast throughout their migration, and will be looking to avoid predators, especially killer whales and great white sharks. Gray whale calves will nurse for approximately seven months and will stay by their mom's side for up to nine months.