OREGON STATE PARKS GREY WHALE WATCH AT DEPOE BAY

STATE PARKS OREGON WHALE WATCH OPPORTUNITIES 

Excerpt:

When is the best time to see whales?

In the winter we watch nearly 20,000 gray whales from mid-December through mid-January as they travel south to the warm lagoons of Baja Mexico.

Spring watching begins in late March as the gray whales travel north on their way towards Alaska, calves in tow. The first surge swims by around the end of March, and we watch the north-bound whales all the way until June.

Summer and fall brings resident whales close to shore to feed from June to mid-November. Depoe Bay is a hot spot for whales looking for food this time of year. We consistently see between 5 and 15 whales every day!

GRAY WHALE POPULATION DECLINE - WHALE COUNT 2020-2021 SEASON

PHYS ORG NEWS : GRAY WHALE POOULATION DECLINE 

EXCERPT:  NOAA Fisheries reported that surveys counted about 6,000 fewer migrating whales last winter, 21,000 as compared with 27,000 in 2016.

The agency declared an "unusual mortality event" in 2019 as dozens of gray whales washed up on Pacific Ocean beaches.

ONE QUARTER OF THE GREY WHALES DIED IN THE PACIFIC LAST YEAR. WHAT'S HAPPENING?

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC - WHALE DIE OFF IN THE PACIFIC by  Kate Linthicum

Excellent article, photographs and graphics.  But you have to sign up with your e-mail and I know some of you don't want to.

The question of why the whales are dying is a difficult one but malnutrition seems to be the cause.  The last whale I saw beached up was a male and he was on the rocks quite some time before a high tide took him away.  He looked a bit slim but perhaps he lost his mother?

GREY WHALE MIGRATION - PACIFIC OCEAN - DIE ON WAY SOUTH

LA TIMES GREY WHALES DYING ON WAY SOUTH

The migration north is happening now.  But scientists found that the whales, who usually have enough food to make it south are dying on the way south.  There are usually many opportunities to go whale watching during the season, from shore line cliffs to boats, but because of the Coronavirus-19 so much has been cancelled.

GREY WHALE DEATHS LINKED TO CLIMATE CHANGE and WARMER OCEAN TEMPERATURES

PHYS ORG : GRAY WHALE DEATHS -STRANDED WHALES
by Lynda V. Mapes.

EXCERPT: As if gray whales didn't already have enough troubles, with transient killer whales preying on their calves as the mighty grays swim north in their annual migration from their birthing lagoons in Baja.  But now, gray whale mothers in particular, depleted by the demands of lactation, are starving too.

WHALE WATCHING SEASON IS NOW

There are so MANY POSTS about WHALES in SIRENS LINK TO SEA BLOGSPOT, that using the search feature embedded in the front page will bring them up.  Will you do that little bit of research?