OREGON STATE PARKS GREY WHALE WATCH AT DEPOE BAY

STATE PARKS OREGON WHALE WATCH OPPORTUNITIES 

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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 WHALES SHRINKING IN SIZE

Excerpt:  Researchers from Oregon State University used drones to monitor these whales and gauge changes in their size over time.  They found that, while a whale born in the year 2000 could be expected to grow to around 40 feet in length, a whale born in 2020 would end up closer to 35 feet in length.  Researchers said the shift in size is dramatic, comparable to the average American woman shrinking from five feet, four inches, to four feet, eight inches in the space of just twenty years.

YAHOO NEWS : IT'S NOT JUST THE FISHES

DON'T PICK UP THAT SEAL LION PUP ! MOM IS OUT HUNTING!

SEAGRANT : OREGON STATE EDU : SEA LIONS AND SEALS IN OREGON 

Lots of good information here!

Excerpt:   People often find harbor seal pups on the beach and pick them up, thinking the pups have been abandoned. Usually, they are not abandoned. The mothers are just out hunting or watching nearby. Human handling has caused many seals to be orphaned. There are no rehabilitation facilities in Oregon for seals, so if you find a seal pup—or any marine mammal—on the beach, the best thing you can do is leave it alone. If you see someone harassing a seal, call the Oregon State Police.