Gray Whale Migration Update: February 23, 2005

Today's Report Includes:

• Track the Whales: Latest Migration Data
• Zeroes Talk: Challenge Question #2
• Why Still Heading South? A Puzzling Question for Your Journal
• Field Notes and Video Clip from Laguna Ojo de Liebra, BCS Mexico
• Field Notes from Channel Islands Observation Post
• North? South? East? West? Discussion of Challenge Question #1

Los Angeles Data	Gray Whale Migration Off the California Coast Whales passing per day in February, 2005	Channel Islands Data
Northbound and Southbound Los Angeles	Northbound Los Angeles	Northbound Channel Islands
Data Courtesy American Cetacean Society of Los Angeles and Channel Islands

• At which site (Los Angeles or Channel Islands) have more northbound whales been seen during February? What reasons might explain this difference?
• How have numbers changed during the last two weeks at each site? Use your graphs and data sheets to compare earlier data with the latest. OR see how we combined the data into weekly groupings that make a clear picture. (You can do this, too!) Describe what you see. Which of these words--pulse, southbound migration, calves, increase, decrease--can you use in your description?
• Look carefully at the Los Angeles data for February 12. What beginning trend do you notice when you compare number of northbound whales with number of southbound whales in the days after that? What changes do you predict you'll see when your next data comes in two weeks? Think about key migration events we are watching for. Then write your prediction in your journal. Next time you can revisit (and perhaps revise) your prediction.

Challenge Question #2:
"Why is it valuable to record zeros in the migration data? What does that information tell you?"

(To respond to this question, please follow instructions below.)

Photo Keith Jones

Field Notes and Video Clip from Laguna Ojo de Liebra, BCS Mexico
Whalewatching tour guide Keith (Baja) Jones shares fun news from the warm lagoons of Mexico! “I've been watching the babies grow. Just this last week they have grown large enough and strong enough to jump almost clear of the water.”

Keith also sends us results of the whale counts done so far this year by Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve. Here are counts of gray whales inside Laguna Ojo de Leibre (one of the four lagoons where the whales go):

"The whale count normally peaks somewhere between February 15th and 25th," says Keith. "This appears to be the second year in a row where the number of whales and the number of babies will be at record levels. Last year (2004) was a record, with a peak count of 2,010 whales inside the lagoon." What's your prediction for this year's peak count? How has the ratio of babies to adults changed? What trend do you expect to see next? Jump into a panga (whale-watching motorboat) with this video clip taken by Jane, your Journey North writer:

Close Whale Spouting Watch It Now Tips

"Looking east from Coal Oil Point. This is where we might first observe northbound gray whales on their migration though the Santa Barbara Channel." Photo M.H. Smith, ACS-CI

Whales aren't the only creatures the ACS-CI volunteers saw. "On February 10 when the pair of northbound gray whales showed up, bottlenose dolphins escorted them all the way across our position," reports Michael. But things were very different the next day. Rain, high winds, and rough seas added up to just one half-hour of gritty observation before the volunteers packed it in and left!

"Looking due south we see whales pass right in front of Coal Oil Point in Goleta, California (10 miles west of Santa Barbara)." Michael H. Smith, ACS-CI

Using your California map AND the caption under the photo, we asked you to send us your answer to a question about the Channel Islands observation post. Here The American Cetacean Society-Channel Islands (ACS-CI) is conducting their very first Gray Whale Census. The challenge comes to you from Michael H. Smith, Research Chair of The ACS-CI: "The volunteers in one day saw eight gray whales go by. Six were traveling in an easterly direction, while two were headed in a westerly direction. How many whales were going north to Alaska?"

Iselin (NJ) Middle School/7th Graders had dueling answers. Some didn’t think ANY of the whales were traveling North to Alaska. But Emily, Abby S, Abbey O and Alexsandra wrote: “We believe two whales were going north to Alaska. We figured this because Alaska is Northwest of California. The lagoons that some are going to are Southeast of California. Therefore, the two whales heading west are on their way to Alaska.” Michael H. Smith, our scientist at the ACS-CI station, adds: “The coastline through the Santa Barbara Channel runs east and west. Whales on their migration from Mexico that travel along the coast must go west to continue their journey north.” (See the photo caption.)

IMPORTANT: Answer only ONE question in each e-mail message.

1. Address an email message to: jn-challenge-gwhale@learner.org
2. In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge Question #2.
3. In the body of EACH message, give your answer to ONE question. Please include the name of your school and town.

The Next Gray Whale Migration Update Will Be Posted on March 9, 2005.

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