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Journey
North News: Spring
2007
Posted
Wednesdays:
Feb. 7, Feb 21, March 7, March 21, April 4, April
18, May 2, and May 16.
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May
16, 2007
Way
up in Kodiak, Alaska, kids from Main Elementary tried
to count the whales at Narrow Cape on May 2 but there
were too many! Hungry whales are ready to
swallow at least 67 tons of food during a 5- or 6-month feast
on the Arctic feeding grounds. Wayne Perryman reports the 4th
lowest calf count in 14 years. Why? See
how kids
at Rama Public School in Ontario are taking action for
the whales' ocean habitat. "We
wish all the whales, counted or not, safe passage," writes
Michael at Gray Whales Count. He speaks for all of us as we
end our season today!
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May
2,
2007
Very
few whales remain in the lagoons, and a
mom and calf were seen at Narrow Cape, Alaska on April 30!
Where are the others? "Last
year at this time, we had counted 75 calves. Today we saw our
22nd calf of 2007," reported Michael on April 21.
Wayne Perryman says it's the fourth lowest year for calves. Could
the whales possibly make their 10,000-mile migration without
any rest or sleep? Find out what we know (and don't know) about
whale sleep. Then answer: How
is a whale's sleep like your sleep? How is it different? Photo
Keith Jones |
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April
18, 2007
What
is causing the slowdown?
Are the whales are just hard to see in recent weather conditions?
The final phase of the migration is still ahead, but it sounds
like Gray Whale enemy #1 is ready and waiting. Our
slide show
tells
ideas about how whales navigate their epic
journey, and we hear about a few wayward young whales. Observer
comments this week teach us a lot about the Gray Whales, while
our journal question helps you learn about yourself. Come join
us! |
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April
4,
2007
The
first arrivals were spotted near Kodiak, Alaska on
April 1 (no fooling)!
Observers along the coast are reporting amazing sights,
from bubble blasts to a mom paddling on her back with
junior bobbing
and spyhopping nearby. Our animated graphic of migration
order shows who’s coming next. Meanwhile, moms
and babies in the lagoons inspire heartwarming tales
that may
make you wonder: What are the whales' possible intentions
in approaching human visitors there? Photo
P. Celia
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March
21, 2007
The
whales have reached Puget Sound! The parade of northbound Eschrichtius
robustus is in full swing. Has the migration
reached its first peak? Three moms with babies have passed
one of our official California counting
stations, and numbers have been high along the California coast.
Take a lesson in whale watcher's lingo and then test your skills. What's a young
whale doing in Santa Barbara Harbor? Photo
Jean Louis |
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March
7, 2007
Here
they come! Whales are being seen in higher numbers on the
California coast, and observers in Oregon, reported their
first northbound gray whales. If the Oregon whales swim
5 miles per hour, 24 hours a day, how long will it take
them to reach Alaska? Join us on a photo tour in a lagoon
for some fun surprises, and let the comments of all our
observers make you feel like you were there!
Photo:
Linda Lewis |
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February 21, 2007
Hopeful
whale watchers are flocking to the Mexican lagoons and Pacific
Coast from far and wide to see the whales. The fun is in
the lagoons, where new babies are learning life's lessons
from
Mom. But fewer whales are present than last year. Right on
time, however, is the turnaround date when more whales are
counted going north than south. Click the arrows on our new
globe to "visit" four observation posts with news.
Great whale stories are coming your way! Photo
Mike Hawe |
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February
7, 2007
The longest migration of any mammal is underway! California
gray whales are swimming south AND north along the Pacific
Coast. Among those still headed for Mexico were 19 newborn
babies with their moms. Explore the outlook for babies born
in the open ocean instead of the warm lagoons of Mexico.
See our booklet-slideshow to learn why gray whales rule
when it
comes to amazing animal migrations. Welcome to the 2007 journey
north! Photo Keith Jones |
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Welcome!
Many gray whales are still plowing south on their 5,000
to 6,000-mile swim from Alaska to Mexico. But most gray
whales are in the warm Mexican lagoons right now. They started
arriving in December to mate, give birth, and nurture their
newborns. So far, only a few gray whales have started the
northward migration back to the Arctic. As they move northward
up the coast, we'll be hearing first sightings and news
from a network of observers along the way.
Find out how to report your sightings and track the migration
on real-time migration maps. >> |
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