Posted on 02/10/2014 2:51:59 PM PST by BenLurkin
RANCHO PALOS VERDES (CBSLA.com) — A record number of whales are migrating southbound through the waters off the Palos Verdes Peninsula, according to scientists with the American Cetacean Society Los Angeles Gray Whale Census and Behavior Report.
Some 1,055 gray whales have been tracked southbound en route to nursing and calving waters off Baja California so far this season, compared to 704 at the same time last year. Scientists also said December was the highest month on record.
This weekend marked the third highest count of southbound gray whales since the ACS/LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project began 31 years ago, and that migration continues, Alisa Schulman-Janiger, project director for the census, said. This year’s migration is also the highest since the 1997-1998 season.
Good weather and more gray whales traveling closer to shore could have contributed to the increased count, she said.
The study tracks whales seen from the Point Vicente Interpretive Center in Rancho Palos Verdes from Dec. 1 through May 20.
In addition to the gray whales, four fin whales were seen traveling together near shore over the weekend. Once a rare sighting in California waters, fin whales – which are in the same family as the blue and humpback whale – have been reported more often in the past five to six years, Schulman-Janiger said.
February is normally the end of the peak of gray whales’ southbound migration season, but this year has been odd, she said. There appear to be two peaks this year, making it a great year to go out and see the migration firsthand.
They heard about Obamacare.
The Japanese whale hunters must be slacking off.
This is probably an indication of increased numbers of whales. There will be a lag between increased protection of whales and an increase in the breeding population of the whales. Many environmental protections makes sense but I have to suspect that, as many of the real environmental battles have been won, the “environmental industry” is not inventing causes like Global Warming/Climate Change to keep the government grant money and donations rolling in. It is fundamental fact that any organization seeks to perpetuate itself regardless if its original mission has been accomplished.
Did they leave a note, saying “So long and thanks for all the fish?” Maybe I should be worried.
Maybe because it is getting colder in certain areas???
I support the right of whales of any sexual orientaion to migrate however they wish. What’s that? GRAY whales...oh...never mind....
I recommend the Point Vicente Interpretative Center as a good place to see whales. I’ve seen a couple of blue whales there. True, they were miles away, but it was the real deal. They loan binoculars for free, and have a system of telling you where to look, based on sightings so far that day.
Phil was right. Six more weeks of winter.
Somebody has to choke that little bastard.
Recovery from soviet whale hunters. They killed more whales than everyone else combined.
| Free Republic 1st Quarter Fundraising Target: $85,000 | Receipts & Pledges to-date: $41,717 | |||
|
||||
| Woo hoo!! And we're now over 49% looking for 50!! Thank you all very much!! We can do this. | ||||
Too Cold?
I heard he checked into a Holiday Inn.
How about the new mayor of NYC, DiBlahblah, who DROPPED the Staten Island chuck on his HEAD on a concrete sidewalk? Shoulda been DiBlahblah, not the poor chuck.
Lol...that only took five posts....
al baby must be losing his touch....
How do you circumcise a whale?
You send down four-skin divers.
Nope. Touch is still there....
:^D
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.