gray whales

Gray Whale Sighted off Herzliya Marina, Israel

By lisala on 5/12/10 4:52am
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The gray whale or Eschrichtius robustus is one of the balleen whales that feeds on plankton it sieves through the balleen plates embedded in its jaw. There were three large populations of gray whales, but the North Atlantic gray whales were assumed to have been hunted to extinction in the 18th century, while the American population is fairly healthy, the Asian gray whales of the North Pacific are endangered. The gray is famous in particular for its extensive annual migration, the longest migration of any whale, and one of the world's longest migrations of any species in yearly round trip of 15,000-20,000 kilometers.

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Gray Whales Spotted at Ballard Locks, Seattle

By lisala on 3/30/10 10:09pm
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Returning from a weekend sailing trip, Diana Lind spotted two grey whales near the Ballard Locks Sunday afternoon. If you watch the video, you'll see both whales spouting. Notice the absence of a dorsal fin, suggesting that these are gray whales, and not orcas.

Cultural Traditions conflicting with Conservation

By macallister on 5/18/09 11:37pm
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May 17th marked the 10th anniversary of Makah tribal whalers pulling ashore the body of a 32-ton gray whale, taken in the first formal hunt in 70 years, at Neah Bay, on Washington state's Olympic Peninsula. Legal challenges since have prevented another such hunt, in spite of the deep cultural ties observed by members of the Makah tribe, and the life-changing nature of the 1999 hunt. Makah Whaler, circa 1900Makah Whaler, circa 1900

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