Record Numbers of Gray Whales Spotted Off California Coast

January 2, 2012

Science

According to Whale watchers, migrating gray whales are swimming through Southern California waters in record numbers this winter and amazing all who see them. Whale watchers at Point Vicente in Rancho Palos Verdes have recorded over 163 sightings in December, which is a new record. It is the most that they have seen at that location in 28 years and is generating a lot of excitement in the whale watching community.
In contrast, last year at this time, they recorded a total of 26 of the gray whales. The previous record of 133 occurred back in 1996. It looks like a good sign that whale populations are flourishing. Over 20,000 gray whales migrate each year from the arctic to Baja California. Once there, the females give birth, then migrate back north for the spring.
Next year’s numbers will be very telling should they be high again and then we can almost certainly say that their numbers are rising. However if they go back to being low, we will have to figure out how to interpret the discrepancies.