East Pacific Gray Whales
Atlantic Population Extinct, Asian Critically Endangered
The Gray Whale is a very unusual whale since it is a ‘bottom feeder’. It has smallish baleen plates and gulps in sediment – filtering out small crustaceans. Other baleen whales filter organisms from the water, and the toothed whales catch larger swimming prey. (It is true that dolphins, for example, may also hunt for food in sand and mud – but the Gray Whale is the only one to gulp in sediment and filter it.)
Gray Whale Populations
Only two populations remain. The Western Pacific group is critically endangered, with less than 300 individuals, but the Eastern Pacific (or Californian) population has over 20,000. There was once an Atlantic Gray Whale, but it became extinct in the seventeenth century, probably as a result of early whaling.
Eastern Pacific Gray Whales
The whole population moves between Alaska and California each year. This is over 12,000 miles, making it one of the longest migrations known for any mammal. They all move north in the summer to feed in the cold and productive waters, and then south in the winter to the warmer waters off California to breed. They can grow to over 50 feet, weigh as much as 36 tons, and live for over 50 years.
(Gray Whales can be seen regularly off Vancouver Island in the spring and summer.)
Classification of the Gray Whale
The ancestors of the Gray Whale were filter feeders, evolving over 30 million years ago. Most of this group still feed in the same way – straining plankton from the water – but the Gray Whale specialised in filtering bottom sediments. There is only one species (Eschrichtius robustus), and they have their own family (Eschrichtiidae). Recent evidence suggests that Humpback Whales are among their closest relatives, and it is interesting to note that Humpbacks also have unusual feeding methods.
Whaling and the Gray Whale
It is not certain that whaling caused the extinction of the Atlantic Gray (or Grey) Whale, but it seems very likely. Certainly much more recent whaling in the Pacific devastated populations there, but fortunately whaling stopped in time for the Eastern Pacific population to recover. Gray Whales never took kindly to whaling (surprise!), and one of their old names was ‘Devil Fish’ because they had the audacity to fight back quite spectacularly. Now that they can feel safe around humans many display a great deal of curiosity, often coming right up to boats of whale watchers either to have a good look or even to be stroked!
