The Gray Whale
The gray whale is a mammal. It must breathe air and surfaces frequently to inhale and expel its condensed breath through the hole in the top of its head. It rarely swims more than 2,000 feet before surfacing to breathe and its spout is visible for a considerable distance.
Gray whales live 50-70 years and when mature may reach 30 to 50 feet long and weigh 16 to 45 tons. It feeds off the bottom in relatively shallow water by plowing up the soft sandy sediments to obtain its main food, amphipods.
Amphipods are crustaceans
one-third to one inch long and are related to the common sand flea. The
great gray whale has no biting structure to use for protection, and
except for its size and endurance, is defenseless against attackers such
as the killer whale.
The common name of the whale comes from the gray patches and white mottling on its dark skin. Gray whales were once called devil fish because of their fighting behavior when hunted. The gray whale is the sole living species in the genus Eschrichtius, which in turn is the sole living genus in the family Eschrichtiidae. This mammal descended from filter-feeding whales that developed at the beginning of the Oligocene, over 30 million years ago.
Researcher believes that the gray whale actually remembers the contour of the coast it passes, and he speculates that from time to time the whale will lift from the water to take a bearing from prominent headlands. Heceta Head Light Station, just north of Sea Lion Caves, has been used for navigation by seamen since it was built in 1894. Since the gray whale travels at night, it is just possible that it borrows a page from coastal shipping and navigates partially by observing the 1 million candlepower white light that flashes every ten seconds with visibility for 21 miles at sea.
The common name of the whale comes from the gray patches and white mottling on its dark skin. Gray whales were once called devil fish because of their fighting behavior when hunted. The gray whale is the sole living species in the genus Eschrichtius, which in turn is the sole living genus in the family Eschrichtiidae. This mammal descended from filter-feeding whales that developed at the beginning of the Oligocene, over 30 million years ago.
Researcher believes that the gray whale actually remembers the contour of the coast it passes, and he speculates that from time to time the whale will lift from the water to take a bearing from prominent headlands. Heceta Head Light Station, just north of Sea Lion Caves, has been used for navigation by seamen since it was built in 1894. Since the gray whale travels at night, it is just possible that it borrows a page from coastal shipping and navigates partially by observing the 1 million candlepower white light that flashes every ten seconds with visibility for 21 miles at sea.
To read more and see pictures click.. Whales
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