Santiago
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3499
Registered: 8-27-2003
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latest on grey whales
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060628/ap_on_sc/whale_boom
AP is reporting a boom in baby grey whales. I don't recall any reports from the lagoons this winter of more babies than normal - anyone agree with
this artical?
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elgatoloco
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Well I think that what this report shows is that this year they counted more babies. They make the count at the same place on the same dates for the
same duration every year. The lagoons are in three different places and the whales come and go at different times making it difficult to get a count?
Also I do not know of a regular effort to continually count the babies in the lagoons of Baja. I do recall a visit to Scammons in 97-98 when we met
Shari and that day several Mexican biologists returned to shore after a full day on the water counting whales. They had a count for bulls and a count
for mother/baby pairs, somewhere I have a journal that has the totals, it was a lot, but it was something they did not do daily? The method described
in the article seems to be the best way to at least build a long range forecast of the general health of the whale population, but it seems to be a
lot of educated guessing involved as well.
In 1999 we were visiting Bahia De Los Angeles and there were more grey whales in the bay feeding then anyone (locals) could recall seeing in the
previous 50 years. I recall reading around that time that the grey whale population was as great as it had been in the last century (23,000+). My
theory was that because the population was so healthy that they were heading further up the gulf in search of food source. That year there were grey
whales that did not migrate back north, they spent all winter feeding in the Bahia. Do not know if that has been the case subsequently?
It is all a big mystery, no? Muy interesante!
A few weeks ago we helped a friend sail a big catamaran from Bahia Tortugas to Ensenada. We headed straight off shore from the bay to make the big
right hand turn and head up next to Cedros and we noticed lots of tuna crabs floating by. I told my wife and the skipper that the crabs were what the
blue whale eats, just at that moment we heard a huge blow and looked to starboard about 50 yards to see - blue whales! The next little while we
watched as blues and fin backs surfaced and fed on all sides of the boat. It was an awesome sight to behold. Three days later as we passed by La
Bufadora and prepared to make the turn into Bahia Todos Santos we saw two more blue whales!
Have you read Eye of the Whale yet? Check it out.
Viva Ballenas! 
MAGA
Making Attorneys Get Attorneys
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Bajame
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When staying In San Ignacio this winter I also heard that the count was up.
We all want a peaceful world, filled with love and laughter, but we fill ourselves with anger and hate trying to fiqure out how to achive it.
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Taco de Baja
Super Nomad
Posts: 1913
Registered: 4-14-2004
Location: Behind the Orange Curtain, CA
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Mood: Dreamin' of Baja
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How soon until the whaling ships from Norway and Japan arrive in Baja?...
And no, there will not just be there to see the whales..
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Eli
Super Nomad
Posts: 1471
Registered: 8-26-2003
Location: L.B. Baja Sur
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Mood: Some times Observing, sometimes Oblivious.
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Ya know as I read this thread so far my heart did a happy little pittypat, hey,yeah, whoopee, wow, oh no, I hope not............geezzzzzzzzzzz
[Edited on 6-30-2006 by Eli]
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SiReNiTa
Special Correspondent
Posts: 881
Registered: 5-5-2006
Location: Ensenada, B.C.S.
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Mood: Savoring life while saving the world!
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Just to let ya know...the gray whale population is and should be increasing every year. IN the lagoon, we took a census sometimes every 2 weeks and
the population appears to be increasing every year. Generally, whales stay in the same lagoon they give birth in unless they have been seriously
harrassed, although the solitary animals and males do come and go. We count solitary animals (nost necessarily males) and cow/calf pairs.Also blue
whales do love those little crabbies.
Live life as well as you can,
don\'t regret the things that once made you smile,
learn from your mistakes,
and thank God for every second he gives you upon this earth.
Visit me at
Http://BajaScents.Scentsy.com.mx
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