shari
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Latest census in Ojo de Liebre whale lagoon
Feb.15th was the 4th census of gray whales in the lagoon by Guerrero Negro sometimes known as Scammons Lagoon (ick) but really called Ojo de Liebre.
There were approximately 862 adults an 544 calves for a total of 1,402 gray whales in the lagoon. Great to see so many new calves this year...bumper
crop!
When I was part of the census taking team, it was such a great experience to visit all parts of the lagoon...there are some neat islands there where
ospreys nest on the ground!! Sirenita's papa lived on one of the islands and some of her half sisters were born there too! The lagoon is huge with 3
different viewing areas and lots of areas off limits to boats where the whales love to hang out undisturbed. It is a magical place.
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Cypress
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shari, Thanks for the info.
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Eli
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I am so excited to come meet them and You! Ya casi!!!!!!!!!!!
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BajaRat
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COOL! Seven more days, to excited to sleep!
[Edited on 2-17-2011 by BajaRat]
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shari
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Rat...there is major whale traffic in front of your place these days...yesterday a monster whale breached fully 5 tims in front of our house close to
the beach...I was sooooo thrilled!!! even seen some calves with moms heading north already...guess nobody told em how friggin cold it still is up
there eh!
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BajaRat
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Shari,
When you go now do you leave out of the same spot as the Mallarimo boat tours? If you were to take the turn off between G.N. and Viscaino does that
take you further back into the lagoon? It seemed that the Mallarimo tour boat took us out towards the lagoon entrance rather than the back channels.
Thanks, Lionel
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TheBajaKid
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Hello Shari,
You have wonderful knowledge of Baja and the Sea.
I was wondering if you could share with me, out of the three places gray whales calve. Where would be the best to see them the end of March?
My girlfriend and I will be driving down to Los Cabos leaving around the 20th looking to see and do as much as possible on the way. Thank you
[Edited on 2-18-2011 by TheBajaKid]
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shari
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Ojo de Liebre has 3 diffferent viewing areas each of which only has a few boats and you cant see the other ones when you are in one..meaning in the
viewing area you choose, you may only see one or two other boats except on holidays like presidents day weekend. Malarrimo, Laguna & Mario's tours
go out to the mouth of the lagoon where the salt works barges traverse. A fishing coop business has a camp in the middle lagoon and the ejido folks
operate out of the Park where the Interpretive Center is where you can drive out there, camp, spend the day, dine in the beautiful restaurant and just
jump on a panga when you want to which is nice because you can go when the weather is more suitable to viewing and choose a boat with fewer people on
it....and it's wonderful watching whales from shore.
Most whales arrive in Ojo de Liebre first...late december and early january and thus leave the lagoon first as well...around the 3rd week of march,
the whales that have calved in that lagoon are already gone. So if you want to go the last week of March, perhaps San Ignacio might be a better
experience...although Ojo de Liebre will have lots of whales out by the mouth as many migrating whales stop off there for a little rest so if you go
out of Guerrero Negro, one of the town tours that goes to the mouth would be better. I hope this helps you decide where to go. I will be posting all
the census reports too here.
Baja kid....you are very welcome
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Baja Bucko
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So for the time of the March 17th which place would give better odds at petting????
I missed it by 5" the last time I was there and it is not going to happen again....the first-time-to-Baja tourist I had with me at the time leaped in
my way...anyone who tries that again will either get shoved overboard or their eyes scratched out
My other 4WD is a Baja Mule!
La Mula Mil Survivor 2013-2014!
1000 miles by mule from the tip to Tecate!
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Bajahowodd
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| Quote: | Originally posted by shari
Rat...there is major whale traffic in front of your place these days...yesterday a monster whale breached fully 5 tims in front of our house close to
the beach...I was sooooo thrilled!!! even seen some calves with moms heading north already...guess nobody told em how friggin cold it still is up
there eh! |
Seems to me that in the past several years, the whales schedule had them behind their historic timelime. So, I was just wondering if, as you have
posted, they may have gotten back onto a more historic schedule and will be emptying the lagoon earlier than they have in the past few years? I'm just
a novice. So, just wondering. Thanks.
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shari
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This weeks Census was completed on feb.23rd and appears to be in line with other years...usually the peak is mid february...so now there are 817
Adults, 512 calves for a total of 1,329 which is a few less than a couple weeks ago indicating some are heading out of the lagoon already.
We saw lots of young calves who will still need to be in the lagoon another 3 weeks at least but most likely the mating animals will head north sooner
cause they are hungry.
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mtgoat666
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| Quote: | Originally posted by shari
This weeks Census was completed on feb.23rd and appears to be in line with other years...usually the peak is mid february...so now there are 817
Adults, 512 calves for a total of 1,329 which is a few less than a couple weeks ago indicating some are heading out of the lagoon already.
We saw lots of young calves who will still need to be in the lagoon another 3 weeks at least but most likely the mating animals will head north sooner
cause they are hungry. |
who does the census?
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shari
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the biosphere reserve staff does it...usually one biologist in charge of it and 3 more people to count plus the lanchero of course. When I was in the
lagoon, I assisted on the census taking and there was a biologist from the reserve, a fisheries officer and another reserve staff too...I figure they
have about a 10% plus or minus factor on the numbers. Much DOES depend on the counters and if they have experience and it helps to have the same
people counting every 2 weeks to have some consistancy.
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BajaDanD
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Any idea of how many Whales have come and gone Does anyone count how many actually use the lagoon
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shari
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every 2 weeks there is a census in the lagoon...so in the last 2 weeks, approximately 45 adult whales and 32 calves have left the lagoon. So now there
are about 1,300 whales using the lagoon. The most I heard about were around 2,000 at the peak in mid february...cant remember what year.
Ojo de Liebre is where over half the gray whale population are born. Gray whale calves have a very high survival rate because the lagoons are a safe
place to be born..they are the only whale species to birth in lagoons...smart eh!
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BajaDanD
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They need a turnstyle at the entrence to count every whale that comes and goes so we can know the total Grey whale population using the Lagoon from
Dec. to April
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Wiles
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Great stuff as always Shari. FYI, here is the latest census numbers from San Ignacio.
http://www.bajawhale.com/news/laguna-san-ignacio-census-upda...
Really sounds like a banner year. Any idea what might be attributing to this?
Thanks Shari
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shari
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thanks for that Wiles, I was wondering what their numbers were. Counts are cyclical so they go up and down. Some years they just dont make as many
babies...my personal theory is that sometimes there are disturbances like big oil spill that will affect the food chain...whales limit thier
populations depending on available food...so when times are good and there is lots of food...they make more babies....generally when the counts are
up, they are up in all lagoons.
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shari
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Last whale count was March 9th, 2011 in Ojo de Liebre..numbers are still up high. Interestingly...there are MORE calves now than 2 weeks ago or maybe
they just counted wrong last time as on Feb.14 thee were 544 calves. This can happen as the last census 2 weeks ago was when moms started swimming
their calves more so they arent stationary which means they are harder to count...and they are bigger now so can stay down longer too...lots of
variables.
Adults 728
Babies 540
TOTAL 1268
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