wilderone
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Gray Whale Population Declining
Very upsetting. I hope the trend reverses. Such a magnificent life cycle that we are fortunate to experience. Excerpts:
"The eastern North Pacific population of gray whales that migrates along the West Coast of the United States has continued to decline, with
reproduction remaining very low. Two new Technical Memorandums from NOAA Fisheries’ Southwest Fisheries Science Center report the estimated
population size and calf productivity in 2025.
The initial population estimate of gray whales, following an Unusual Mortality Event that ended in late 2023, suggested that their numbers may have
begun to rebound last year. However, the most recent count from winter 2025 instead reveals a continuing decline. The new count estimates an abundance
of about 13,000 gray whales, the lowest since the 1970s.
Only about 85 gray whale calves migrated past Central California on their way to feeding grounds in the Arctic earlier this year. That’s the lowest
number since records began in 1994. Low calf numbers since 2019 indicate that reproduction has remained too low for the population to rebound.
…
Researchers in Mexico reported numerous dead gray whales early this year in and around coastal lagoons. Females nurse their calves in these lagoons in
winter before beginning their migration north to the Arctic each spring. They also reported few gray whale calves, suggesting that many female whales
may not be finding enough food in the Arctic to reproduce."
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/eastern-north-p...
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mtgoat666
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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Woke!
Hands off!
“Por el bien de todos, primero los pobres.”
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Pronoun: the royal we
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David K
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Maybe ask Shari what she has observed?
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surfhat
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Climate change is having much more impact in the Arctic than we see down here in the lower 48.
Losing the ice sheets compromises the algae growth on the underside of the ice which supports the main food source for gray whales.
Historically, the gray whales have been able to recognize when nature affects their food source and are able to choose to limit their breeding until
things become more amenable to sustain more whales.
They have also been observed seeking other food sources when the ice sheets limit their main food source. Hope springs eternal that they do find
alternate sources for food.
I welcome any corrections or additions from our much appreciated whale whisperer.
Daughter Sirena had at one time proposed tracking gray whales back to the arctic and back. I know there are trackers that can be glued onto their skin
without negative effects.
I hope Sirena gets her wish one these days.
The Whale Magic magic is magical. Thank you Shari and Sirena.
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AKgringo
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Changes in the Arctic food chain?
On a different, but related note, some species are thriving! I just got back from Anchorage, and longtime fishing friends and relatives were
experiencing a record return of Sockeye salmon to the Keni River basin.
I don't know if they feed on the same diet as grey whales, but they share the same feeding grounds.
This over-abundance of Sockeye is happening while Chinook (King) Salmon fishing was shut down this year because of dismal returns to the same river.
[Edited on 8-15-2025 by AKgringo]
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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David K
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The climate has always been changing, along with everything else. I did message Shari about this post.
Can people accurately count every whale? This year the count was less or maybe the year before the count was inaccurate and counted too many? It will
be curious if next year's count goes back up or not.
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SFandH
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Gray Whale Population Abundance
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/west-coast/science-data/gray-...
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surabi
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What is your point in saying this, other than to try to discredit the unprecedented rapid climate change, mostly caused by human activity not
seen before in recorded human history, and proven by pretty much all the world's scientists?
Your statement, repeated endlessly by every climate change denier, is pointless. Obviously everyone over the age of 10 who was paying attention in
science class knows that the earth's climate has changed over billions of years. That is irrelevant to the issue of current rapid climate change,
melting of glaciers, ice caps and icebergs, ocean warming, etc.and its effects on all living things.
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LancairDriver
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The climate change argument is pretty well balanced among the
so called experts and the amateur climatologists, so best simply wait and see for the next hurricane, tornado, ocean level opinion or flood disaster
to register your personal theory.
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mjs
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The change is completely predictable. As long as you have a Sharpie.
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latitude32
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yup, the magic marker.
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wilderone
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Per the graph, after a high point in population in 1988, and then a precipitous decline just 6 years later in 1994, I Googled the question: this is
an AI derived answer:
"The decline in the Pacific gray whale population in 1994 was primarily due to an Unusual Mortality Event (UME), linked to changes in their Arctic
feeding grounds and subsequent malnutrition. While the population had recovered from whaling and was removed from the endangered species list in 1994,
the UME was a period of increased gray whale strandings and deaths, primarily along the US Pacific coast and in Mexico. Researchers believe that
localized ecosystem changes in the Bering and Chukchi Seas, their main feeding grounds, impacted the availability and quality of prey (like
amphipods). The changes in food availability led to malnutrition in the whales, affecting their ability to migrate and reproduce successfully."
So I supposed the situation in 2025 could reverse given that it seems due to the same reasons as in 1994, though the "changes" are specifically
determined. ??
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David K
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Quote: Originally posted by surabi  |
What is your point in saying this, other than to try to discredit the unprecedented rapid climate change, mostly caused by human activity not
seen before in recorded human history, and proven by pretty much all the world's scientists?
Your statement, repeated endlessly by every climate change denier, is pointless. Obviously everyone over the age of 10 who was paying attention in
science class knows that the earth's climate has changed over billions of years. That is irrelevant to the issue of current rapid climate change,
melting of glaciers, ice caps and icebergs, ocean warming, etc.and its effects on all living things.
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Did you miss the news about the huge increase in Antarctic ice? The earth is in balance. But even if it was as bad as you want people to believe, what
do you think will change the natural world? Will you go to China and demand they stop burning coal? Since that won't happen, are you just going to
harass Americans? We are already one of the cleanest of the industrial giants. Do you have some magic solution? That would be great!!!
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mjs
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Location: Off grid in San Felipe
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| Quote: Originally posted by David K | | Quote: Originally posted by surabi |
What is your point in saying this, other than to try to discredit the unprecedented rapid climate change, mostly caused by human activity not
seen before in recorded human history, and proven by pretty much all the world's scientists?
Your statement, repeated endlessly by every climate change denier, is pointless. Obviously everyone over the age of 10 who was paying attention in
science class knows that the earth's climate has changed over billions of years. That is irrelevant to the issue of current rapid climate change,
melting of glaciers, ice caps and icebergs, ocean warming, etc.and its effects on all living things.
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Did you miss the news about the huge increase in Antarctic ice? The earth is in balance. But even if it was as bad as you want people to believe, what
do you think will change the natural world? Will you go to China and demand they stop burning coal? Since that won't happen, are you just going to
harass Americans? We are already one of the cleanest of the industrial giants. Do you have some magic solution? That would be great!!!
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A little research would show the US is not one of the cleanest, actually one of the worst.
Can't embed the chart so you'll have to use the link.
https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/co-emissions-per-capita
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surabi
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| Quote: Originally posted by David K |
Will you go to China and demand they stop burning coal? Since that won't happen, are you just going to harass Americans? We are already one of the
cleanest of the industrial giants. |
Where did you glean that nonsense from? Not only is it false, but the current administration is busily reversing all the progress made in the US
designed to lower greenhouse gas emmisions, removing environmental protections, defunding green energy, and giving polluting big business free reign.
FYI China has been reducing their emissions and reliance on coal, even though their energy consumption has gone up, due to their expansion of
wind,solar and nuclear energy.
https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-clean-energy-just-put-c...
Basically, almost every country in the world is on board with reducing greenhouse gases except the US under current leadership.
And wherever did you come up with that completely false "news" about Antarctic ice?
"Antarctic Sea Ice Hits Historic Low"
"In the summer of 2025, Antarctic sea ice reached one of its lowest levels on record, tying for the second-lowest minimum extent in 47 years of
satellite observations, according to NASA and the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC).
On March 1, 2025, the annual summer low, sea ice coverage dropped to 1.98 million square kilometers (764,000 square miles) as shown in the map above.
That’s about 30 percent below the 1981–2010 average of 2.84 million square kilometers (1.10 million square miles)."
[Edited on 8-18-2025 by surabi]
[Edited on 8-18-2025 by surabi]
[Edited on 8-18-2025 by surabi]
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SFandH
Elite Nomad
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Really interesting webpage. Thanks
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