ElCap
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Tagged Baja whales
Nineteen whales were tagged in Laguna San Ignacio just a few weeks ago - so now you can track your favorite gray whale from the comfort of your desk
chair:
http://swfsc.noaa.gov/news.aspx?id=17842
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shari
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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while it will be interesting to see where certain whales go to feed, I sure as heck am glad they tagged the whales in San Ignacio instead of Ojo de
Liebre where we were often this season....why you may ask?
When I was at the lagoon years ago, a research team came to tag some whales and none of the lancheros wanted to take them out because it really
disrupts their delicate trust with the animals they spend time with day in day out.
Imagine the surprise when a whale wanders over to visit their favorite lanchero like it does every day and BLAM....a passengers points a harpoon and
shoots a dart into them!!! While the scientists say it doesn't hurt them...they certainly react to it like it hurts and they get mad and wont go near
that lanchero for days afterwards...sometime weeks...sometime never again. And they seem to tell their friends about it too...the whales acted very
stand offish after a few days of darting and we all felt very sad for breaking the bonds of trust we so diligently nurtured.
that was many years ago so I hope the newer darts hurt less.
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ElCap
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Wow Shari, I really hope this doesn't change the behavior of the friendly whales of San Ignacio - I never really thought about that.
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Islandbuilder
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I agree with Shari. These animals certainly are aware of our touch when the come to the pangas for a nose rub. These darts, which I think penetrate
quite a way to make sure that they don't wash off, have to hurt them.
[Edited on 3-20-2012 by Islandbuilder]
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rts551
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Maybe the research gathered to help these grand creatures far out-ways the need for people to make money off them... Tagging may help the long-term
outlook for people who organize whale watching trips.
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shari
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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We pretty much know where the gray whales go....north and they spread out in feeding areas from California to Alaska. We know how fast they travel and
the route. Through non invasive photo identification, we can learn alot about where the animals feed.
When the whale taggers came to Ojo de Liebre, we suggested they tag certain "animals of interest" ....meaning that we could learn something by tagging
certain animals...for example by tagging several animals in the same "nursing group" we might find out if they migrate together or split up....but
they ignored our suggestions and just tagged random whales they could get close to.
sometimes I think these "research" projects are more to keep researchers busy, test equipment etc. than actually gathering "useful" data. I would love
to know if the midwives are actually related to the whales they assist...mother, sister, auntie? but again researchers dont listen and just gather
samples from random animals...again using darting techniques. It would be interesting to know if animals born in a certain lagoon go back there 6
years later to have their baby but tags dont last very long. While it gives fodder to present at Whale Conferences, much of the research is not
extremely "useful" and can do more harm than good...but the researchers dont consider this as they just come for a week or whatever and go back home.
For example, researchers once went to San Ignacio to find out what would happen when they played killer whale hunting sounds underwater in the
lagoon.....DUHHHHH!!! The whales left the lagoon of course to save their babies...WTF? this ruined a whole season of whale watching and caused Mexico
to not allow any more american researchers for a long long time.
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chuckie
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So true.I have seen a number of "research" projects on Elk and other game animals that do nothing but reconfirm already reconfirmed data. They
provide, through "grants" a livelihood for people in off seasons from teaching or whatever, supplemental income. Annoy and disturb wildlife, to no
real purpose...
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Cypress
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Have participated in research work, fisheries. Sadly enough, it appears they are, in many cases, just "re-inventing the wheel". Each new crop of
researchers simply repeats what their predecessors have already done. The equipment is newer hi-teck, state of the art, but they're not finding
anything new, just affirming what they've know for years.
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watizname
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Personally, I would like the 'reserchers" to tag each other to show us "ordinary folks" that these tags don't hurt. I think a little back up research
like that to allay our fears of hurting these magnificent creatures would go a long way.
Any takers, oh searchers of knowledge?
I yam what I yam and that\'s all what I yam.
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Bajahowodd
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I'm absolutely with Shari on this one.
Fundamentally, these whales travel the same course year after year.
If there was any sort of program of this type that could be helpful in any way, it would be to determine just how many baby whales don't make it up to
Alaska because of the Orcas.
I've read some expert reports that cite such things as:
Ojo De Liebre is the lagoon of choice for the whales, but owing to the relatively small opening to the lagoon, a number of whales miss it and keep
going, aending up in San Ignacio and Mag Bay.
Ojo De Liebre is the choice for the wahles simply because it is shallow. Orcas need deep water to dive in order to gain momentum to attack.
There are usually a number of Orcas that just hang around at the entrance to the lagoon to prey on those Greys that are leaving.
Estimate are as high as 20% of calves fall prey to Orcas before making it to the Gulf of Alaska.
The whales feel secure in Ojo De Liebre and likely is a reason why they are so tame.
Don't mess with them.
Oh. And I also understand that unlike San Ignacio, at Ojo De Liebre, they are only allowed to place 6 pangas in the water at any given time.
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wilderone
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"Ojo De Liebre is the lagoon of choice for the whales, but owing to the relatively small opening to the lagoon, a number of whales miss it and keep
going, aending up in San Ignacio and Mag Bay"
There's a relatively old (70's?) National Geographic article stating that the whales go back and forth between lagoons - they don't necessarily arrive
and stay in one location.
There was a TV program a few days ago showing a brutal Orca attack on a mother and baby gray. They rammed them, and ultimately layed across the
baby's back to drown it. Said an attack could last as long as 3 hours, exhausting the grays so they can't defend themselves. Disturbing to watch.
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Cypress
Have participated in research work, fisheries. Sadly enough, it appears they are, in many cases, just "re-inventing the wheel". Each new crop of
researchers simply repeats what their predecessors have already done. The equipment is newer hi-teck, state of the art, but they're not finding
anything new, just affirming what they've know for years.
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$$$ it's about funding there existance... If they didn't do the repetitive research, they get no funds. Too bad they can't figure out something new to
do research on and leave alone the whales do their thing (have baby whales)... which by this years account is working!
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