Gray whale

Of the "devilfish", oil rigs and WWF

Common Name		Gray whale, grey back; Baleine grise, baleine à six bosses(Fr); Ballena gris(Sp)
Scientific Name		Eschrichtius robustus
Status		IUCN: Lower Risk/conservation dependent (LR/cd)

Background

This information has been reviewed.

Intensive exploitation has much reduced population numbers of this species over the last three to four centuries. Of the original three gray whale populations, one is extinct in the North Atlantic, one is Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List status) in the Western North Pacific (with as few as 100 individuals remaining), and one has recovered from very low levels in the Eastern North Pacific and was removed from the U.S. Endangered Species List in 1994.

WWF and its conservation partners have been instrumental in strengthening protection for the north-west Pacific gray whales. The organization succeeded in curtailing seismic surveys that were shown to displace gray whales from their feeding ground and has been urging the Russian government to establish a gray whale sanctuary off Sakhalin Island.

Other activities include pushing for stricter environmental standards for offshore oil and gas projects, engaging a local energy company regarding their operations, and running a public campaign to raise awareness regarding the threats posed by the Sakhalin offshore oil and gas projects pose to whales.

Physical Description

The gray whale appears very different from any other whales and indeed is contained in its own taxonomic family. Instead of a dorsal fin, gray whales have a dorsal hump followed by nine to 13 bumps along their dorsal ridges. They produce a range of sounds including moans, rumbles and growls. The most prevalent call is a series of knocking sounds. Gray whales were known by whalers as "devilfish" because they defended themselves and their calves so fiercely.

Gray whales in the Baja California region are known as being "friendly" - they have an unusual tendency to approach whale-watching boats and even let whale-watchers touch them and scratch their tongues.

Size
These whales grow to between 12.2 and 15.2 m, with females about 1 m longer than the males.

Colour
They are mottled gray, while whale lice and parasitic barnacles create light coloured patches on their bodies.

Habitat

Range States
Canada, China, Japan, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russian Federation, United States

Ecological Region
Antarctic Peninsula and Weddell Sea, Yellow Sea, Okhotsk Sea, California Current, Gulf of California.