August
has been a tremendous sighting month for both Humpback and Blue Whales!
Large groups of both species of whales have been sighted on numerous days
feeding on massive amounts of krill. Krill is a small shrimplike animal
about a quarter inch long and is an important food source for many animals
in the Bay, especially the large whales.
Blue Whales in Monterey Bay
The Blue Whale is the largest whale and the largest animal ever to live
on earth, reaching lengths of over 90 feet off California! One Blue Whale
eats about 4 tons of krill everyday or 40 million individual krill.
Monterey Bay is one of the best places in the world to see these endangered
whales, with an estimated 10,000 left in the world. Before whaling there
were several hundred thousand Blue Whales but due to heavy hunting their
numbers were drastically reduced. However, the population off California
is the largest in the world, numbering around 2,200 whales, according
to Cascadia Research, a non-profit group that monitors the populations
of Blue and Humpback whales off California.
Krill in the Monterey Canyon
Monterey Bay is characterized by the largest and deepest submarine canyon
on the west coast and the only one that closely approaches shore. It's
similar in size to the Grand Canyon. Also, the central California coast
is a prime upwelling zone, meaning deep nutrient-rich cold water near
the bottom is driven to the surface by the combination of winds, the contour
of the coastline and the rotation of the earth. When this rich water reaches
the surface the sun fuels the production of plankton blooms. Krill feed
on this microscopic plankton and whales feed on the krill. The krill often
concentrate along the edges of the Monterey Canyon, which makes the whales
very accessible to our trips departing from the Monterey Harbor. There
is nowhere else along the coast where Blue Whales can be sighted so close
to shore. Monterey Bay is a special area and is part of the Monterey Bay
National Marine Sanctuary.
Blue Whales Feed on Krill
On
recent trips we have spotted lunge-feeding Blue Whales, often feeding
in groups of two, simultaneously lunging out of the water with their mouths
wide open to engulf thousands of krill. Looking closely we can even see
the krill spilling out the sides of their mouths. Their massive rows of
baleen catch the krill like a filter.
Blue Whales are certainly an impressive sight and often a once in a lifetime
chance for those who witness these magnificent creatures. Blue Whale numbers
fluctuate in the Bay and are most abundant when the krill is densest.
Presence of Blue Whales is hard to predict as it depends on oceanographic
conditions, but generally summer and fall in Monterey Bay provide an excellent
chance to see the Blues.
Blue whales feed only on krill, whereas Humpback Whales are more opportunistic,
feeding on both fish and krill.
Watching the Playful Humpback Whales
 Humpback
Whales have also been abundant in the Bay, often displaying their playful
antics such as breaching, tail slapping, pec slapping, and displaying
"friendly" behavior towards our boat. This intriguing behavior by Humpbacks
has been increasing in recent years as these endangered whales are fully
protected. Sometimes while our boat is just drifting the Humpbacks will
swim over and roll around and spyhop next to the boat, often covering
everyone with whale breath. This is an incredible sight and those lucky
enough to witness it swear it is something they will never forget and
often it is the highlight of their vacation, as these whales are curious
and trusting enough to approach us on their own.
Scientists Study Blue and Humpback Whales
 Blue
and Humpback Whales still hold many mysteries and various scientists continue
to study them. Biologists on Monterey Bay Whale Watch trips photograph
the whales with a telephoto lens to identify individuals by their natural
markings. We send the identification photos to Cascadia Research, where
they are matched to id photos of known whales or added to the catalogs
if they are of new individuals. This method is critical in making accurate
population estimates and monitoring the recovery of these endangered whales.
So far the news is good and the whales are increasing each year. This
summer and fall, scientists will be placing different tags on the Blue
Whales including satellite tags, depth recorders, and acoustic tags to
learn more about the behavior and movements of the whales.
 In
addition to abundant whale sightings, we have been seeing large schools
of dolphins on many trips. The dolphins cover a large range up and down
the coast but frequent the deep waters of Monterey Bay to feed on fish
and squid. Seeing groups of over 1000 dolphins of three species is also
an incredible experience that occurs often in the Bay. Many people don't
realize that just a short distance from one of the most populated areas
in California is a vast ocean wilderness teeming with a diversity of large
mammals and other marine life that rivals any African safari. For up-to-date
information, see our List of Recent Marine Mammal
Sightings in the Monterey Bay Region.
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