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MONTEREY BAY WHALE WATCH MARINE MAMMAL SIGHTINGS LIST 2/1 – 2/28/02

MARINE MAMMAL SIGHTINGS IN THE MONTEREY BAY REGION

Monterey Bay Whale Watch
List of Marine Mammal Sightings
in the Monterey Bay Region

February 1 – 28, 2002
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Note — In addition to sightings on Monterey Bay Whale Watch trips, this list includes all reported marine mammal sightings for this region. Unusual sightings of other marine animals such as Leatherback Sea Turtles and Basking Sharks are also listed. California Sea Lions, Harbor Seals, and Southern Sea Otters, which are seen on all whale watching trips, are not included in the list.

Date # Type of Animal(s)

2/28 8 Gray Whales (1 trip)
3000 Pacific White Sided Dolphins

2/27 6 Gray Whales (1 trip)

2/26 15 Gray Whales (1 trip)
2500 Long-beaked Common Dolphins
300 Pacific White Sided Dolphins

2/25 6 Gray Whales (1 trip)
750 Long-beaked Common Dolphins
1 Northern Elephant Seal

2/24 8 Gray Whales (2 trips)
1100 Long-beaked Common Dolphins
4-6 Bottlenose Dolphins

2/23 15 Gray Whales (2 trips)

2/22 16 Gray Whales (2 trips)
3 Killer Whales
800 Pacific White Sided Dolphins

2/21 3 Gray Whales (1 trip)

2/20 5 Gray Whales (1 trip)

2/19 7 Gray Whales (1 trip)
150 Long-beaked Common Dolphins
10 Risso’s Dolphins

2/18 12 Gray Whales (2 trips)

2/17 6 Gray Whales (2 trips)
45-65 Killer Whales
1 Northern Elephant Seal
1 Leatherback Sea Turtle  (See Note [1])

2/16 8 Gray Whales (2 trips)
20-50 Killer Whales  (See Note [2])
600 Long-beaked Common Dolphins
30 Risso’s Dolphins

2/15 4 Gray Whales (2 trips)
80-100 Killer Whales  (See Note [2])
700 Long-beaked Common Dolphins
22 Dall’s Porpoise

2/12 8 Gray Whales (1 trip)
85 Risso’s Dolphins

2/11 12 Gray Whales (2 trips)
900 Long-beaked Common Dolphins

2/10 18 Gray Whales (2 trips)
1000 Pacific White Sided Dolphins
1000 Risso’s Dolphins

2/9 21 Gray Whales (2 trips)
25 Pacific White Sided Dolphins
50 Long-beaked Common Dolphins

2/8 8 Gray Whales (2 trips)
1550 Pacific White Sided Dolphins
3000 Risso’s Dolphins
250 Northern Right Whale Dolphins
1 Leatherback Sea Turtle  (See Note [1])

2/7 6 Gray Whales (1 trip)
150 Risso’s Dolphins

2/6 2 Gray Whales (1 trip)
7 Killer Whales
25 Pacific White Sided Dolphins
400 Long-beaked Common Dolphins
500 Risso’s Dolphins
20 Northern Right Whale Dolphins

2/5 17 Gray Whales (1 trip)

2/4 5 Gray Whales (1 trip)
10 Killer Whales

2/3 23 Gray Whales (2 trips)
10 Killer Whales
45 Risso’s Dolphins

2/2 11 Gray Whales (2 trips)
2 Killer Whales

2/1 13 Gray Whales (2 trips)
12 Killer Whales

Notes:

[1] The two Leatherback Sea Turtle sightings (on February 8 and 17) are extraordinary as they appear to be the only winter sightings this observer has recorded. The earliest recorded sighting in other years was in April.

[2] The killer whales seen on February 15 and 16 are “offshore” killer whales, which have not been recorded in Monterey Bay for three years. These killer whales seem to have an annual movement from Southern California in winter to northern Vancouver Island and Southeast Alaska in summer. They have been observed in Monterey Bay feeding on salmon (probably Chinook Salmon).

Sightings reported by J. Aliotti, D. Davi, Greg Fisher, D. Frank, J Loomis, Monterey Bay Whale Watch, L. Oliver, J Williamson, A. J. Young.

No use of the sightings information is permitted without prior approval.
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Copyright © 2002 Monterey Bay Whale Watch
Last updated March 5, 2002