Monterey Bay Whale Watch Marine Mammal Sightings List 2/1

Monterey Bay Whale Watch
List of Marine Mammal Sightings
in the Monterey Bay Region
February 1 – 28, 2002

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.