GRAY WHALE CENSUS
AT GRANITE CANYON
Between mid-December 1997 and late February 1998, scientists from the
National Marine Mammal Laboratory, NMFS, Seattle are conducting a census of migrating gray whales.
The census is taking place at Granite Canyon,
located on the central California coast just
south of Carmel and the Monterey
Peninsula.
This will constitute the final season of a five-year
program to monitor the eastern Pacific stock following its removal
from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife.
In addition to
the systematic counts, a study is proposed to calibrate pod size
estimates and quantify other critical variables used to correct the
counts when calculating the population abundance. This study will be
done in January through aerial observations, thermal sensor
video-documentation, and teams of shore-based observers tracking
selected whale groups. Furthermore, there will be tests of elements
of the standard counting procedures as necessary to improve
corrections used in making population abundance calculations, such as
diurnal trends in travel rates, consistency in linkages between whale
sightings within each record, and quantification of variables used to
detect matches between sighting records. The current abundance
estimate is 22,263 (20,100-24,400) and the population still appears to
be increasing.
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Gray whale illustrations by Robin Makowski.
Last updated January 9, 1998.