Whales
“Will I see a whale?” is a frequently asked question at Point Lobos. Nobody says, “Will I see a Cetacean?” which is the scientific name for a large group of sea mammals that have very streamlined body shapes, paddle-shaped front limbs, and tails that are flattened into flukes. Whales can be very large, like the blue whale, which can weigh up to 150 tons, or quite small like the harbor porpoise which is no larger than an average man. All whales are classified into two groups, the baleen whales (Mysticeti) and the toothed whales (Odantoceti), and both whale types can be seen (sometimes!) at Point Lobos.
Toothed whales have just that – teeth! The population of toothed whales seen at Point Lobos includes orca or killer whales, as well as dolphins and porpoises that romp in the central Pacific Ocean. Toothed whales eat a variety of larger fish and other marine mammals. The orca is known for hunting the largest of all marine mammals, the baleen whales.
“How will I know when I see a whale?” Looking for spouts is the most common way to sight whales at Point Lobos. All whales must surface to breath air and the spout is caused by hot air from the whale’s lungs mixing with the cold ocean air. Gray whales and humpback whales have heart-shaped, or bushy, spouts and the humpback whale spout is larger than the gray whale’s. The heart shape is caused by the two blow holes in the head of these whales. The blue whale, largest of all whales, has a spectacular vertical single-column spout of up to 38 feet! Orcas, dolphins, and porpoises have a straight up spout since they have a single blow hole. The second blow hole in these whales’ skulls is used for sonar location! Flukes, those big tail flippers that can be seen when a whale dives, and dorsal fins, those large sails on the back of whales, are also features to look for when whale spotting.
Outside the Whaling Station Museum at Whalers Cove there is an excellent example of baleen, the stiff, broom-like jaw attachment that replaces teeth in three of the most often seen whales at Point Lobos: gray whales, humpback whales, and blue whales. Gray whale baleen is seen on the left. Baleen whales take huge gulps of sea water and food, and the baleen is used to separate them. Ocean water is squeezed through the baleen and sent back into the sea, and the small bits of food that are retained are then swallowed – like separating your spaghetti from the cooking water! Baleen whales eat a variety of small animals – whatever they can grab in their huge mouths!
Of the baleen whales that frequent Point Lobos, the blue whale and the humpback whale are listed as endangered. The total blue whale population is estimated as 10,000 – 25,000, but this population is dispersed throughout all the oceans of the world and in both near shore and deep ocean waters. The northeastern Pacific blue whale population is considered more stable that most others. The gray whale population is estimated at 25,000, but this population is only found near the eastern Pacific shore. Like blue whales, humpback whales are dispersed throughout the earth’s oceans and their population is estimated at 80,000.
In 1946 the International Whaling Commission was established and 1986 the IWC banned commercial whaling in order to increase the whale stock. However, some nations have chosen not to belong to the IWC and whaling continues in those countries. At the 2010 IWC meeting, representatives of the 88 member states discussed whether or not to lift the 24-year ban on commercial whaling. Japan, Norway and Iceland have urged the organization to lift the ban. A coalition of anti-whaling nations has offered a compromise plan that would allow these countries to continue whaling, but with smaller catches and under close supervision.
Humpback Whales
Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) and blue whales sightings are what many visitors think of as “seeing a whale.” Breaching, aerial acrobatics, fin slapping and those awesome spouts are the ultimate whale sighting experience. By contrast, the gray whales can reliably be sighted during their southern and northern migrations, but these animals are intent on getting to a destination and are spotted as they swim determinedly past Point Lobos. Humpback whales are following abundant food sources and with full bellies and no place to be, they breach, flap, and generally make a show of themselves. The favored foods of humpback whales are anchovies, squid, sardines, herring, krill – basically any small fish that swims in schools – and their baleen is used to take huge mouthfuls of fish and water, filter the water through the baleen back into the ocean, and swallow the retained fishes. A mature humpback whale will eat about 4000-5000 pounds of fish a day. Many of these calories are stored as blubber (fat) which insulates the animal as well as provides energy stores. An excellent example of humpback whale baleen is displayed outside the Whaling Station Museum at Whaler’s Cove.
Humpback whale sightings are unpredictable since they will be found wherever their food is abundant. The Monterey and Carmel bays often have abundant squid, anchovies and sardines in summer and so a display of humpback whale antics is more likely in May to September than the rest of the year. A clue that humpbacks are in the area is a pool of ocean bubbles with hundreds of sea gulls excitedly hovering about. When the humpbacks’ prey are scattered in the ocean, the whales cooperate to swim around the fish and blow bubbles that frighten the fish into a central group and cause them to move towards the ocean surface. The gulls appreciate the easy catch as well as the whales!
Humpback whales are about the same size as gray whales, reaching 50’ in length and weighing about 45 tons. However, their shape is quite different. The stockier humpback whales have very small dorsal (top) fins and very long pectoral (side) fins that do the slapping during a breach. The whale’s back is very dark with a white underbelly. Humpback whales are found in all the oceans of the world and the estimated total population is 80,000.
Blue Whales
Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) are the largest of all whales and the largest animal on earth, reaching lengths of 100’ and weighing up to 150 tons. They are very streamlined, and as their name suggests, are a bluish-gray color. The blue whale feeds exclusively on krill. The blue whale can be distinguished by a very large, narrow spout that can reach 38 feet. An average spout is about 30 feet. The blue raises its head above the water to spout, resulting in a spectacular show of whale eyes, mouth, and water. This impressive spout is possible because the lung capacity of the blue whale is 1400 gallons! However, the blue whale is less acrobatic than the humpback whale so less likely to fully breech out of the water.
The northern Pacific blue whale is listed as endangered. World-wide, the blue whale population is estimated as 10,000 – 25,000, but this population is dispersed throughout all the oceans of the world, in both near shore and deep ocean waters. Several of these populations are considered endangered.
Gray Whales
Gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) are often thought of as “our” whales, but we do share them with Canada and Baja California. The native range is limited to the eastern shore of the Pacific Ocean. The gray whale is so unique that scientists classify it as the only member of the benthic whale family. Unlike other baleen whales that feed on schools of small fish and krill, the gray whale lies on its side in the ocean mud, stirs the mud with its flipper, and then takes in big mouthfuls of mud and small, benthic animals. The baleen is used to separate the muddy water, which is sent back into the ocean, and the small bits of food that are retained are then swallowed – like separating your spaghetti from the cooking water!
The time to most reliably see whales is during the gray whale migrations. Migrating whales often travel very close to shore, so viewing is excellent from Point Lobos – if you are there at the right time! During summer months, you won’t see gray whales as they are feeding in the mud of Alaskan waters. Many of the females are pregnant. When winter storms begin in October, the whales begin leaving their summer home and migrate south along the eastern Pacific coast. By late December through early February the migrating whales pass central California. These are whales with a mission: to reach the warm southern California waters before birthing and you won’t see them frolicking about. Since these whales begin their migration about the same time, they are often seen in groups, or pods.
If you miss the southern migration in winter, you have another chance to catch a gray whale sighting in late spring. Mating and birth take place in the warm waters of Baja California and then the gray whales are ready to begin the long trek home – another 6000 mile swim. Males and females without calves begin the northern migration first and pass central California from late March through May. The whales are eager to return to the rich, muddy feeding grounds of the north. Females with calves begin their migration as soon as the calf is strong enough to travel, like the one in the photo at left, so they are among the later whales passing Point Lobos. The female attempts to keep her calf as close to the shore as possible to protect it from attack by pods of orca whales. A female gray whale can lose one-third of her body weight as the long journey, birth and nursing consume stored fat, or blubber.
The gray whale can be recognized by its dark slate-gray skin which is mottled with white patches that result from barnacles attached to the skin, whale lice, and scars. A mature gray whale can weigh 30 – 40 tons and is about 40 – 50’ long; females are slightly larger than males. The grey whale gestation time is 13 months and females give birth every 2-3 years. The gray whale was hunted for its blubber (fat) which was used as lamp fuel before the discovery of kerosene and electricity. They were once called devil fish because of their fighting behavior when hunted. There are about 25,000 gray whales in the eastern Pacific and another small pod in the far north western Pacific, near Japan. A gray whale may live 55 – 70 years.
Orcas
The spectacular orca, or killer whale, is one of the toothed whales for which population estimates are deficient. Some of the orca subspecies found along the northeast Pacific coast have been placed on the endangered list. These populations are estimated to be 2200 – 2700 animals. None of the dolphins or porpoises commonly seen at Point Lobos is considered endangered.
The largest dolphin species is the orca (Orcinus orca), or killer whale. A typical killer whale distinctively bears a black back, white chest and sides, and a white patch above and behind the eye. Calves are born with a yellowish or orange tint, which fades to white. It has a heavy and robust body with a large dorsal fin up to 6 feet tall in the males. Behind the fin, it has a dark grey "saddle patch" across the back. When seen from a distance, juveniles can be confused with other cetacean species, like the Risso's dolphin. Male orcas grow to about 25 feet in length and weigh about 19,000 pounds.
The killer whale is also referred to as the orca whale or orca, and less commonly as the blackfish. Killer whales are found in all oceans. Killer whales as a species have a diverse diet, although individual populations often specialize in particular types of prey. Some feed exclusively on fish, while others hunt marine mammals and even large whales. The killer whale's large size and strength make it among the fastest marine mammals, able to reach speeds in excess of 35 miles per hour. Killer whales have made appearances at Point Lobos during the gray whale migration from Baja to Alaska when the mother gray whale is traveling with her young calf from March through early May. The orcas will follow and attempt to prey on the calf while the mother gray whale will do everything in her power to protect it on this journey.
Killer whales are highly social; some populations are composed of family groups. Their sophisticated hunting techniques and vocal behaviors are often specific to a particular group and passed across generations.
Most dolphins live long lives. The bottlenose dolphin can live over 40 years, and the orca can live to be 70 or 80 years old!
Dolphins and Porpoises
Seeing dolphins in the surf at Point Lobos is very exciting. These animals may travel alone or in groups. Dolphins are highly intelligent marine mammals and are very playful and fun to watch. They are part of a family of toothed whales that includes orcas, sperm whales and pilot whales. Dolphins are carnivores, mostly eating fish and squid.
Dolphin coloration varies, but they are generally gray in color and have darker backs than the rest of their bodies. Although it is difficult to identify the species unless you have binoculars and know the different markings, there are a few signs you can look for. Several species of dolphins visit the coast of California and the Monterey Bay Sanctuary. The most common are the Pacific white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) and the Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus). Risso's can be distinguished by their blunt snouts and the amount of scarring on their bodies caused by fighting with other Risso's dolphis and with squid, their main food source. They are quite active and love to breach and tail slap. The Pacific White-sided Dolphin is found year-round but is most abundant during warmer water regimes in fall & winter. It ranges in the north Pacific from southeastern Alaska to Baja California. Sometimes these dolphins put on a truly impressive performance of leaps and aerial flips. They have been known to also swim in formation with other dolphins and sea lions, sometimes leaping from the water in spirited somersaults.
Other dolphins seen in the Monterey Bay include the long-beaked common dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens), a fast and energetic dolphin commonly seen breaching and somersaulting, the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) travelling just outside the breakers along sandy beaches, and the Dall’s porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli) that sometimes produces a “rooster tail” of water spray that is unique to this species.
The largest dolphin species is the orca (Orcinus orca), or killer whale. A typical killer whale distinctively bears a black back, white chest and sides, and a white patch above and behind the eye. Calves are born with a yellowish or orange tint, which fades to white. It has a heavy and robust body with a large dorsal fin up to 6 feet tall in the males. Behind the fin, it has a dark grey "saddle patch" across the back. When seen from a distance, juveniles can be confused with other cetacean species, like the Risso's dolphin. Male orcas grow to about 25 feet in length and weigh about 19,000 pounds.
