The Gray Whale
In Australia/New Zealand/Oceania
Description
Characteristics
- Gray Whale are mammals
- They have a double blow hole
- Once they reach middle age they get broader
Appearance
- They can grow up to 40 to 50 ft.
- They are size relative to a bus
- They can weigh 50,000 to 80,000 pounds
(GW)
Habitat
- Gray Whales have two habitats
- During the summer they live in the Murky Waters of the Artic Sea while they feed
- Then in autumn they start a migration to Baja California Peninsula of Mexico.
(NG)
Food Chain
Food Habits
- The Gray Whales food chain includes: shrimp like mysids or small fish
- During migration Gray Whales eat very little
- They prefer prey that live near the ocean floor
(ENC)
Adaptaions
Body Adaptations
- The Gray Whales body, head, flippers, and the tail all help the Gray Whale to adapt to its surroundings
Seasonal Adaptations
- It migrates from Russia in the summer and goes to the coast of the U.S during the winter
- They migrate to winter breeding areas
(L)
Critical Info/Endangerment
Endangerment
- Intensive exploitation has reduced population numbers of this species over the last three to four centuries.
- One of the original three gray whale populations is extinct
- One is critically endangered in the Western North Pacific
(P)
Gray Whale Flukes for Dana Point Whale Watchers
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