Blue Whale
Blue Whale, northern subspecies (Balaenoptera musculus musculus)
One of the most spectacular experiences to be had in Punta Banda is to witness majestic blue whales as they feed not far offshore during their early summer and winter migration. It is particularly breathtaking to be in a tiny kayak as their immense, sleek bodies rise out of the water mere feet from you.
Blue whales are the largest animals to have ever lived on Earth, growing up to 100 feet in length and weighing as much as 200 tons (over 4 times larger than a sperm whale and more than 2,400 times the size of a human). These magnificent creatures are found in oceans around the world and are also the world’s loudest animals, their songs —as loud as a jet plane—can be heard 500 miles away by properly-attuned ears. Their 180-decibel songs are imperceptible to humans, however, as our ears barely register 100-decibel dog whistles. Blue whales are filter feeders, consuming up to four tons of krill per day by using baleen plates in their mouths to filter out the tiny crustaceans.
The eastern north Pacific population of the northern subspecies (one of five subspecies) mostly feeds off California's coast from summer to fall and then Oregon, Washington State, the Alaska Gyre and Aleutian Islands later in the fall. During winter and spring, this population of blue whales migrates south to the waters of Mexico, mostly the Gulf of California, and off of Central America, where they both feed and breed.
The movement patterns of the eastern north Pacific population was not well understood until relatively recently. A team of scientists attached neurotransmitters to 171 blue whales off California and in the Gulf of California in 1993 to 2008, and tracked their movements via satellite. The figure below shows their movement patterns.
Movement patterns of Eastern North Pacific blue whales, from NOAA. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/west-coast/marine-mammal-protection/blue-whale-hot-spots
In the early 1900s, blue whale populations plummeted as a result of commercial whaling activities worldwide. Today, blue whales are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act and protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The biggest threats blue whales face today are vessel strikes and entanglements in fishing gear. The number of blue whales remaining is only a small fraction of what it was before modern commercial whaling significantly reduced their numbers, but populations are increasing globally.
In a recent article by Nice News, the successful comeback of blue whales in California is detailed. The resurgence of these majestic creatures is attributed largely to the efforts of conservationists in the region, who have worked tirelessly to protect their habitat. Using new technologies to track whale movements, researchers have been able to better understand the whales' behavior and migration patterns, and by implementing methods such as regulations to slow ships down in whale-heavy areas, conservationists have been able to reduce threats such as ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear. As a result of these conservation measures, the blue whale population in California has been steadily increasing, offering hope for the future of this endangered species.
