Return to home page
Home Trips Sightings Research Marine Life Monterey Bay Links Features Reserve Gift Certificates

Monterey Bay Whale Watch
Map of Marine Mammal Sightings in the Monterey Bay Region

January 1 - January 31, 2000
compiled by Richard Ternullo

-----

Marine Mammal Sightings Map (20K)

Note: Gray Whales are not plotted on the chart. Numerous California Sea Lions, Harbor Seals, and Southern Sea Otters are seen on all trips, and also are not plotted.


Gray Whales continue to be the most frequently seen large cetacean in Monterey Bay, and will continue to be for the next few months. Sighting rates will decline as the southbound migration tails off and the first northbound migrants are recorded by the second week of February. Sightings will rapidly increase until the March peak of northbounders occurs. There will be an overlap of migrants in both directions during early February.

And now for the most important sighting among toothed whales, and possibly in recent marine mammal observations: L pod (and portions of K pod) of the Southern Community of Puget Sound/Canada Killer Whales were seen in Monterey Bay. These are among the most studied and intensely monitored of all wild cetaceans in the world. They are the target of whalewatchers from all over the world when they intercept the heavy salmon runs concentrated in the Haro Strait area in summer. They have been notably absent in winter with their whereabouts unknown. In the Puget Sound area they have been seen arriving "from the south" every year. Perhaps they are found off Central California/Oregon/Washington in winter but have never been detected until now. This represents a range extension of over 1000 km. Photographs and details about this remarkable sighting are in our February 2000 Feature.

Click for January 2000 daily sightings list (corresponding to map above).

The sightings plotted above were compiled by Richard Ternullo for the period 1/1/00 to 1/31/00.

Sightings reported by American Cetacean Society, J. Aliotti, D. Davi, D. Frank, N. Lemon, T. Lorenze, L. Ortiz, G. McGowen, Monterey Bay Whale Watch, H. Neece, Shearwater Journeys, L. Oliver, K. Whitaker, J. Wettle, W. Williamson, T. Zoliniack.

Copyright © 2000 R. Ternullo. No reproduction of the map or use of the sightings information is permitted without prior approval.

-----

. Home page
. Back to Sightings
U R Here Sightings Map 1/1-1/31/00



Monterey Bay Whale Watch logo (2K)
 
Monterey Bay Whale Watch, LLC
84 Fisherman's Wharf
Monterey, CA 93940
 
Phone 831-375-4658  
E-mail whaletrips@gowhales.com

Copyright © 2000 Richard Ternullo
Last updated February 8, 2000