A CENSUS OF THE CALIFORNIA GRAY WHALE 



INTRODUCTION 



OBJECTIVES 



The main objectives of this study 

 have been ( 1 ) to estimate the size 

 of the total population and its pres- 

 ent rate of increase, (2) to deter- 

 mine the extent of the breeding 

 grounds and their relative impor- 

 tance, (3) to determine the time and 

 nature of the southward migration 

 past California, and (4) to establish 

 a basis for detecting, in the future, 

 any unusual changes in population 

 size. 



The study was carried on by the 

 author for five years. With minor 

 exceptions, biological information 

 based on specimens was not obtained. 

 The International Convention for the 

 Regulation of Whaling, which protects 

 the gray whale, provides for taking 

 scientific specimens. Exact informa- 

 tion on age and reproduction can be 

 obtained in the future from specimens. 

 Observations in Bering and Chukchi 

 Seas will be needed to provide infor- 

 mation on food habits as well as 

 refinements in knowledge of migration 

 routes. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 



The help of the following individuals 

 is gratefully acknowledged: G. Bara- 

 cott, Patricia Barton, O. Beasley, J. 

 Berdegue', D. Brown, C. Caito, C. 

 Chamberlain, W. Clinkscales, R. 

 Coughlin, Mr. and Mrs. D. E. Day, 

 L. Dean, D. Douglas, G. C. Ewing, 

 L. Farrar, A, Flechsig, R. Grom, 

 D. Hall, W. Hapgood, W. Harder, K. 

 Harris, E. Hess, R. Hoffman, A. 

 Hourston, C. L. Hubbs, J. Isaacs, J. 

 Jenks, S. Jewell, A. Kelly, R. L. King, 

 R. Lankford, D. Lear, C. Limbaugh, 

 J. McFall, R. Menzies, R. Meryman, 

 J. H. Millard, D. Miller, Madeline 

 Miller, Gladys Niebur, F. Nolan, K. 

 Norris, Grace Orton, F. Phleger, G. C. 

 Pike, A, B. Rechnitzer, D. Robinson, 

 A. Rodriguez, W. E. Schevill, M. Shear- 

 son, J, Snodgrass, J. Stackleberg, H. 

 Stewart, C. Tuthill, S. Z. Varnes, A. M. 

 Vrooman, T. Walker, P. D. White, 

 J. Whitehead, and T. Widrig. 



Special thanks are due to C. L. Hubbs 

 and G. C. Ewing, both of Scripps Insti- 

 tution of Oceanography. The contribu- 

 tions of these two will be explained in 

 the text. 



TAXONOMY AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE GRAY WHALE 



TAXONOMY 



The scientific name of the gray 

 whale has been changed several times 

 in the past 30 years. The living species 

 commonly called the gray whale was 

 long known by the specific name Agaphelas 

 glaucus, given by Cope (1868). Later 

 (1869) Cope placed the species ^Zaucus 

 in the new genus Rhachianectes. Rhachia- 

 nectes glaucus means "the gray swimmer 



along the rocky shore," and a more 

 fitting name hardly could have been 

 coined. However, a prior name existed 

 which would eventually be recognized 

 to include glaucus and by the interna- 

 tionally recognized rule of priority, 

 Rhachianectes has been superseded. To 

 Tomilin (1957), Cope's name for the 

 living gray whales of the Pacific is 

 antedated by the name Balaena agamachschik 

 Pallas, 1811. 



