People and animals have engaged in the act of changing locations, either temporarily or permanently, since the beginning of time. With the addition of new learning stations to the Discovery Museum’s “Belly of the Whale” exhibit, coupled with the spectacular recent visit of the gray whale to the waters of Avila and Pismo, what better time to explore the migration habits of these gentle giants?
We are blessed to live along the migration route of numerous whales, including the humpback, gray, and blue (all baleen whales, which strain their food through bristle-like teeth), as well orcas, dolphins, and porpoises (toothed whales that use teeth to chew and swallow their prey). Baleen whales begin their trek in the frigid Arctic where they feed in waters teeming with the tiny plankton and krill these whales love. Fortunately, they don’t have to eat much during their long journey since their blubber provides the all energy they need for the trek. After continuing south along the U.S. coast, they end in the temperate oceans of the Equator, where they give birth to their young—as whale calves are born with insufficient blubber to insulate them from the cold.
The gray whale actually has the longest migration route of any mammal—it’s more than 12,000 miles!
Now’s the time to visit the Discovery Museum to learn more about the migration habits of our largest coastal neighbor—along with tons of other cool facts that will astound children and adults alike.
Jenny Malinowski is consulting educator for the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum. Discovery Corner is a weekly column in the Sun, highlighting events, science activities, and more for the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum at 705 S. McClelland in Santa Maria. Send comments to discoverycorner@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Dec 20-27, 2012.