Recent observations of the gray whale in British Columbia

Abstract

Observations of gray whales along the British Columbia coast confirm the occurrence of a peak in spring migration there during the first half of April, and provide further evidence that the animals follow a near-shoreline route while both northand south-bound, especially along Vancouver Island.At Wickaninnish Bay on the central west coast of Vancouver Island, gray whales have been seen regularly, apparently feeding, during each of nine summers 1965-1973 except 1967, and similar sightings have been made each month between October and February in both 1971-1972 and 1972-1973.Among the gray whales recorded have been two females with young, one pair of which summered at Wickaninnish Bay in 1969, a pair engaged in mating or erotic play, a young animal apparently feeding in protected inlet waters, and a naturally marked individual that appeared at Wickaninnish Bay in 1970Bay in , 1972Bay in , and 1973. .