Common Name
Gray Whale
Order
Artiodactyla
Family
Eschrichtiidae
Species Name
Eschrichtius robustus
Status
U.S. ESA - Endangered, except for Eastern North Pacific Ocean - coastal and Bering, Beaufort and Chukchi Seas populations which are Delisted Taxa; IUCN - Critically Endangered in Northwest Pacific, otherwise Lower Risk
States
Alaska
California
Oregon
Washington
Distribution
North Pacific: warm temperate to arctic waters. Formerly present int he North Atlantic. Sometimes enters tropical water at the southern boundaries of its distribution. The eastern and western North Pacific populations are separate. The eastern population
Notes
When traveling, typically blows 3-5 times at intervals of 15-30 seconds, then dives for 3-5 minutes. Feeds by sucking up amphipods and other invertebrates from the sea floor. Found in coastal waters.