the 13-15 m long one and 24-37 t heavy gray-whale differs strongly from the other Bartenwalen in its physique, so that one places it into an independent family.
Characteristics The two rows of its Barten (130-180 each) don't collide in the front, also the whitish and thick Barten are at most 34-45 cm long and not very elastic. The upper jaw is curved rather narrow and high, the throat carries 2-3, more rarely 4 short and flat furrows. A proper back-Finn, the gray-whale lacks it, only 8-10 flat humps arise it in the rear back-area.
As further original characteristic, the numerous bristle-good hair is to be probably looked at on waiter and lower jaws. The reason-color of the gray-whale is gray-black, however many rise lightens, healed or with sea-smallpox and "whale-lice" busy (parasitic cancers) skin-places from. Female gray-whales become usually approximately one half meter bigger than the bulls.
Spread Gray-whales live in the flat coast-regions of the North-Pacific in two of each other independent continuances. The Californian gray-whales spend the summer (June-September) in the feed-reasons (at the hunt for Krill, light-cancers) of the Bering and Chukchisee as well as at the ice-sea-coasts of Alaska and Siberia while they move as far as to low-California and Mexico southwards in the autumn.
During this until 10 000 km tall migrations, the gray-whales almost don't eat any food, also they hike again in the same ways and to the same season regularly. Pull Z so. B. 95 percent of all whales between end of December and beginning February in 3-5 km of distance before San Diego (California) past. they hike usually individually or in small groups with an average speed of 4-5 knots, 7-8 knots can also reach (1 knots = 1 nautical miles / hour = 1,852 kilometers / hour) short-term, however.
The smaller Asian continuance is in the Ochotskischen sea in the summer and spends the winter predominantly in the sea before South Korea.
Reproduction Gray-whales visit flat coast-waters as single Bartenwale in order to be combined and, to rear its boys. In January, the 4-5 m come big young to the world after 11-12 months of Tragzeit, they then weigh approximately 1,5 t. After 6-8 months, the calf is cured in the summery feed-reasons, it then is approximately 7,5 m long. After a birth, the female whales usually are not combined immediately again but only in the following winter. The young-whales then move alone in warm southern waters.
Enemies Gray-whales don't have any natural enemies beside the sword-whale. If they are attacked by that, so they often are completely "paralyzed" and one can drive Kiel-above, or but they take refuge into flat surf-zones, where the sword-whales don't follow. Here, one can also frequently observe gray-whales with extensive games. Often, they come to help in need of gotten Artgenossen by hurting or bearing animals pressing at the water-surface. Dams defend its boys with big effort.
Endangering By the whale-catch, the gray-whale had been brought at the edge of the extermination. it finally was put 1937 under strict protection. Since then, above all the Californian population recovered relatively well, and one estimates the continuance again at 15 000-22 000 individuals today. Before Siberia, Russian ships catch at the moment 100-200 gray-whales still annually, who are distributed to the native coast-population. (Protection-regulations endangered whale-types allow a restricted catch through "innate" coast-residents.
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