EAC 2, Shearwater, January 1967
Page 45
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Transcription
Delphinidae (Porpoise or/and Del) six animals that were not identified to species were recorded in the grid area. Delphinus delphis Bairdi (Common or Baird Dolphin) Ninety-four Baird Dolphins were recorded. Fifty of these were in one group seen on 18 January in Santa Barbara Channel. The remaining 44 animals were seen in the southern third of the grid area. All of the animals were attracted to the ship and on occasions rode the bow wake for a short period of time, affording excellent opportunity for good identification. Phocoenoides dalli (Dall Porpoise) Three Dall Porpoise were recorded in the Santa Barbara Channel. whale sp. Three whales were seen, one on 18 January and the others in the southern third of the grid, that were not specifically identified due to short durations of observation. Orcinus orca (Killer Whale) Four Killer Whales were seen on 25 January in the southern third of the grid. No disparity was noted in the size of dorsal fins, indicating there was no adult male travelling with the pod. Balaenoptera physalus (Fin Whale) Three animals were identified as possibly being of this species on 18 January in Santa Barbara Channel. The observer does not wish this sighting regarded as a positive identification. DISCUSSION: The California Coastal marine mammals are many and varied. However, in the grid area which traverses water over 1000 fathoms or more there are fewer forms and population densities are lower. Numbers of seasonally resident mammals do appear large enough to be considered important in the survey. It is interesting that we noted no California Gray Whales (Eschrichtius gibbosus) in the grid area during this survey. These animals are abundant along the coast at this time of year. They apparently do not wander far to sea during migration and breeding season.