Whale watching season ended in October, but scientists and Massachusetts residents still cast an eye to the Atlantic for a glimpse of our favorite winter visitors.
Grab a ton (literally) of zooplankton and open door number 18.
December 18, 20204
Capistrano is famous for its influx of swallows each spring, but here in Massachusetts, winter means the return of our beloved North Atlantic right whales. There are a lot fewer of them, but what they lack in number, they make up for in size and the affection that an ocean-neighboring people lavish on them.
Like many other tourists to the area, these gentle giants come to Massachusetts to dine and date. And, like some of our college students, they sometimes find their way into Boston Harbor. While they consume far more seafood than the average tourist, they do not, unlike the students, leave sofas and mattresses on the sidewalks when they leave. And in complete contrast to the tourists and students, we truly wish there were more of them.
North Atlantic right whales earned their moniker in the early 1700s by being “the right whale” to hunt. They are friendly, slow-moving creatures that travel along shorelines, and conveniently, float after they are killed. Because they were easy to find and laden with copious amounts of blubber for whale oil, whalers hunted them nearly to extinction. NOAA estimates that there are only about 370 of these whales alive today.
While they’re no longer hunted, their curiosity and surface skimming feeding technique brings them into contact with vessels and fishing gear with devastating effect. They are the subject of extensive study and ardent conservation. If you visit our fair commonwealth, you may notice that some of us have license plates celebrating our aquatic friends. If you have one of these plates and people consistently honk at you, rest assured it isn’t in support of your contribution to the whales’ wellbeing. Maybe use your blinkah or the pedal on the right.
The first whales of this winter were spotted a few weeks ago. That’s a great sign according to researchers. It indicates that the stuff they like to eat, copepods, is in plentiful supply. When that happens, the whales belly up to the sand bar and eat about one to two tons of the critters each day. They’ll feed up here all winter and part of the spring. Then they’ll travel to the southeastern coast of the United States in mid-May to calve which will, hopefully, expand their numbers.
Whale watching out on the water will resume in May. If you visit Massachusetts next spring, maybe you’ll be picking up a college student for the summer, you may get lucky and see some right whales before they head south. Like the whales, you’ll leave replete with seafood and the next generation in tow. Although we sit in traffic while they ride the tides, it seems we and the whales have a lot in common. Except sofas and mattresses. So, do us a favor and take those home with you, ok? Thanks.
Open the other Advent calendar windows here:
Hey, if you subscribe, you can open your advent window in your email!