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One of the
greatest mysteries of the sea, the
question of where Blue Whales, the largest
animals that have ever lived, go to
breed,
may have been solved.
Satellite tracking of dozens of the whales,
drawn from the world’s largest colony, on the Pacific coast of North and Central America, has pinpointed
a small patch of ocean,
off Costa Rica,
that appears to be their mating and
calving ground.
The discovery if confirmed, will
transform efforts, to protect
one of the world’s most endangered species. Despite decades of research, almost nothing is known about
their breeding
grounds. The new information will
allow scientists
to concentrate
in areas, that are crucial to the survival of the species.
The findings
came from a study, led by
Bruce Mate,
Professor of Oceanography at
Oregon State University.
About 30 blue
whales were tagged with
darts, fitted
with transmitters, and tracked
as they
migrated from the California coast
to Mexico and Costa Rica.
Males and females, converged on a
relatively narrow
area
of open ocean,
about 400 miles from the Costa
Rican
coast, offering the firmest indication yet,
of their
primary
breeding ground, in Drake Bay.
There are thought to be between 15,000
and
25,000 worldwide, from a peak of more
than 300,000. "The
question
of where they breed, has always been one of
the great mysteries of the ocean, and we now have
our
first glimpse of an answer.
It is a profoundly moving experience,
to
know that there
is
this immense thing.
just a few yards, beneath you.
You look
over the side,
and suddenly see this immense
pale shape, an
elongated rectangle and you realize it is
in fact, the tail.
Then you
see, coming up through the crystal water, 30
or 40 feet away, the hump,
and it is amazing to think
that the
two
are
connected.
Mysterious Humpback Whales
of Costa Rica
The Pacific Ocean side of Costa Rica, in the waters surrounding Drake
Bay, is one of the best places in the world to experience dolphins
and whales in their natural habitat. Over 25 different species of
dolphins and whales either migrate through or make Costa Rica
their home.
Costa Rica has the longest season of humpback whales, in
the world. It's because Costa Rica has Whale
Migrations, from both North and South America. This
oceanic event, happens
nowhere else on the planet. The Humpback
Whales migrate
from 2 different hemispheres, to the same place, to have
their babies and mate.
The Southern Humpback Whales, come from as far as the
Antarctica, 11,500 miles away! It is one of the
longest
migrations, known to mankind. The Humpback
Whales
arrive
in late July and remain in Costa
Rica waters,
through early November.
Here, in this "Whale Fiesta", they will
meet their beloved
mate, they will sing their Whale Songs...
and start a little
family.
The Northern Humpback Whales, arrive in late October,
and
remain in Costa Rica, until the end of April.
When the Humpback Whales, from both hemispheres, meet
in
Costa Rica, especially around the time of October and
November,
you can experience a "one of a kind" oceanic
event, that happens
nowhere else in the world.
You can experience being up and close, to these Giants of the
Sea, and marvel at the interactions between the
two different cultures of Humpback Whales.
The symphony of different
Whale Songs is magnificent!
Humpback Whales, are the only whales, that sing and
communicate with long and complex songs. They can be
heard, by using a hydrophone, and even when you are in the
water.
The whales from each hemisphere, have their own
personalized
songs of love. The Humpback whales produce
the
longest and
most varied songs in the animal world
and include
recognizable
sequences of squeaks, grunts
and other hauntingly beautiful
sounds.
They produce a new song each year, containing parts
from the
previous year. Over the years, the original song
is
completely
changed and becomes a new song.
Researchers believe that Humpback whale songs,
are
complex
messages, to other whales, that can be heard for
up to 1,000
miles. Only the males have been recorded
singing, and
they sing their complex songs, only in the
warm embryonic
waters of Costa
Rica.
In their cold feeding waters, they make rougher
sounds,
scrapes
and groans, probably for locating large masses
of krill.
After their long journey to Drake
Bay, pregnant mother
whales give birth, in
surprisingly shallow waters, near
the coast
of
Cano Island. The baby whale calves, are
about 4
meters long
and weigh about 4,000 pounds at
birth. A baby Humpback, drinks more milk in one day,
than a human baby does, in one
year. They gain up to
200 pounds per day!
The moms and their new babies, will then spend
the
next 4 months here, sometimes traveling with
a male
escort whale, which may or may not
be the father.
During their stay in Costa Rica, the mothers will teach
their new
babies to breach, (jumping full body, out of
the water) and
to
swim in all kinds of weather. The
mom and baby
will stay
together, for about a year,
finally separating in the
feeding
waters, when the baby
is about 8 to 10 meters in
length.
The babies, while in Costa Rica, only drink mother's
milk.
Humpback whales do not feed in Costa Rica
waters. The
adult whales, subsist on their own blubber,
during the mating
and breeding season.
On rare occasions, some have been spotted feeding
on sardines
and krill, when the opportunity is there. By
the
time the
Humpback whales are leaving for their
winter feeding waters, they are very thin, with
bones
sticking out, from their tail sections.
While the Humpback whales are in Costa Rica, you
can observe
them, jumping full body, out of the water
and
tail slapping.
The male Humpback whales, use this behavior, along with their
complex whale songs, to
attract a mate.
Their courtship can be very passionate and
appear to
be
aggressive, it involves lively rituals of high
speed
chasing,
pectoral and tail slapping, head lunges and
jumping full body
out of the water. And of course, their
haunting love songs.
Humpback whales can dive to a depth of
700 feet, and
can
stay under water, for as long as 50 minutes. The
females
are a little larger than the males and are about
15
to 17 meters
long. Humpback whales have a
longevity of
45 to 50 years.
Researchers estimate, that there are
over 10,000 to
15,000
Humpback whales on the entire planet, and
they
are an endangered species. Costa Rica actively
protects all the
dolphin and whale populations, in it's
sea
boundaries.
I have provided links below, to help
you plan the
oceanic
event of a life time! Don't miss out, you
will be enchanted
and your life will be forever
changed.
Ballena Whales of Costa Rica
in Ballena National Park of the Sea
Whale Watching
Links
and Resources
Delfin
Joven / SCHOOL OF THE SEA
Whale & Dolphin Research
Whales!
Aguila de Osa Whaling Tours
Whale Anatomy
Pilot Whales Drake Bay, Costa Rica
Marine Bioacoustics and Acoustical Oceanography
Ballena National Park
Classification of Whales
Cetacea
Dolphins and Whales in Costa Rica
Ballena Marine
National Park
Tierramerica
Blue Whales
Spirit Soaring with Tears
Ocean Adventure
Whale
Watching Web
Save the Whales
Cascadia Research
Cetacean Sensation
Blue Whale Research
Pacific Whale Foundation
Oceanic Society – Whale Research
Whale Guide.Com
Whales Alive!
International Whaling Commission
Ocean Alliance
Tropical Marine Ecology 2002: Digital
Images
Bio-Explorer.Net
Whale Watching
Guidelines for Dolphin & Whale Encounters
Biosis.Org Resources
Oceanography
Free diving in Costa Rica:
Snorkeling and Free diving Discussion Deck
Orca Live
This
site relays live sound and images of orcas in the natural
environment off
Hanson Island near Vancouver, Canada.
You can chat with others as you
enjoy the Web casts.
Vida Marina
Org
Dolphin & Whale tours can be arranged
through Delfin Amor Eco Lodge in Drake Bay.
Delfin Amor Eco-Lodge
is situated on ten acres of oceanfront rainforest property in Drake Bay.
We specialize in encounters with the many species of dolphins and
whales
in the area and also offer tours to Cano Island, Corcovado
National Park,
SCUBA, kayaking, hiking and much more. Our
screened-in cabinas offer
privacy and beautiful views of both the
jungle and the ocean.
Costa Rica Mysteries Part 2d
The Snake or Reptilian Race
of Costa Rica!
Costa Rica Portal
Stray Reality Home Page
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