Humpback Whales in The Port of Sacramento
Agencies involved in the whale rescue operation
Update June 5, 2007
Results from biopsy samples taken from the mother on May 21 and calf on May 29 has revealed that both are from the Eastern North Pacific stock of humpbacks that are part of the California feeding population. In addition to the stock identification, the calf has been identified as a female. The sub samples of the tissues were sent to the Marine Mammal Institute in Oregon for genetic analysis. The injuries these humpbacks sustained calls attention to the growing hazards marine mammals face with increased ocean traffic and noise. According to Dr. Frances Gulland, the Director of Veterinary Science at The Marine Mammal Center, the fact that the calf has been identified as female, and thus, capable of adding to the endangered humpback population, highlights the importance of the rescue teams’ efforts.
Update May 31, 2007
The last confirmed spotting of the whales was at 8:32 P.M. on Tuesday night near Tiburon. After searching the San Francisco Bay all day Wednesday, the rescue team has concluded that the whales very likely returned back to the Pacific Ocean underneath the Golden Gate Bridge late Tuesday or early Wednesday morning under the cover of darkness.
The two humpback whales have provided a wealth of information to researchers about the endangered species. They have learned a great deal about humpback whale behavior and biology. They were able to observe the whales’ reaction to various herding techniques and collected tissue samples and recordings of their whale calls. The lost whales marked the first time that scientists have administered antibiotics to wild humpbacks.
It is presumed that the two whales are now in the Pacific, where the humpback whale population is currently migrating to Alaska.
Update May 29, 2007 5:00 P.M.
The whales have passed underneath the San Rafael/Richmond Bridge and are still making steady progress back to the ocean.
Update as of May 29, 2007
The two wayward whales swam underneath the Carquinez Bridge around 10am. They traveled approximately 15 miles from Benicia, passing under the Carquinez Bridge and into San Pablo Bay. They are currently at Pinole Point (about 7 miles upstream from the San Rafael/Richmond Bridge.) That means the whales have about 20 miles to go before reaching the Golden Gate Bridge. The Center’s Frances Gulland and her team are out observing the animals. They attempted to get a biopsy from the calf, but, due to windy conditions, this was not possible today. This biopsy would be used to assess overall health, genetics and population or stock identification. Both whales appear to be in good health. Their skin is actually improving – possibly as a result of being in brackish water. No plans are in the works at this time to give the whales a second round of antibiotics. U.S. Coast Guard and CA Dept. Fish & Game will continue to enforce the 500-yard protection zone around the whale.
Update May 28, 2007 – the whales have left Rio Vista!
Day 20
On Sunday, the whales swam under the Rio Vista Bridge and made the 24-25 mile journey south to Benicia arriving at the Benicia-Martinez Bridge sometime Monday morning. There, they swam under the bridge, south, but then reversed direction and swam in the waters about 100 yards north of the bridge. It is not known why the whales began to move again, but it is good, positive news, as they are now in saltier water, which will be healthier for them. Also over the weekend, antibiotics were administered to ward off infections. This is the first time that antibiotics have been administered to humpback whales in the wild. Biologists also planned on collecting a skin and tissue sample from the calf on Monday and possibly administering another round of antibiotics. The U.S. Coast Guard and CA Dept. of Fish & Game continue to enforce the 500-yard safety zone around the whales. The whales will be left alone to minimize stress and are being observed by The Marine Mammal Center, NOAA and other agencies. No herding efforts or acoustical stimuli have been scheduled at this time. The Joint Information Center has been moved to the California Maritime Academy in Vallejo.
Update May 25, 2007
Attempts to drive the two whales through the Rio Vista Bridge south continued this morning. The Animal Care Team utilized a fireboat from the Vallejo Fire Department to shoot a spray of water at the whales to see if they would respond to that stimulus. The experiment was marginally successful and the whales did turn around in the right direction for a bit, but still did not travel under the bridge. Operations were suspended by early afternoon so that the whales would not get used to this new stimuli. No operations are planned to herd or use acoustical sounds this weekend. The fire hose technique may be used again on Tuesday utilizing 3-5 fireboats from various agencies.
May 24, 2007, 4 P.M.
The whales have remained in the same area. The use of firehoses may be employed on Friday to induce them to move south. Veterinarians are also looking at medical options for the whales.
May 24, 2007
Veterinarians and biologists have ceased all herding and acoustical operations for the next few days. Acoustical and herding techniques have not yielded the outcome they had hoped for. As of 1:30 P.M. Thursday, the whales are around 4 miles north of the Rio Vista Bridge. The rescue team is now trying to keep the whales’ stress levels down as much as possible, and is giving them a period of rest, free from stimulation. The techniques used on Tuesday and Wednesday, including banging pipes, employing attacking orca sounds, humpback feeding sounds, and manmade sounds, have been the most aggressive activities to date in this operation. Vets and biologists want to prevent the whales from becoming desensitized to these techniques, as there is a risk that they will become accustomed to them if sustained for too long. In the mean time, the veterinarians and biologists will continue to observe the whales’ health and behaviors, paying particular attention to their skin condition, which is a growing concern as their skin appears to be deteriorating. They will also attempt to get detailed images of the whales’ wounds over the next few days. There is a 500 yard safety zone around the whales which will be enforced by coast guard. Boaters in that area over the upcoming holiday weekend are asked to listen to messages on boat traffic channels 16 and 22A.
Update: May 23, 2007
Herding operations were suspended just after noon Wednesday, May 23. The whales seem to prefer swimming against the current, and when the tides changed midday, they turned around just north of the Rio Vista Bridge. The rescue team reassessed the situation at that point, and decided to change tactics. As of 3:30 P.M. Wednesday, they have pulled all but three vessels out of the water. These consist of two vessels using acoustic equipment to play sounds underwater, hoping to induce the whales to swim back toward the ocean, and one observation vessel. They will be playing humpback whale feeding sounds to the south of the wayward whales, and killer whale sounds north of the whales, as killer whales are natural predators of humpback whales. They will also try playing synthesized sounds.
Update: May 22, 2007
Frances Gulland and her team, including staff veterinarian Felicia Nutter and stranding manager Shelbi Stoudt, regrouped to plan the herding strategy for the day. Felicia and Frances went out in vessels (a total of 12 vessels were on the water) to bang on pipes and continue herding the whales. The herding process was expected to last through 8:20pm, taking advantage of daylight and tidal current change. An attempt to satellite tag the cow was not made due to windy conditions. The cow and calf were at mile marker 35a about two miles north of the bridge and for most of the day, remained in that general vicinity. Around 6pm, it appeared that the whales were agitated. They were slapping their tails in the water, so herding was stopped in order to not stress the animals further. The health of the cow and calf is of concern to veterinarians as the skin has changed from smooth and shiny to irregular and pitted.
Update: as of 7p.m. Monday May 21, 2007
The wayward whales traveled approximately 25 miles to within a half mile of the Rio Vista Bridge. A flotilla of about 21 vessels from the Coast Guard and California Department of Fish & Game worked in formation to keep the whales moving in the right direction towards the ocean. At one point the whales, headed back up the river eluding the flotilla. During the late afternoon hours, researchers from NOAA Fisheries Service and The Marine Mammal Center began banging on 10-foot-long metal pipes in hopes of steering the whales in the right direction. Dr. Felicia Nutter, a staff veterinarian at The Center, was perched on one of the vessels. She said the whales were moving slowly, but at least in the right direction. While satellite tagging of the adult whale did not happen today, the team was able to collect a blubber sample from her. Scientists will study it in order to look at the mother’s genetics and histology. The Animal Care Team will continue the herding operation until sundown and resume at first light on Tuesday. Another attempt will be made to attach a satellite tag.
Update: Whales have left the Port of Sacramento as of May 20
The wayward whales are now on the move down the channel south of the Port of Sacramento. Around 3p.m. Sunday afternoon, the whales began to move after two tugboats began moving down the channel to assist a commercial vessel that was docking. The Animal Care Team led by Dr. Frances Gulland from The Marine Mammal Center began following the whales at about 3 knots down the channel. According to Dr. Gulland, they will continue to follow the whales for as long as the whales continue to move on their own down the channel.
The Marine Mammal Center is assisting in the rescue of two humpback whales that have swum up the Sacramento River and into the Port of Sacramento basin some 70-80 miles from the ocean. The whales are a female and calf, the former estimated to be 40-50 feet in length and the calf at about 20 feet. Their journey is thought to be the first-time-ever that whales have traveled that far to this location. In 1985, Humphrey, another humpback whale, navigated the same route but stopped at Rio Vista, many miles south of the Port.
The Marine Mammal Center’s director of veterinary science, Dr. Frances Gulland, joined a team of biologists as well as local, state and federal agencies, to assess the health of the whales. The Animal Care Team, led by Dr. Gulland, determined the whales suffered gashes on their bodies, most likely from a propeller. Despite those wounds, the whales appear to be in good health and are coming up for air on a regular basis. It is thought that the calf may still be suckling.
During the first few days, attempts were made to lure the pair down the river using various humpback feeding and social sounds (both Alaskan and Californian) played underwater and at various intervals and distances. As of May 18, the whales did not respond to those sounds. A plan has been set in place to use a flotilla of boats behind the whales and to use special metal pipes to create noises underwater that may encourage the whales to move in the direction towards the ocean.
Meanwhile, the United States Coast Guard, the National Marine Fisheries Service, California Department of Fish & Game and Office of Emergency Services have coordinated efforts to protect the whales from public contact and to provide communications and rescue logistics. All marine vessels have been ordered to stay 500 yards away and aircraft must stay 1000 ft away from the whales.
Some common questions regarding the rescue of these whales;
Q: Why not use food to lure the whales?
A: The types of food these whales would eat live in salt water, therefore sustaining live food in a freshwater environment is not feasible. It is also not known if the mother is feeding. She may be under a lot of stressed and not interested in food.
Q: How long can these whales live in the channel?
A: It’s thought as long as 4-6 weeks. Humphrey laws in the channel for 26 days.
Please return to this page for further updates on the whales and the rescue attempt.
Timeline of the Event
- On Wednesday, May 9th, two whales were seen off of Benicia. One animal was reported as having a white “tag” on its back.
- On Sunday, May 13th, the Solano County (California) Sheriff’s Department began receiving reports of at least two whales in the Sacramento River Delta Area near Rio Vista.
- On Monday, May 14th, the Solano Co. Sheriff’s Department contacted NOAA Fisheries to request assistance. NOAA Fisheries coordinated with the stranding network to send a whale biologist to visually confirm that there were two (2) humpback whales. The US Coast Guard Station Rio Vista also provided assistance by issuing a warning for vessels to maintain at least a 100 yard perimeter around the whales, and for aircraft to maintain a minimum of 1,000 ft elevation, which corresponds with NMFS guidelines for responsible large whale viewing practices.
- On Tuesday, May 15th, NOAA Fisheries deployed more biologists and a marine mammal veterinarian to obtain a health assessment of the animals. They searched the area where the whales were last seen on Monday, but could not relocate them. Tuesday evening, they were resighted by a news traffic helicopter near/in the deep water shipping channel just south of Sacramento. However, the time of day prevented any on-water response.
- On Wednesday, May 16th, the whales were relocated by news helicopters just south of the turning basin in Sacramento. Biologists and veterinarians were on scene and completed a visual health assessment. The animals spent all day swimming around the turning basin.
- On Thursday, May 17th, the teams spent all day on the water with the whales. One boat with acoustic equipment broadcast humpback whale feeding calls from at least 300m from the animals, while a second boat stayed closer to the animals to monitor their behavior. Several large press conferences were also held. The animals showed no reaction to the playbacks. On Thursday night, a conference call was held with all of the on-water participants and other marine mammal experts from around the US to discuss the results and future plans. Response triggers and an action plan for the next few days were formulated.
- On Friday, May 18th, the teams are trying again to lure the animals out of the turning basin and back towards the ocean using acoustic calls of feeding humpbacks. After the conference call last night, some changes to the calls (frequency, volume, and type of call) will be made to attempt to provoke a response from the whales.
Additional Background Information:
- The pair has been confirmed to be a cow/calf pair. Some questions remain as to the exact age of the calf and whether it is still nursing.
- Contrary to earlier reports, neither animal is entangled. Both animals have been confirmed to be injured. The adult cow has a straight laceration on her dorsal surface that is estimated to be 2-3’ long and 6” deep. The cut does not extend into the muscle layer, and no blood has been seen from this wound. A second superficial cut can be seen just before the dorsal fin. Veterinarians do not believe that this animal is in any immediate danger from this wound.
- The calf’s wound is a lateral laceration that is about 2/3 of the way down the body from the dorsal fin. It has only been seen infrequently, because that part of the animal typically remains underwater, except when the animal strongly arches its back. This cut appears to be deeper.
- The primary concern for the response at this time is to ensure that the animals are not harassed and stressed by boats, aircraft, and people. The whale’s health status must be assessed to determine if there is an underlying cause to help explain why they may have entered the river, and what their prognosis is.
- Responding to these animals is a multi-agency, multi-organization effort, including NOAA Fisheries, local law enforcement, the Coast Guard, and our partners in the marine mammal stranding network (The Marine Mammal Center, Cascadia Research Collective, California Department of Fish and Game, Wild Sanctuary, Alaska Whale Foundation, and others).
General Background Information on Humpback Whales
- Humpback whales (Megaptera novanangliae) migrate twice a year along the coast of California from their breeding grounds off of Central America and Mexico to their feeding grounds off California, Oregon, Washington and Canada.
- At this time of year, humpbacks are making their northward migration from the breeding grounds to the feeding grounds.
- This stock of humpback whales is called the Eastern North Pacific stock. In the most recent stock assessment report issued by NOAA, the minimum population estimate for this stock is 1,158 animals. The population estimate for all humpback whales in the North Pacific is approximately 6,000 animals.
- Humpback whales are listed as Endangered under the Endangered Species Act and depleted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act throughout their range.
- Like all marine mammals, humpback whales are protected in the United States under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which makes it illegal to “take” marine mammals by harassment, hunting, capturing, killing, or attempting any of these activities without special authorization.
- A humpback whale named “Humphrey” similarly swam up the Sacramento River in 1985, reaching Rio Vista (where the whales were observed on Monday). He was successfully guided back to the Pacific Ocean using a "sound net" in which people in a flotilla of boats made unpleasant noises behind the whale by banging on steel pipes, a Japanese fishing technique known as "oikami." At the same time, the attractive sounds of humpback whales preparing to feed were broadcast from a boat headed towards the open ocean. Humphrey returned to San Francisco Bay a second time in 1990, and became stranded on a mudflat near 3 COM Park. He was successfully pulled off the mudflat into deeper water with Coast Guard assistance, and again guided back to the Pacific Ocean. Since leaving the San Francisco Bay in 1990, Humphrey has been seen only once, at the Farallon Islands in 1991.
Please direct all media questions to Jim Oswald at 415/289-7341.
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