December 17, 2024 2:50 a.m.
Oregon State Parks will host Winter Whale Watch Week on the Oregon Coast from Friday December 27th through Tuesday, December 31st.
An OPRD release said trained volunteers will be stationed at 15 sites each day from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. to help visitors spot gray whales on their southbound migration to the calving lagoons in Mexico.
The sites are some of the best places to see whales on the Oregon coast. A map of volunteer-staffed sites is available online: https://oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=thingstodo.dsp_whaleWatching
Park Ranger Peter McBride said, “Now is the perfect time to see whales as their population rebounds on the Oregon Coast”.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced an end to an Unusual Mortality Event impacting gray whales. Since then, the estimated population has increased by roughly 30 percent from 14,530 last year to 19,260 this year, according to NOAA. The numbers are on the rise overall, but the calf count is still low as the population continues to rebound.
The Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay will be open each day from 10:00 a.m. to 4;00 p.m. Visitors to the center can enjoy interactive whale exhibits and take in the panoramic ocean views. Binoculars are provided. Rangers from Oregon State Parks will also be on hand to answer questions about the whales.
Visitors are encouraged to share their photos and videos from Winter Whale Watch Week on social media using #OregonStateParks and #ORWhaleWatch24.