VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
Studies of gray whales in the waters around the Kamchatka Peninsula have been going on for several decades now. Last year, a team of scientists from the Pacific Institute of Geography, the Academy of Sciences' Far Eastern Branch, surveyed the area from aboard the research vessel Georg Steller. Along the way, the group also studied sea lions in Olga Bay and the Kozlov Cape.
The scientists recorded every whale sighting along the ship's route in May 2009. Three types of toothed whales (Dall's porpoise, the common porpoise, and the killer whale) and three types of baleen whales (the humpback, the North Pacific right whale, and the gray whale) were observed in the waters of the Kronotsky Reserve. A large group of killer whales, consisting of 21-25 whales, including calves, was observed at the Kozlov Cape. In the same area, scientists also observed a group of over 60 feeding humpback whales for about four days. More than 50 gray whales were sighted between the coast of the Olga Bay and the mouth of the Kronotsky River.
The scientists were especially pleased to observe the extremely rare North Pacific right whale, which was spotted off the coast of the Kozlov Cape.
Over the course of this research, the scientists also observed several large groups of humpback whales (one in the waters of the Kronotsky Reserve), which had never been seen before in that area in such great numbers. Further studies are to clarify whether this was an exceptional occurrence or an indication of an actual growth in the number of humpback whales in Russian waters.
Additional Information:
Various types of crabs, sea urchins and sea stars are as common to the waters of the Kronotsky Reserve as to other coastal areas of East Kamchatka. The abundance of shellfish attracts gray whales to Olga Bay and the surrounding areas. The marine area is home to almost every dominant species found in the shallow waters of the coast of East Kamchatka from small capelin to the huge halibut and salmon shark. These and similar fish are a good feeding source for a large number of killer whales, sea lions, spotted seals, and others.
The whales and walruses are found in the reserve on a seasonal basis.
In the last decade, the pod of feeding gray whales has been rapidly growing in Olga Bay and the surrounding waters of the reserve. Most of these whales are from the Okhotsk-Korean population.
The gray whale (Eschrichtius gibbosus) is only found in very small numbers. It has been observed regularly (usually in couples) since the end of April 1995 and appears in Olga Bay on a regular basis and stays until December. There are occasions when up to six whales are found here simultaneously.
