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Current ACS-LA News
Our ACS-LA Board posts our activities, events and Gray Whale Census updates on our Facebook page and the most recent posts can be found on this page. Keep up-to-date by coming back often! And if you are on Facebook, follow us! We are also now on Instagram, so be sure to follow us there as well!
American Cetacean Society - Los Angeles Chapter (ACS/LA)
Founded in 1967, the American Cetacean Society protects whales, dolphins, porpoises, and their habitats through public education, research grants, and conservation actions.
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Commemorating 40 Years, Gray Whale Census
On Dec. 1st, 2024, Alisa Schulman-Janiger was recognized for her 40 years of dedication as Director and Coordinator of ACS-LA’s Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project by the Mayor of Rancho Palos Verdes, John Cruikshank. The ACS-LA Board was joined by Census citizen...
Gray Whale Census update March 2024
Gray Whale Census morning crew M'Liz Callender, Petrina Long, Joanne Kajiyama, and Caroline DeGraaf, 2024 February 29, Point Vicente Interpretie Center, by Alisa Schulman-Janiger. Southbound gray whale mom and calf, photographed from our Census station at the Point...
Gray Whale Census Summary 2014-2015
Photo by Alisa Schulman-JanigerACS/LA GRAY WHALE CENSUS AND BEHAVIOR PROJECT: 2014-2015 Census Project Director/Coordinator: Alisa Schulman-Janiger Email: janiger@cox.net For daily sighting details, please visit: www.acs-la.org Higher gray whale counts, record...
Gray Whale Census Summary 2017-2018
Photo by Nancy Rhodes ACS/LA GRAY WHALE CENSUS AND BEHAVIOR PROJECT: 2017-2018 Census Project Director/Coordinator: Alisa Schulman-Janiger Email: janiger@cox.net For daily sighting details, please visit: www.acs-la.org Our third highest southbound calf counts...
Our Partners and Sponsors
Our very own Alisa Schulman-Janiger was interviewed for the Palos Verdes Pulse. "The Woman Who Counts Giants".
We couldn't be more proud of her hard work and dedication to this project, to ACS-LA and to protecting whales and their habitats.
www.palosverdespulse.com/blog/thewomenwhocountsgiants?fbclid=IwY2xjawJut8ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHtZCYP... ... See MoreSee Less
The Woman Who Counts Giants By Writer and Contributor NJ Jaeger — Palos Verdes Pulse
www.palosverdespulse.com
Recently seen in the ABC Special, Sea of Change: The Whale Superhighway , marine biologist Alisa Schulman-Janiger, Palos Verdes peninsula’s leading whale expert began her lifelong passion for ocea...1 CommentsComment on Facebook
Saving a whale (includes video clip)! A trained,authorized team led by NOAA Fisheries released an entangled adult gray whale off Palos Verdes Peninsula on Wednesday, April 9! The whale was entangled in a green gillnet. which had caught on a rock crab trap on the sea floor 100+ feet below, anchoring the whale; that trap was picked up off of Newport Beach! Veteran ACS/LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project volunteer Petrina Long first spotted the whale struggling to breathe (by lifting its angled head just high enough to clear its blowholes), near a large pink polyball in front of her home shortly before 6pm on Tuesday, April 8. Petrina called Census Director Alisa Schulman-Janiger, who notified NOAA's California Stranding Coordinator Justin Viezbicke about a likely entangled gray whale. Alisa also called Gray Whale Census anchor Dee Whitehurst (on Census duty at Point Vicente) and Census observer Gregg Gentry; Gregg photographed the gray whale and the polyball, and all noted that the whale was staying in one spot. Petrina Long relocated the whale at first light on Wednesday and called Alisa, who notified Justin Viezbicke; he alerted the Large Whale Entanglement Response Network and assembled a response team, including experts from NOAA Fisheries, the Marine Mammal Care Center of Los Angeles, Entangled Whale Response of Orange County, and Los Angeles County lifeguards.
*Read about their successful rescue here: this gray whale would most definitely have died if it had not become anchored in front of an experienced whale watcher's home!
*To report an entangled marine mammal, call NOAA’s Entanglement Reporting Hotline at (877) SOS-WHALe/(877) 767-9425.* ... See MoreSee Less
Trained Team Releases Gray Whale Entangled in Gillnet off California’s Palos Verdes Peninsula
www.fisheries.noaa.gov
Team worked for about 2 hours to remove gear entangling whale.12 CommentsComment on Facebook
ACS/LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project Update, Pt. Vicente Interpretive Center, 17 April 2025: 2 skinny northbound GRAY WHALES! The first whale was an adult with a dip behind its head where there should have been a raised fat pad; it did not fluke. Our second whale passed so close to shore that we could hear its blows! It was very pale, enabling us to watch it as it was swimming under water; its scapula (shoulder blade) was protruding. Just before we closed up for the day, we spotted a very tall blow of an unidentified whale about 8 miles offshore, in the area where a whale watching captain had spotted what he thought might be a BLUE WHALE! We also watched offshore BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS and coastal BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS. (Summary by Census Director Alisa Schulman-Janiger).
Photos today: male Anna's hummingbird; skinny adult gray whale in sighting #1 with a dip behind its head surfaces, arches before heading down for a deeper dive (by observer Andrew Holmes).
Gray Whales Today:
Southbound: 0
Northbound: 2
Northbound calves: 0
Total: 2
Gray Whales to date (since 1 Dec)
Southbound: 125
Northbound: 431
Total: 556
Southbound calves: 0
Northbound calves: 3
#acsladailycount ... See MoreSee Less
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Join ACS-LA in Monterey Bay May 30 - June 1!
We have an exciting update for our Monterey weekend! 🎉 In addition to Saturday’s whale watch and the Monterey Bay Aquarium visit, we’re thrilled to share that a second whale-watching opportunity is now available on Sunday, June 1st, hosted by renowned marine biologist Ted Cheeseman!
This half-day whale watch expedition is part of a special collaboration between Cheesemans’ Ecology Safaris and Monterey Bay Whale Watch, offering an intimate, expert-led experience aboard the Sea Wolf II. You’ll have the chance to spot humpbacks, orcas, dolphins, sea otters, and more — all while learning directly from Ted, whose work in whale conservation and ecology is internationally recognized.
🕘 When: Sunday, June 1st (exact time listed when booking)
📍 Departs from: Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey.
Book here:
cheesemans.com/whale-watching-tours?utm_source=Cheesemans%27+Ecology+Safaris&utm_campaign=d515479...
🚨 Space is very limited, so we highly recommend booking ASAP before it sells out!
Then don't forget to RSVP for this weekend by filling out this form: forms.gle/cyFwMukuEwH5dBWP8
This is a fun weekend planned for our ACS-LA members. You can become a member here: acs-la.org/membership/
There is no additional cost to join us for the weekend, you simply cover your own expenses and join us for whichever ACS-LA planned activities so we can enjoy Monterey as a group!
If you’ve already made plans to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium that morning, no problem — both are great options depending on your interests. Alternatively, you could also call the aquarium to change your ticket to Saturday or Sunday afternoon depending on your schedule. Feel free to choose whichever adventure works best for you!
More details about our group dinners will be shared soon. We’re so excited for this weekend of marine magic and community!
For any questions please reach out to Colleen Carroll, ACS-LA Social Events Chair at colleenmariecarroll7@gmail.com. ... See MoreSee Less
Monterey Bay Whale Watching
cheesemans.com
Join Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris for unforgettable whale watching tours, offering close encounters with majestic marine life in Monterey Bay.0 CommentsComment on Facebook
ACS/LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project Update, Pt. Vicente Interpretive Center, 16 April 2025: 4 northbound GRAY WHALES! An early morning sub-adult came so close to shore that we could hear its blows! This somewhat skinny sub-adult milled. Our next sighting was likely two whales: we saw side by side prints multiple times, but only saw the blow, back, and flukes of one adult. Our last pair of whales were both skinny adults: one was dark, and one was much lighter. They also passed so close that we could hear their blows. We also watched foraging COMMON DOLPHINS and several small groups of coastal BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS. (Summary by Census Director Alisa Schulman-Janiger).
Photos today: late afternoon clouds (by anchor Joyce Daniels); gray whale in sighting #2 surfaces; gray whale in sighting #1 flukes (by anchor Laurie Thomson).
Gray Whales Today:
Southbound: 0
Northbound: 4
Northbound calves: 0
Total: 4
Gray Whales to date (since 1 Dec)
Southbound: 125
Northbound: 429
Total: 554
Southbound calves: 0
Northbound calves: 3
#acsladailycount ... See MoreSee Less
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ACS/LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project Update, Pt. Vicente Interpretive Center, 15 April 2025: 1 southbound and 6 northbound GRAY WHALES! Our first 2 solo adult GRAY WHALES were very emaciated: each whale had a deep dip behind its head instead of a raised fat pad, protruding scapulas (shoulder blades), visible vertebral processes, and bulging rib case protruding from its side! Our pair included a skinny adult with a dip behind its head, with a healthy-looking juvenile. Another solo whale kept a low profile and was hard to track. Our southbound whale, a skinny large adult with protruding scapulas showed up as we were closing up for the day; it had lots of white on its back. This whale came so close that we could hear its blows, and could barely see it over the fence line; it milled just before our transect. We also watched at least 2 FIN WHALES, foraging COMMON DOLPHINS (1000+ in one group), offshore BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS, and coastal BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS. (Summary by Census Director Alisa Schulman-Janiger)
Photos today: skinny southbound gray whale with a dip behind its head and a protruding scapula in sighting 6 milled just over the fence line (by anchor Dee Whitehurst); emaciated gray whale in sighting 1 has a deep dip behind its head and a bulging rib cage; emaciated gray whale in sighting 1 has a prominent white patch before its first dorsal knuckle; emaciated gray whale in sighting 2 has a protruding rib cage and a white patch under its first knuckle (by Alisa Schulman-Janiger).
Gray Whales Today:
Southbound: 1
Northbound: 6
Northbound calves: 0
Total: 7
Gray Whales to date (since 1 Dec)
Southbound: 125
Northbound: 425
Total: 550
Southbound calves: 0
Northbound calves: 3
#acsladailycount ... See MoreSee Less
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