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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...
2025 Annual Summertime 8 hour whale watch on the Condor Express
Painted Cave, Santa Cruz Island
Photo credit: Patty Farrell
2024-2025 Gray Whale Census Summary
Gray Whale Census Team with our whiteboard displaying our final counts for this season. Clockwise, L to R: Joyce Daniels, Ben Tyrrell, Terri Bidle, Gerrie Teague Cole, Carla Krysiak, Iva Maes, Gregg Gentry, Stacey Patterson, Erlinda Cortez, Kim Hoch, Cynthia Woo, and...
2023-2024 Gray Whale Census Summary
Photo of Alisa Schulman-Janiger at our Gray Whale Census location on the bluffs behind the Palos Verdes Interpretive Center. Photo by Dave Janiger. ACS/LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project, 2023-2024 Update: we documented very low gray whale counts, few...
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ACS SPEAKER EVENT TONIGHT! May 28, 7 pm PST
Protecting Blue Whales Blue Skies (BWBS), featuring: Becca Tucker & Danielle Alvarez
About the program: :
NOAA's Becca Tucker and California Marine Sanctuary Foundation’s Danielle Alvarez will share context on the Blue Whales Blue Skies program, and the underlying motivation for whale conservation, including impacts and latest season results. They will talk about what's ahead, including new resources like the Whale Atlas, and the program's expansion under the recently passed AB-14 "Coastal Resources: Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program".
There will be opportunities presented for people and companies to support protecting whales from ship strikes.
Registration is required:
us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_9Opat_QsTMKCL4RVfKoDeg?fbclid=IwY2xjawSFuu1leHRuA2FlbQIxMABic... ... See MoreSee Less
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"Plight of Grey Whales: a wake-up call!: Free online event, 7pm tomorrow, May 27! Speakers include John Calambokidas (Cascadia Research Collective). Extra Zoom accommodations were added, as this was previously sold out: get your tickets ASAP!
Marine Education and Research Society is hosting this webinar. Concerns for gray whales include the number found dead and emaciated, and the increased risk of collision.
Speakers include:
John Calambokidis is the senior Research Biologist and founder of the Cascadia Research Collective. Cascadia's work includes conducting necropsies on the Grey Whales found dead in Washington State.
Wendy Szaniszlo, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, has studied Grey Whales in BC for over 20 years in various capacities.
MERS Research Associates, Ashley Hoyland and Mark Sawyer of Whales of Clayoquot & Barkley, study the body condition of Grey Whales off SW Vancouver Island.
This event will be recorded and shared with those who registered!
Details and registration at:
www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/webinar-plight-of-grey-whales?fbclid=IwY2xjawSEcFZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABi... ... See MoreSee Less
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ACS/LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project Update, Pt. Vicente Interpretive Center, 25 May 2026: although we did not spot any GRAY WHALES, we did watch other whale species just one mile offshore on this last day of our 42nd season! The tall blow and long dark back of a probable FIN WHALE appeared in a group of COMMON DOLPHINS that was feeding on a fish boil. A HUMPBACK WHALE blew and arched up next to another group of COMMON DOLPHINS that was feeding on a fish boil. The small back of a likely MINKE WHALE popped up just outside of that same fish boil; 45 minutes later, a MINKE WHALE surfaced just inshore of that fish boil, and we watched it for the next 30 minutes as it foraged back and forth in that area. Over our first 7 hours, we observed more than a dozen groups of foraging COMMON DOLPHINS in fish boils (with thousands of associated birds) as they trended west across our field of view! The wind picked up in the afternoon, with frequent whitecaps and plunge-diving pelicans that made it difficult to spot and track cetaceans (although the wind calmed later).
*NOTE: we ended our 42nd season with our second lowest southbound gray whale count (214; last season was our lowest, at 130), a new record low northbound gray whale count (445), our eleventh lowest southbound calf count (17, much better than last season's ZERO count), and our fourth lowest northbound calf count (16 - which exceeds last season's record low count of 8). Our southbound calf percentage was 7.9% (17/214), compared to 0% last season. Our northbound calf percentage was 3.6% (16/445); last season, it was 1.6% (8/485). The highlight of this season: more gray whales calves - cautious optimism!
Thanks so much to our incredibly devoted citizen scientist gray whale census observers, "The People Who Count"; this project would not exist without them! We'll be back on the patio of the Point Vicente Interpretive Center on 1 Dec 2026: come visit us then!
(Summary by Census Director Alisa Schulman-Janiger).
PHOTO TODAY: Gray Whale Census Team, with our whiteboard displaying our final counts for this season. Clockwise, left to right: Gray Whale Census Team with our whiteboard displaying our final counts for this season. Clockwise, L to R: Census Director Alisa Schulman-Janiger, observer Mel Baylor, anchor Chad Sprouse, observer Gail Goulet, observer Cheryl Beshke, anchor Kathy Hill, observer Shelley Conger, and anchor Gerrie Teague Cole (by Mike Crnkovich).
GRAY WHALES TODAY
Southbound: 0
Northbound: 0
Cow/calves south: 0
Cow/calves north: 0
Total: 0
GRAY WHALES TO DATE (since 1 Dec)
Southbound: 214
Northbound: 445
Cow/calves south: 17
Cow/calves north: 16
Total: 659
#acsladailycount #graywhalecensus #humpbackwhale #minkewhale #commondolphins ... See MoreSee Less
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ACS/LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project Update, Pt. Vicente Interpretive Center, 24 May 2026: we spotted 1 northbound adult GRAY WHALE one time: we saw its blow, back , and fluke prints as it was traveling half of a mile offshore- but never saw it again. We watched 1 or more HUMPBACK WHALES throughout the day; they were seen in various locations, but never confirmed more than one whale at a time. One HUMPBACK WHALE did a tail slap and pectoral fin slap, just over a mile offshore! We also watched at least 1 FIN WHALE throughout the day (likely more), between a half mile and 4 miles offshore. The wind picked up in the afternoon, with whitecaps making it difficult to confirm whale species. We also saw multiple groups of hundreds of COMMON DOLPHINS ((including one group of over 1000), as well as 1 solo coastal BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN.
NOTE: tomorrow will be the final day of our 42nd season of our full season Gray Whale Census: feel free to stop by and say hello - and bring your binoculars! We will be back on the patio at the Point Vicente Interpretive Center on 1 December! (Summary by Census Director Alisa Schulman-Janiger).
PHOTOS: Point Vicente Lighthouse and Santa Catalina Island (by Census anchor Cynthia Woo); our devoted pair of nesting resident ravens, and a coastal California poppy with Dudleya (by Census Director Alisa Schulman-Janiger).
GRAY WHALES TODAY
Southbound: 0
Northbound: 1
Cow/calves south: 0
Cow/calves north: 0
Total: 1
GRAY WHALES TO DATE (since 1 Dec)
Southbound: 214
Northbound: 445
Cow/calves south: 17
Cow/calves north: 16
Total: 659
#acsladailycount #graywhalecensus #graywhale #humpbackwhale #finwhale #commondolphins #bottlenosedolphins ... See MoreSee Less
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ACS/LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project Update, Pt. Vicente Interpretive Center, 23 May 2026: although we did not see any GRAY WHALES today, we did see a westbound HUMPBACK WHALE that passed us two miles offshore, multiple groups of COMMON DOLPHINS (including one group of over 1000, feeding in a fish boil with many birds), and offshore BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS. (NOTE: Captain Chris Batts (Harbor Breeze Cruises) was with 3 HUMPBACK WHALES and a FIN WHALE that were following COMMON DOLPHINS, 8 miles away from us; we could see their boat, but could not see what they were watching). (By Census Director Alisa Schulman-Janiger).
PHOTOS: Census observer Cheryl Beske tries to put good vibes out there by assisting a breaching gray whale model (by Census anchor Chad Sprouse); our canoodling pair of nesting resident ravens, and this dudleya is NOT sprouting a coastal California poppy (by Census Director Alisa Schulman-Janiger).
GRAY WHALES TODAY
Southbound: 0
Northbound: 0
Cow/calves south: 0
Cow/calves north: 0
Total: 0
GRAY WHALES TO DATE (since 1 Dec)
Southbound: 214
Northbound: 444
Cow/calves south: 17
Cow/calves north: 16
Total: 658
#acsladailycount #graywhalecensus #humpbackwhale #commondolphins #bottlenosedolphins ... See MoreSee Less
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ACS/LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project Update, Pt. Vicente Interpretive Center, 22 May 2026: although we did not see any GRAY WHALES today, we did see multiple groups of COMMON DOLPHINS (including several hundreds, feeding with birds), as well as small groups of coastal BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS. (Summary by Census Director Alisa Schulman-Janiger).
PHOTOS TODAY: Anna's hummingbird forages in our Native Plant Garden, California brown pelican flies by two coastal bottlenose dolphins, and a harbor seal rests on a rock (by Census Director Alisa Schulman-Janiger).
GRAY WHALES TODAY
Southbound: 0
Northbound: 0
Cow/calves south: 0
Cow/calves north: 0
Total: 0
GRAY WHALES TO DATE (since 1 Dec)
Southbound: 214
Northbound: 444
Cow/calves south: 17
Cow/calves north: 16
Total: 658
#acsladailycount #graywhalecensus #commondolphins #bottlenosedolphins ... See MoreSee Less
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