Photo courtesy Oregon State UniversityNEWPORT, OR (KPTV) -
Scientists are eagerly following the path of a rare western gray whale as she migrates up the West Coast.
The whale, named Varvara, started her journey after visiting three lagoons near Baja Mexico, where she did not have any offspring but may have been looking for a mate.
It's believed that the 9-year-old whale is heading back to her home range near Russia's Sakhalin Island. On Friday, Varvara was near the Washington state-Candian border and swimming at a rate of 100 miles a day.
Bruce Mate, director of the Marine Mammal Institute at Oregon State University, says there are only about 130 western gray whales in the world and Varvara's behavior has significant ecological and management implications.
You can follow her journey at this website.
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