Gray Whale
Eschrichtius robustus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassMammalia (Mamífers)
- OrderCetacea
- FamilyEschrichtiidae (Grey Whales)
- GenusEschrichtius (Grey whales)
- SpeciesEschrichtius robustus (Gray Whale)
The gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus), also known as the grey whale, is a baleen whale that migrates between feeding and breeding grounds yearly. It reaches a length of 14.9–15.2 m (49–50 ft), a weight of up to 41 to 45 tonnes (45 to 50 short tons; 40 to 44 long tons) and lives between 55 and 70 years, although one female was estimated to be 75–80 years of age. One of the longest-living gray whales currently is a female, first sighted in 1977, and estimated to be 53–55 years old as of 2024. The common name of the whale comes from the gray patches and white mottling on its dark skin. Gray whales were once called "devil fish" because of their fighting behavior when hunted, with mothers accompanied by their calves fighting viciously to protect their young if they are attacked. The gray whale is the sole living species in the genus Eschrichtius. Wikipedia →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Gray Whale sighting in Redwood National Park, based on 34 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Redwood National Park
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 2 | Pacific Rim National Park Reserve | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 3 | Redwood National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Olympic National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Great Bear Rainforest | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 7 | Kenai Fjords National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Bahía de Loreto National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Gray Whale in Redwood National Park?
About 18% of wildlife watchers report a Gray Whale sighting in Redwood National Park, based on 34 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Gray Whale in Redwood National Park?
February has the highest sighting rate for Gray Whale in Redwood National Park in our monthly data.