Stray gray whale seen off Israel is first outside Pacific in 300 years

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"For the first time in about 300 years a gray whale has been sighted outside the Pacific Ocean, a spectacle that has stunned scientists. The stray gray was spotted over the weekend in the Mediterranean off Israel, where it likely swam because of the melting Arctic sea ice.

"It's an unbelievable event which has been described as one of the most important whale sightings ever," said Aviad Scheinin, chairman of the Israel Marine Mammal Research and Assistance Center, which identified the creature, Agence France-Presse writes. The whale was estimated to be about 40 feet long and weigh 200 tons."

<snip>

"The whale, which was first sighted off Herzliya in central Israel on Saturday, is believed to have traveled thousands of miles from the north Pacific after losing its way in search of food.

"This is sensational," Phillip Clapham of the U.S. National Marine Mammal Laboratory in Seattle toldNew Scientist after hearing the news from marine biologists in Israel. "The most plausible explanation is that it came across an ice-free North-West Passage from the Pacific Ocean, and is now wondering where the hell it is."

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2010/05/stray-gray-whale-seen-off-israel-is-first-outside-pacific-in-300-years/1?csp=34

(video at link)

[rrneck]

1. Musta made a wrong turn at Albuquerque. nt

[jpak]

2. There was an Atlantic population that was hunted to extinction in the 18th Century

if this one is a harbinger of reestablishment in the Atlantic basin, this is indeed hugh

:thumbsup:

[Angry Dragon]

3. In search of food

we are running out of food in the oceans for man and the animals. The sighting is not a good thing except the sighting itself.

[BrklynLiberal]

4. I agree with your conclusion. What will happen to this awesome creature?

[Angry Dragon]

5. If the creature is lucky

man will be the first species to self extinct. We are well on our way there right now.

[BrklynLiberal]

6. Sadly..I agree.

[mdmc]

7. --