Moreover, each year there are about 200 to 400 “resident” gray whales in Oregon. In fact, they carry over 400 pounds of barnacles and whale lice. Grays have existed for approximately 10 million years. The spring migration is north to the Bering and Chukchi seas to feed. calving, and migration areas may be the greatest threat to the gray whales’ future. Traveling as much as 14,000 miles per year the gray whale is known to make one of the longest migration trips of any known mammal. In The Gray Whale Obstacle Course, Jean-Michel Cousteau and the Ocean Adventures team travel the length of this migration, from the warm waters of … A gray whale reported in 2015 broke all marine mammal migration records - she traveled from Russia to Mexico and back again. 3; Gray whales make one of the longest migrations of any mammal--10,000 miles round trip. They are gray with white patches, which mostly consist of areas where barnacles and lice have attached themselves to the whales. Gray whales are thought to have the longest migrations of any marine mammal, traveling 10,000-12,000 miles round trip between their breeding grounds off Baja California to their feeding grounds in the Bering and Chukchi Seas off Alaska and Russia. Unlike some other species of whales, which follow a regular migration route each year, the orca seems to travel according to the availability of food. The total distance is about 5,500 miles. Owing to its extraordinarily long migration on a coastal route that passes close to large human populations, it is probably the most viewed of any large whale. Throughout the winter of 2003–2004, gray whale calls were recorded in deep waters near Barrow, Alaska. Medium-sized for whales, the Gray Whale reaches up to about 45 feet in length and about 75,000 pounds in weight. It’s easily one of the greatest wildlife spectacles in Oregon. Gray Whale Facts. Every winter, hundreds of Pacific gray whales return to their traditional breeding and birthing grounds in sheltered San Ignacio Lagoon on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. Gray whales are medium sized whales, reaching up to 45 feet (14 m) in length, with the females usually being larger than the males. The only natural predators of gray whales are killer whales and large sharks. The orca is found in all the oceans of the world, though they are more abundant in cooler waters. Quick and Cool Facts . Gray whales begin their southward migration in mid-October, passing through Unimak Pass between late October and early January, arriving in Baja California, Mexico in December and January. Killer whales tend to show up along the Oregon coast during late April and May and may target females and calves migrating north.