The San Diego Chapter of the American Cetacean Society is proud to offer the initial screening of three (not for profit) new educational gray whale documentaries produced by the Southwest Fisheries Science Center for use by educators and for display at aquariums, museums, and other interested organizations. 

These films will be shown at 7:00 p.m., at Sumner Hall, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 8595 La Jolla Shores Drive, on January 14, 2015.   Two gray whale experts, Wayne Perryman and Jim Carretta (featured in the films) will be in attendance and available for a question and answer session following the screening.

Following is further information concerning the documentaries:

“The evolving story of the Eastern Pacific population of gray whales, from endangered to thriving, is a beacon of hope for other conservation efforts. North Pacific gray whales were nearly hunted to extinction, but through conservation efforts and scientific research, much of the population has rebounded.  Wanting to share this remarkable story with others, the Southwest Fisheries Science Center decided to produce three (not for profit) educational videos that will be available for educators and display at aquariums, museums, and other interested organizations.  Each video follows a unique theme of the story: 1) gray whale migration, 2) the rigors of gray whale research, and 3) the recovery of the gray whale.  Furthermore, these videos touch upon the long-term research that has been conducted on populations of gray whales off the coast of Russia (also known as the Western Pacific population of gray whale).  Each video contains interviews with some of the dedicated scientists who have studied both the Eastern and Western North Pacific populations of gray whales in two remote locations over the last couple of decades: an island off Russia and a century-old lighthouse station in central California.”