An incredible year of being with the Gray Whale Census & Behavior Project for ACS-LA at the Point Vincente Interpretive Center. This was my first 100 hours waking up before 5 am to count and study the marine mammals, but specifically the gray whales. It rained and shined, was often cold and dark early and the sun warmed me up by the end of my 3-4 hour shift. The folks who have been running this project for over 40 years now are a link to the information and study of our many ecosystems and big blue oceans!
The total count is yet to come in, but some alarming numbers have been showing record lows. In May, we have yet to spot a cow/calf pair heading North from our station- for the first season on record. However, this pair below was off of Dana Point. It’s been a process of learning, observing, and resilience on the volunteer citizen scientists to identify and record these numbers. The obvious connections of other reports point to the changes in our oceans and the lack of food from the glaciers melting. https://acs-la.org/todays-whale-count/
I can’t help but think of the many times I’ve heard things about climate change like “you’re overreacting, there is no climate change” or “climate change is beyond my control so why bother?” or “we’re all doomed, and there is nothing we can do about it.” maybe you have too? Maybe it affects your empathy, as it does mine? Bearing witness to the environment is no small order. It becomes more and more apparent that to take action, we need to care for our mental health. With the mental health reports declining and also greater than ever before on record - it becomes clearer this interconnection. To address the climate crisis, we must address this mental health crisis, to address the mental health crisis, we must address the climate crisis.
A small group of spiritual-care friends for the planet are holding space on Mondays and Fridays. You are welcome to join for a guided meditation from different people. Reach out for the Zoom info!
The gray whales are remarkable reminders of resilience as they were almost hunted into extinction from commercial whaling once before. They also travel one of the longest annual migrations of any mammal! (about 12,000 miles between the Arctic and Mexico NOAA)! There are so many lessons to learn from observing nature, these beauties have been a gift, and so have been their stewards. I’m so grateful to have joined this season.
Thanks, Alisa Schulman-Janiger and ACS Crew for the patience and fortitude to follow these remarkable mammals.
