Minor skin irritations or infections may arise. Some small fish in search of food do follow the Gray Whales when they are in the Baja Lagoons. “It was like a bowhead whale day spa,” she says. These naupli are released into the ocean where they are free swimmers and become part of the planktonic soup.These small crustaceans (yes, barnacles are closely related to creatures like shrimp and lobsters) have developed a life cycle that is closely tied to the Gray Whale migration. The barnacles actually reproduce when the whales are in the warmer southern waters off the coast of Mexico and when the whales are inside the secure and calm lagoons or bays of Laguna Ojo de Liebre, San Ignacio and Magdalena Bay.
These crustaceans represent a diverse group that includes more than 1,000 species. All those barnacles look annoying and itchy and the whole thing makes my skin crawl. With hundreds of gray whales per square kilometer of water area inside the lagoons, compared to thousands of square kilometers of water area per host animal in the Bering Sea and other northern Gray Whale habitats it is clear that the opportunity to land successfully is significantly increased inside the lagoons. In mutualism, both species benefit from the relationship. Use caution as the pressure from the water may cause the barnacles to fly when they are released. THE EFFECT ON BALEEN WHALES OF BARNACLES? Whale barnacles are a strange life form – and few people will ever have the opportunity to find one on the bottom of the ocean, much less see one attached to a humpback whale in the sea.
Protection from predators is another benefit. If it is ineffective against the barnacles, move up to a metal knife with dull edges. However, the whale-riding barnacles enjoy a certain degree of protection from the mobility of their enormous bodyguards.For the most part, whale barnacles are harmless, even in astoundingly large numbers. Living on a whale, the barnacle has become a moving target, is free from attack by most of the common barnacle predators and is much more difficult prey for fish to feed upon.
However, a few exceptions to the rules of commensalism can occur. The barnacles actually reproduce when the whales are in the warmer southern waters off the coast of Mexico and when the whales are inside the secure and calm lagoons or bays of Laguna Ojo de Liebre, San Ignacio and Magdalena Bay. On the plus side, the barnacles can actually protect the whales, like a suit of armor. Have a wide, open area to work in.
This method requires heavy rubber gloves, eye protection, putty knife or paint scraper (not flimsy), stainless steel mesh glove, and lime remover. A lifelong animal advocate, she is active in animal rescue and transport, and is particularly partial to senior and special needs animals. The only way to do it is to anesthetize them, and that could take a lot of drugs, and it may kill them if we got the dosage wrong. For example, one humpback whale can host 1,000 pounds of barnacles without any problems.
Only filter feeding BALEEN WHALES carry BARNACLES.
There are more than 1,000 species of barnacles inhabiting brackish and saltwater environments worldwide. This is the most likely cause of the Gray Whale population having far more barnacles living upon them, than any other species of whale. They're believed to be one of the oldest surviving animals on Earth. I’m cool. If a whale was like, “hey Rebecca, pick these off”, I’d be all like, “OMG YES!” And not only would I be down to help my whale friend, I imagine picking all those barnacles off would be intensely satisfying, like a … *I realize they’re imbedded in the skin and it’d probably be smelly and gross. The barnacles benefit from having a place to settle and filter food from the passing water, while the whales do not seem to suffer any negative consequences from their presence. On some whales, too many barnacles can cause drag. The more often you clean barnacles, the less difficult the job will be. I’d love to remove each one from that whale :/ Grub says: July 9, 2014 at 10:32 am Completely agree with the people who are totally repulsed by these carpets of barnacles completely covering a whale’s head, belly, or whatever its huge back flipper is called. The life cycle of the Gray Whale barnacle is in rhythm and synchronized with the migration cycle of the whale. They are consistently carried from feeding to feeding.
Use caution as the pressure from the water may cause the barnacles to fly when they are released. Minor skin irritations or infections may arise. It doesn’t bother me that much…Stuff growing on dolphins though…especially when the things in question look like dangly bits of goo…And what are these things exactly?
Tips to Remove Barnacles from Your Boat (Without Causing Further Damage)It happens to whales, and it can happen to your boat. Gray whales have been known to roll over when under attack from other whales, presenting their enemies with a back covered in hard, spiny, immovable soldiers.Yvette Sajem has been a professional writer since 1995. As anyone who’s ever maintained a vessel knows, removing barnacles requires some elbow grease (or a pressure washer). Filter-feeding barnacles are the type that engage in symbiotic relationships with whales.In biological terms, symbiosis is broadly defined as a close, extended relationship between two or more members of different species that benefits at least one member. For example, one humpback whale can host 1,000 pounds of barnacles without any problems.