Biologists say climate patterns and an abundance of food along the Central Coast play a role in more marine life migrating to the area.
Since the beginning of July we've been telling you about an unusual amount of whales, dolphins, sharks coming to the Central Coast. Most recently more than 200 humboldt squid have washed up on shore. For Stanford Biology Professor William Gilly, it's the first time he's seen this kind of growth. "It's the biggest year I've ever seen. I've worked for the squid for 12 years and I've never seen a real stranding, it's fascinating to watch," said Gilly.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration experts said these marine animals are drawn to our area because there's more food than in previous years. Climate pattern change explains why there's more food. Stanford Professor William Gilly explained that animals like the squid disappeared completely off the California Coast in the late 90s because is was an el nino year. Now that temperatures dropped they're back in full force.
NOAA biologists said the Northern Pacific Gyre Oscillation is the process where cooler water from the Gulf of Alaska and North Pacific moves into the California Coast. That process began in mid 2007.
So for now you're going to continue to see hundreds of humboldt squid washing ashore, but biologists say more fish in the sea can never be a bad thing. "Having all these predators in place at one time especially is probably a really great sign of health because top predators indicate there's a lot of food in the environment," said Gilly.
Biologists are still researching the migratory patterns of these animals to better understand how long they plan to stay in the area.
Courtesy: Hopkins Marine Station
