The Forgotten Whale of Gräsö - the discovery and confused nomenclatural history of the gray whale - Livestream

Please join us to hear from ACS' president and marine mammal illustrator and author, Uko Gorter, as he relates a fascinating story of early human awakening and understanding of gray whales. The mid-nineteenth century was an interesting time with regard to the science of whales and zoology in general. Not only did we see the groundbreaking publication by Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species (1859), and the subsequent debate on evolution, but it also represents a period in which we see a huge spike of new cetacean species being described. Even so, knowledge of whales was still in a confused state in this Victorian era, where egos often stood in their own way.

Against this backdrop, the scientific discovery and description of the living California gray whale happened while subfossil remains of an unknown whale were found on an island off the Swedish coast. It took over 70 years before a link between the two was established. This is a tale of a forgotten population, brash and overzealous naturalists, and a whale that goes by many names.

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