Science That Inspires Stewardship
Our Research
Blue Giants studies the whales that frequent the San Francisco Bay and nearby coastal waters — some of the busiest marine environments on the West Coast. Our research documents whale presence, behavior, and interactions within the Bay to better understand how these giants live alongside human activity.
By combining data collection, collaboration, and education, we aim to turn our findings into meaningful action — supporting conservation efforts that protect the giants who share these waters with us.
Photo Identification
Every whale’s fluke is unique — like a fingerprint. We photograph flukes on each trip and upload them to Happywhale an international database that matches whale sightings worldwide. This work helps track individual whales, monitor populations, and support global collaboration in whale research.
Behavioral Studies
We record whale behavior on every trip — from feeding and breaching to resting, traveling, and social interactions. These observations help us understand how whales utilize different areas along our coast and how their behavior may shift in response to environmental changes and prey availability.
As part of this work, we also document encounters between whales and vessels to better understand how these giants navigate human activity in one of the busiest marine traffic corridors on the West Coast. Our goal is to use these observations to inform awareness, safety practices, and future conservation efforts for whales in our region.
Collaborative Research
Collaboration is at the heart of our research. We aim to share our data with other scientists, educators, and conservation groups to strengthen collective understanding of whale populations along the California coast. By working together, we can turn local observations into regional impact — connecting science, stewardship, and community to protect the giants who call these waters home.
If you’re interested in collaborating or learning more about our research, we’d love to hear from you — please reach out through our Contact page.