The gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus

The gray whale is currently confined to the North Pacific Ocean. Because it uses coastal habitats extensively, the gray whale was especially vulnerable to shore-based whaling operations. Two stocks occur in the North Pacific: The "California" or eastern stock which breeds along the west coast of North America, and the "Korean" or western stock which apparently breeds off the coast of eastern Asia. Both stocks were severely depleted by the early 1900's. Under legal protection, the eastern stock has recovered substantially-one of the few stocks of great whales to do so. The western stock has not recovered. The gray whale formerly occurred in the North Atlantic.