The 12,000 Mile Journey of the Gray Whale (Infographic)

As shown in this infographic by Marriott San Diego hotels, Gray whales are known as the king of migrations in the animal world. They usually travel alongside other gray whales in groups called pods and can grow up to anywhere between 40 to 50 feet long.

This visual illustrates the 12,000-mile journey taken each year by gray whales from the chilly waters of the Arctic Ocean all the way to the warmth of the Pacific. Due to the region’s ideal climate, these 35-ton giants prefer to give birth to their young right off the southern coast of sunny California and Mexico. The shallow, sheltered waters of the bay provide protection from predators and allow young calves to  prosper within the first few months of their lives. The graphic also examines the gentle creature’s lifespan, diet, unusual behaviors and other unique gray-whale tidbits.