Unlike most of the other baleen whales, the Gray Whale prefers to feed on the bottom rather than on the surface. It scrapes along the ocean floor to stir up the sediment, then filters out plankton and small sea creatures through its mouth. The Gray Whale is very active, undertaking a 12,000 mile (19,000 kilometer) migration from the Pacific coast near Mexico, to the arctic, and back. It also frequently spyhops, lobtails, breaches, and appears to enjoy riding the surf in shallow coastal waters.
