More humpback whale calves!

Every whale encounter is exciting, but it is even more of a thrill when a whale calf is spotted! By now most of the southern humpback whales would have arrived in the warm waters off Queensland, ready to give birth or find a mate. Pregnant humpback whales are the last ones to journey north, as they remain in the nutrient-rich Antarctic waters as long as they can; they need to fatten up as much as possible so they can sustain the journey as well as provide essential milk (200 L a day!) for their growing calves before they return south in a few months.

Sighting newborn calves off Phillip Island is rare, but this whale migration season a total of four humpback whale calves have been sighted off Phillip Island, more than has ever been recorded by Wildlife Coast Cruises! All four calves were witnessed swimming alongside their mother and showed all the healthy signs of a newborn whale; skinny and dark grey, and sometimes with a floppy dorsal, they are still learning to swim gracefully, and can seem a bit awkward and clumsy!

It is unclear whether such early births are unusual or whether there are in fact changes in the migratory and breeding behaviour of humpback whales. Wildlife Coast Cruises contributes these sightings to a current UNSW research study on humpback whale calving further south than previously known.

Photos by Enorha Guimard and Ian Ryan.