Spotlight: Southern Right Whale

Gentle Giants of the South

Growing up to 17 metres long and weighing as much as 80 tonnes, southern right whales are among the most impressive animals to visit our coastline. Yet despite their size, these gentle giants remain endangered in Australia, with the national population still only a fraction of what it was before commercial whaling.

Each winter, a small number of southern right whales are sighted along the Bass Coast and around Wilsons Promontory. For us, every sighting feels special. These whales are slow-moving, slow-breeding and often travel close to shore, making them both wonderful to observe and vulnerable to human impacts.

Unique features

Unlike humpback whales, southern rights have no dorsal fin. At the surface, they can look almost like a giant floating log, slowly rising and sinking through the swell. Their blow is also distinctive, forming a wide V-shape as air is released through two blowholes. One of their most recognisable features is the rough, pale growths on their heads called callosities. These patterns are unique to each whale, a little like a fingerprint, allowing researchers to identify individuals from photographs.

Southern right whales are often seen close behind the breakers, especially when resting in shallow, sheltered bays. Along our coastline, they are usually travelling west towards important nursery and breeding areas off south-west Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia.

Conserving the species

Sadly, recovery has been slow. Their history with whaling was devastating, and even today their low breeding rate makes population growth fragile. In Victoria, researchers have found that the south-east Australian population remains small, with the protection of breeding females especially important for recovery.

WhaleFace

This is where citizen science makes a real difference. Wildlife Coast Cruises and our Citizen Scientist Photographers help record sightings and contribute any images captured of their heads and callosities patterns to Whaleface (SWIFFT). These images can support long-term monitoring, helping researchers understand where whales travel, rest and return year after year.

Protecting southern right whales means protecting their pathways, nursery areas, feeding grounds and quiet resting places. So, if you are lucky enough to spot one from shore or sea, enjoy the moment from a respectful distance and report the sighting where possible.