Size – The average size of an adult is approximately 15 m but adults can be between 11 and 18 metres (36-59ft) long.
New-born calves are between 4.5 and 6 metres (14ft 9in - 19ft 9in) in length.
Characteristics – Southern Right whales have a large round body, a highly arched mouth and huge growths (callosities) on their heads. They are generally black in colour, but can have a white underbelly
Whales breathe through lungs and must come to the surface for breath. They have nostrils called blowholes which are located on the top of the head to access air easily. When Southern Right Whales exhale, condensation from the 2 blowholes forms a 'v-shaped' 'blow'. The noise may be heard over a kilometer away.
Diet – Southern right whales are large baleen whales. This means that they have comb-like baleen plates instead of teeth. These whales are filter feeders and they sieve copepods (small planktonic organisms) from the water using the huge baleen plates, which hang from the roof of their mouth. Their diet consists mainly of krill and/or other crustaceans.
The whales feed by taking mouthfuls of water containing many tiny crustaceans. As the water strains out through the spaces between the baleen, the crustaceans become trapped against the bristly plates and are swallowed.
Breeding patterns – Southern Right Whales migrate from the sub-arctic seas to the warmer waters of South Africa and South Australia. The beaches offer safe areas for calves to be born (June – November).
This species has a three year breeding cycle, with each female producing one calf every three years.
Threat to whales:
Southern right whales were one of the first whale species to be hunted. They are easy targets to hunt because they are very slow swimmers and easy to approach. They live close to shore and float when they die. Southern Right Whales are hunted because they are rich in oil, meat and whalebone.
Where can they be found?
Southern Right Whales inhabit the world's southern oceans – Antarctica. When the days become cooler the whales migrate northward to warmer waters. They spend the winter months calving, mating or nursing their young before returning south in spring to feed again.
Gansbaai is the place that the Southern Right Whale calls home during the months of June – November each year. The cliffs of De Kelders and the sandy beaches of Pearly Beach offers excellent spots for land based whale watching.
Boat-based Whale watching:
Although southern right whales can be easily observed from shore, watching them from a boat just above the water surface is a totally different experience.
A limited number of permits have been issued for legal boat-based whale watching at Gansbaai, Hermanus and Kleinbaai.
Groups of passengers are taken out to the whales in a ski-boat for 1-2 hours keeping 50 meters away but avoiding cow-and-calf pairs (which usually move away of their own accord). Some whales are inquisitive and may surface 3-4 meters of the boat, providing an unforgettable close-up encounter.
See our Whale Whatching Tour in Hermanus
Whale Whatching in Hermanus on Bicycles
See our Whale Whatching Tour in Gansbaai
Interesting Whale Behavior:
Breaching – the whale leaps out of the water, twisting and crashing back into the sea.
Tail Lobs – the tail is lifted out of the water and slammed down onto the surface making a loud noise.
Blowing - whales surface to breathe through nostrils (blowholes) located on the top of the head. When exhaling, a 'v' shaped spray called a 'blow' is sprayed into the air. This helps to identify a southern right whale.
Spy Hopping – the whale lifts their heads vertically out of the water.
Body Rolls - sometimes rolling near the surface, females avoid male advances and calves wanting to suckle.
Tail Lifts - lifting the tail just above the surface using the flippers for support, the tail acts as a sail.
Courtship - can be a spectacular display of breaching, tail slapping, jostling and rolling. |
