The whale watching season has officially started, so it’s time to keep your eyes on the coast. Photo: Heather Rose Dreamstime.
Whale season has officially started, however tourism operators say the whales have had a head start.
During their migration, around 40,000 humpback whales will leave the krill-rich waters of Antarctica before heading north to warmer waters.
In the Coral Sea and the Great Barrier Reef, they will find mates or simply socialise before returning south.
This journey spans about 10,000 kilometres and is one of the longest migrations of any mammal.
Sapphire Coastal Adventures co-owner Jessica Millar said some eager baby whales had already started the trip north.
“Each year, there are a few early ones, which always excites people,” she said.
“I’m not sure whether they perhaps don’t migrate all the way down to Antarctica, or they leave Antarctica early.”
She said keen eyes at Green Cape (south of Eden) and Bermagui, as well as locations further north like Port Macquarie and Sydney Harbour, had caught recent sightings.
Their numbers will ramp up in the coming weeks, before the “floodgates open” in June and July.
According to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (the NSW NPWS), humpback whale numbers have bounced back to around 40,000 whales since the 1960s, when commercial whaling had reduced the east coast Australian population to perhaps as few as 100 individuals.
Ms Millar said that as whale populations recovered, people’s love for them grew.
“We’re always excited to see new people come to the area, and we get a lot of lovely repeat visitation,” she said.
“It’s always lovely to reconnect with people each year who come on the boat, to have their annual whale fix. It’s great to see more and more people viewing whales.”
The ever-popular whale migration has returned. Photo: J.Liebschner.
NSW NPWS Marine Wildlife Team Leader Melissa Tan reminded people to keep a distance so they – and the whales – remained safe during the migration.
Drones and watercraft (including surf craft, kayaks and boats) must stay at least 100 m from a whale, while if you’re watching from a jetski or there is a calf present you must remain 300 m away.
“Let’s celebrate the start of whale watching season by appreciating the beauty of the humpback whales while ensuring their safety and protection,” she said.
“We’re incredibly fortunate to have a front-row seat to this extraordinary annual migration we can all observe, right up and down the coast.”
For some whales, the annual migration along the NSW coast can lead to entanglement in fishing gear and marine debris.
When this occurs, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Large Whale Disentanglement Team is called into action. The highly trained team works from small boats in open seas to undertake the complex and dangerous task of rescuing the whales from tangles of ropes and floats.
If you see a distressed or entangled whale, please call the NPWS on 13000PARKS (1300 072 757) or ORRCA on 02 9415 3333 immediately.
Original Article published by Claire Sams on About Regional.
