Although the Southern Right Whale doesn't call Port Macquarie home, they are a common feature along our coastlines though winter.
NSW Conservation Status: Endangered
Commonwealth Conservation Status: Endangered
The Southern Right Whale is a species of baleen whale and one of three classified right whale species. Growing up to 17 metres in length, these whales are known for their active surface behaviour and curious nature. Unlike their northern relatives, Southern Right Whales are more likely to approach and interact with human vessels.
Habitat and Distribution
The Southern Right Whale inhabits the southern and sub-antarctic oceans for most of the year. However during the winter months, the breeding season, the whales migrate to warmer temperate waters around the southern parts of the African, South American and Australian land masses. With their thick layers of insulating blubber, it is difficult for the southern right whale to dissipate their internal body heat in tropical waters and so they are not often found much further north of NSW.
An Australian-led study, published in Nature in 2015, found Southern Right whales learn their migration routes from their mothers. Their breeding location is a cultural tradition that in turn affects how much mixing occurs between whales in different areas.
Therefore there are genetic differences between whales that breed around the Great Australian Bight and those that migrate through Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales. There are also distinct genetic differences between Australia’s Southern Right whales and the sub-populations that breed off southern hemispheric countries, including South Africa, Argentina-Brazil, Chile-Peru and even New Zealand.
What do they look like?
Southern Right Whales are a species of baleen whale. Like all baleen whales, they have two blowholes, which create a distinctive V-shaped spout when they breathe. These whales can grow up to 17 metres long and weigh as much as 100 tonnes. At birth, calves are between 4.5 and 6 metres long.
They have dark skin with irregular white patches on their belly and throat. Their broad tail forms a wide triangle with a notch in the centre, and they have large, rectangular pectoral fins. A unique feature of Southern Right Whales is the presence of callosities—rough, white patches of skin—on their head, particularly around the front of the rostrum.
Diet
As baleen whales, Southern Right Whales do not have teeth. Instead, they feed by filtering food through 220–260 baleen plates that hang from their upper jaw. Their diet mainly consists of krill, plankton, copepods, and other tiny crustaceans.
To feed, they swim slowly through swarms of prey with their mouths open, using their large mouths like nets. The baleen bristles trap the food while excess water is pushed out, allowing the whale to swallow the concentrated catch.
Under Threat
Southern Right Whales face several human-related threats in coastal and marine environments:
Vessel Strikes: Collisions with boats, including shipping vessels, cruise ships, and fishing boats, can cause serious injury or even death.
Entanglement: Whales can become tangled in fishing gear such as nets, ropes, and crab traps, which can lead to injury, restricted movement, or drowning.
Pollution and Debris: Ingesting marine debris, especially plastic, can be harmful or fatal. Swallowed plastics can cause blockages, infections, internal injuries, or suffocation.
Coastal Infrastructure: Building structures like wharves, pontoons, or aquaculture equipment in shallow, sheltered waters (5–10 metre depth) can disturb important resting areas, particularly for females with calves.
Disturbance from Human Activity: Recreational boating, whale watching, jet skis, and kayaks can disrupt whale behaviour, especially during breeding and resting periods.
Anthropogenic Climate Change: Decreasing prey abundance, which impacts reproductive success and calving rates.
- Oil and Gas Exploration: Seismic surveys used to locate underwater oil and gas reserves create intense underwater noise. Resulting in the displacement from important habitats and behavioural responses, E.g. Increased social and feeding call rates.
What can you do?
To minimise human impact on Southern Right Whales, follow these important guidelines:
Keep Your Distance:
Boats must stay at least 300 metres away from any whale.
Jet skis must stay at least 400 metres away.
Swimmers should keep at least 30 metres away.
Aircraft should not fly within 300 metres, and helicopters within 400 metres, of any whale.
Travel Responsibly:
Never cut in front of whales that are moving. Give them space to travel freely.
Reduce Marine Pollution:
Never throw rubbish or debris into the sea.
Avoid using single-use plastics and secure all gear and waste when out on the water.
Protect Whale Habitats:
Avoid placing infrastructure (like wharves or aquaculture equipment) in shallow coastal waters (5–10 metre depth) where female whales may rest or calve.
Support efforts to improve and protect coastal water quality, especially in sheltered bays and estuaries.
- Report sightings to ORRCA (02) 9415 333 – Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia. Report all injured or distressed whale, dolphin, seal or dugong sightings to the 24-hour ORRCA hotline.
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