The Southern Right Whales have very dark grey or Black skin, with irregular white patches on the throat and belly.

The whales migrate south during the summer months when supplies of krill are more prolific, and north during winter and spring to mate, calve and rear their young. Population comparison of right whale body condition reveals poor state of the North Atlantic right whale Fredrik Christiansen1,2,3,*, Stephen M. Dawson, John W. Durban, Holly Fearnbach, Carolyn A. Miller, Lars Bejder, Marcela Uhart, Mariano Sironi, Peter Corkeron, William Rayment, Eva Leunissen, Eashani Haria, Rhianne Ward, Hunter A. Warick, Iain Kerr, Morgan S. Lynn, Heather … ( Log Out / 

Commercial whaling began in Australia in 1820, killing 75% of the southern right whale population between 1835 and 1845.

Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. When born, calves average between 4-6m in length and 1 ton in weight. When they breach they also cause a huge white splash. The typical Sperm Whale has an overall height of 6’9”-11’ (2.06-3.35 m) and body … Approximately 4% of Southern right whales are born mostly white in colour; this colour typically becomes a grey/brindle colour in adults. SIZE. The Sperm Whale is the largest toothed whale in the oceans. They feed mostly on copepods, krill, mysids and plankton and other tiny crustaceans. An activity in which the whale pokes its head out of the water, possibly to take a look around. Southern right whales have a large callosity on the front of their head which is known as a ‘bonnet’. Baleen is made of keratin (the same substance our fingernails are made of) and can be up to 3 meters in length. The calf and mother spend the first year together, with the baby living off its mother's milk. Following their time spent stocking up on food reserves, the Southern right whales migrate north between 3000-4000km to their mating and breeding grounds. These callosities are simply rough patches of skin on which barnacles and whale lice live. Southern right whales can be seen between the town of Denham and the island of Dirk Hartog in Shark Bay between the months of June to August as they travel north to breed in the warmer waters. The mass stranding of L. peronii on beaches, as many as 77, has been recorded. * Be patient – Seeing your first whale is an experience you will never forget. One of the most distinguishing features of the Southern right whales is the scattering of “callosities” on their head. In 1997 the South African population was estimated at 3100 whales, from a total of 7500 in the southern hemisphere, still only thought to be about 10% of original numbers. Gestation: 11 to 12 … Whale watching in South Africa. SAILING: Whales are sometimes seen to These callosities are simply rough patches of skin on which barnacles and whale lice live. Beluga whales don't chew their food.

There are two main types of whale – baleen whales and toothed whales. Killer whales are nicknamed “wolves of the sea” as they hunt in packs. On occasion they are also bottom feeders, eating benthic prey from the mud on the ocean floor.

They reach their full size at about 10 years old.

Southern Right Whale Facts: Length Adutls: 14m to 18m. HEAD: The head is large and covered

Spyhopping

Current threats include collision with ships, disturbance at calving grounds, seismic and defence operations and entanglement in fishing gear.

This is an activity in which the animal sticks its tail out of the water, swings it around and then slaps it onto the water's surface.

Leave a comment. Male orcas average 19 to 22 feet (6 to 7 meters) in length; females average 16 to 19 feet (5 to 6 meters) long. The head of the Southern Right is large and covered with wart-like bumps called callosities.

Marine Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria. When a calf is born, it is between 5 and 6 meters long. If you are very lucky you may even be able to see a mother and her calf. They appear around the South African coastline from May to December. Baleen: A series of stiff, flexible material that hang from the upper jaw. Size comparison against an average human. Feeding is only thought to occur while the whales are in the sub-Antarctic region. Its pectoral fins are wide, short blunt paddle shaped.