Southern Right Whale
Southern Right Whales are baleen whales filtering their food (plankton, squid) through baleen plates. They have two separate blow holes, a round tapering body with broad pectoral fins & tail and dark skin with lighter patches. Southern Right whales average 16 m (length) and can weigh up to 80 tonnes and were considered the ‘right’ whales in Australia’s early settlement years. Available in plentiful numbers, they swam slowly, floated when dead and produced high yields of oil and whalebone or baleen. Sadly, their numbers were soon depleted and the prosperous whaling industry collapsed. They are now fully protected in Australia and there is believed to be about 5 000 worldwide. Mating occurs July-Aug with a 12 month gestation period.

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