Southern Right Whales.
Southern Right Whales are the most common whale seen in Southern African waters. They have the longest baleen plates of all southern ocean whales 2 to 3 meters long these plates act as sieves as they skim feed on the surface of the ocean collecting plankton. They are seen in Lamberts bay from August to November
They are recognised by having no dorsal fin, a V shaped blow and white callosities on the head.
Adult females average 14 meters and weigh about 40 tons adult males are slightly smaller. Whales are estimated to eat 600 to 1600 kgs of food daily.
Southern right whales were heavily exploited during the whaling era and they were the first of the large whale to receive protected status under the sea fisheries act 1940 there are approximately 7000 southern right whales in the southern oceans an estimated 10% of their original numbers.
Southern Right Whales are the most common whale seen in Southern African waters. They have the longest baleen plates of all southern ocean whales 2 to 3 meters long these plates act as sieves as they skim feed on the surface of the ocean collecting plankton. They are seen in Lamberts bay from August to November
They are recognised by having no dorsal fin, a V shaped blow and white callosities on the head.
Adult females average 14 meters and weigh about 40 tons adult males are slightly smaller. Whales are estimated to eat 600 to 1600 kgs of food daily.
Southern right whales were heavily exploited during the whaling era and they were the first of the large whale to receive protected status under the sea fisheries act 1940 there are approximately 7000 southern right whales in the southern oceans an estimated 10% of their original numbers.
