Tag: Humpback
The epic Humpback Whale migration never ceases to amaze with the extraordinary journey and achievement made by our Western Australian Humpbacks one of the longest mammal migrations known in the world. The extreme lengths they will go to for the survival of the next generation is inspiring as females travel to the extremes of our WA coastline, the heat of the Kimberly providing a tropical oasis nursery ground. Their calves grow and develop quickly in these suitable conditions and by the time they are ready to leave the nursery grounds they have doubled in size. A female and her calf were travelling towards the Humpback Highway today and there was absolutely nothing that was going to interrupt her focus as we joined on their journey and matched the energy of this lovely pod.
The female was beautiful with a white belly that extended up her flanks and old scarring provided for a very pretty and unique appearance. Her little calf may have been one of the smaller babies that we have sighted this season but he had a very big personality and would swim in closer to have a better look at us every chance he could. Always a privilege to observe the epic Humpback Whale migration and watch as an incredible journey which began in April/May this year almost nears its end. This little family still has approximately 5,000km to travel before they arrive in the feeding grounds of Antarctica. Wishing them well as they headed for the Leeuwin Current we were very excited to see an Albatross gliding straight towards us as he pivoted and turned providing us with some special moments to capture such a beautiful seabird we would normally only sight when further out to sea. The local Bottlenose Dolphins including the cheeky Hiccups also greeted us this morning as they busily hunted in the marina for their breakfast of fresh fish. A change of season could be felt as the full moon appeared casting an eye over the waiting tankers not far from the Port of Fremantle.
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Where to See Whales in Perth Western Australia is all dependant on what time of year you are looking to go whale watching as our whale friends are along our coastline all year long! September to December sights the southern Humpback Whale migration which we are currently enjoying with many mothers and calves migrating back south towards their summer feeding grounds located in Antarctica. Today we met a couple of mothers and calves socialising together and after a little while one of the females brought her calf over to say hello. They were both very curious and after finding a suitable spot the female began to feed her calf and they enjoyed a peaceful morning relaxing just off our bow.
The second mother and calf could be sighted not far away with the female peduncle slapping three times as something appeared to startle them. Joining with this pod and watching as the female escorted her calf out of the area it wasn’t long before they too began to relax in the beautiful conditions and gently continue cruising along with graceful tail dives from mum who was absolutely enormous! The northern Humpback Whale migration will begin again in late May as we sight both Southern Right Whales and Humpbacks visiting Augusta during the winter months. Summer brings the Orca, Sperm Whale and Pilot Whales to gather in the Bremer Canyon for an intensive feeding season while beautiful Autumn signals the arrival of our northern Blue Whale migration. The Blue Whales make their way north towards the Banda Sea to their winter calving grounds and stop by in the Perth Canyon to feed… where to see Whales in Perth Western Australia is a matter of what day suits!
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The very best Fremantle Wildlife Experiences can be found onboard Whale Watch Western Australia as we meet the exciting, wild whales of Western Australia! Today a mother Humpback Whale and her calf were being followed by two male Humpbacks, not what we usually expect to sight this late in the season but a perfect example of why interacting with wildlife is so exciting as every experience is a unique adventure. The males were chasing after the female and once we made a gently approach she quickly carried her calf towards us to try and distract the males. It worked as the two boys slowed down and decided that it was time to put their best moves forward before the female lost interest.
One of the males launched into an incredible breach and landed on his back as we watched on in amazement… now that was impressive! Following up with flirty pec slaps and even a gentle peduncle lob these males were trying their very best to impressive the lovely lady. Her calf seemed to be watching on in amusement and was hopefully learning a few things from these outgoing males and their clever tactics. The female was very patient with them and waited for a while until the males slowed down a bit and began to match her energy, before long she had regained control of the pod and both males were calmly swimming alongside mother and calf. A perfect example of how the females who are a little bit older and have the experience will take control of a situation and turn it into a benefit for them. This female now had two protective male escorts joining her southern migration, two bodyguards for herself and her calf! An incredible morning learning and enjoying observing the very best Fremantle Wildlife Experiences on another magnificent day in WA.
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November is full of playful Humpback calves as they make their way south with mum and explore their new world during the epic southern migration. Today we enjoyed the company of a mother and her little one who first captured our attention because mum was breaching on the horizon landing with white water in a spectacular fashion! Meeting them for the first time we could see that she was a confident female and her calf was also feeding off the energy from mum with playful enthusiasm. Joining with them as they travelled along both mother and calf moved in close to us as they swam and it didn’t take long to build a trusting relationship with this confident mother and calf duo.
Noticing the female come to a relaxing halt we watched carefully as the calf went into feeding mode. Mum was staying still below the surface while her cute calf would spend a few moments circling at the surface replenishing oxygen before returning back to have another feed. Nursing does take a bit of effort for a little whale and with an increased heart rate comes a more regular need to breathe. He repeated that cycle of swimming back down to mum and circling the surface in circles a couple of times until his belly was full. Often with a full belly we see the result being playful Humpback calves and today was no exception. A mini breach after his feed and a few little spy hops to get a better look at everyone onboard followed after his brunch. The female was relaxed and after feeding her calf they both continued on with their morning and we wished them well for the next stage of their journey. Two other mothers and their calves were also resting close by and enjoying the peaceful conditions.
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The growth of Scarborough Beach is expanding and so has the Humpbacks of Western Australia, never before have we seen so many whales so close to our coastline as we enjoyed Scarborough Highrise Humpbacks today. This year celebrated the 40 year anniversary to the end of whaling in Australia and in only a very short amount of time the Humpbacks of Western Australia have gone from near extinction to the largest population in the world, how remarkable is that! Today we noticed a glimmer on the surface of a small Humpback calf when suddenly mum launched into spectacular head lunges over and over again. Her enormous body landed with a loud thud that could be heard for many kilometres all around and her beautiful frame had the backdrop of Scarborough Beach Highrise.
A large and mature female who seemed to be moving out of the area with speed as a large ship approached her resting zone. Joining with the pod gently it wasn’t long before the mature female had built a trust with us and both mother and calf came over for a closer look. Curiously approaching us and by now having found a suitable spot the mother disappeared below while her calf showed signs of feeding. Circling above mum before swimming straight back down to her and back up again every few minutes was a sure sign this little one was having a good feed. Once dinner time was over they both continued on their way and went into Humpback Whale cruise mode with beautiful fluke dives from mum. A special privilege to enjoy the Scarborough Highrise Humpbacks and watch as not only our city grows but also the strength of the Western Australian Humpback population. This female is one of the strongest and healthiest we have seen so late in the season and her robust calf was also a reflection of her good health. As our coastlines grow it is important that we remember our whale populations are growing too and how exciting to have our whales just off our local beaches!
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November Whale Watching in Perth is a special time as mothers and their calves take over the Western Australian coastline and the newest members of the WA population enjoy exploring their migration path. Journeying out on a beautiful morning we enjoyed the company of two mothers and calves who had been quietly resting in the area. Suddenly, a large tail lob was sighted just to our right hand side as one of the females responded to the other pod approaching too closely. A few quiet moments past when both pods resurfaced again and they were both slowly heading in opposite directions. A perfect example of how females will use and teach their calves The Language of the Whales™ when needed in the resting grounds to ensure they maintain their own personal space.
The size difference between mother and calf and how much growing they achieve in their young lives is most apparent when enjoying November whale watching in Perth. The calves are tiny in comparison to their mums and as they both surface to breathe together we can appreciate mums large size… even though she has lost up to a third of her body weight after not having had anything to eat for 4-6 months! Keeping up with mum is not always easy on the long migration so close contact is vital between the two with the calf often within touching distance of mum. A large shipping vessel approached the grounds where our whales were resting and mum carefully taught her calf how to correctly move away from the vessel while still maintaining your position within the sound footprint area of the preferred resting grounds. Another special day out with our whales just off beautiful Perth.
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The Humpback Whale migration is sighted along the Western Australian coastline without fail every year, a true dedication from Western Australian Humpbacks. The journey is one of the longest known migrations of any mammal in the world and can take up to six months and a round trip of 13,000 kilometres long. The Humpback Whale migration is a vital part of our ecosystem and now that the Western Australian Humpbacks have recovered to over 40,000 individuals we are seeing our ecosystem flourish with their presence as they travel north and south year in, year out.
Although the epic Humpback migration is slowly coming to its completion for season 2018 we are still sighting mothers and calves gently travelling southward and today we also had the local Bottlenose Dolphins actively feeding with fluke slapping being used to stun the fish they were organising for lunch. This morning we met two mums and calves relaxing in the shallows as we joined with the slightly older and larger calf who was highly curious towards us and approached with mum by his side. As we were watching this lovely pod we had the very unfortunate situation of a small recreational vessel moving at speed directly towards them. Although we used our horn and radio to try and alert them they did not slow and moved directly over the top of where mother and calf were only a meter or so below the surface. To our relief they both were not struck by the vessel and immediately moved away from the area at great speed, understandably startled by the event and especially the calf who was trumpeting and fluke swiping which are both agitated behaviours.
Observing the pod carefully it was an opportunity to see how long it would take for both mother and calf to settle back to that relaxed frame of mind and after twenty minutes the calf had reverted back to his normal self and even appeared to have a feed of milk from mum. We must be so very careful when out on the water about our surroundings at all times, it is a great responsibility and privilege to be on the ocean and we must always have an awareness of our surroundings, just like our whales do. Thankfully for mother and calf they both escaped injury or harm and it will be a very important lesson for the calf to be wary of vessels approaching at high speeds and will hopefully protect them both from a similar incident in the future. Our Humpback Whales migration is an extraordinary achievement and we must do everything possible to ensure that we assist them in every way possible to achieve their goal of making a successful journey back to Antarctica and not hinder their efforts in any way.
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The Rottnest Island Humpback Oasis is a perfect place for mothers and their calves to rest together and restore the strength they will need for the next step of their journey. Travelling thousands of kilometres down the Western Australian coastline and making their way into colder waters can be a very large challenge for such young calves. They have very smart mums though who prepare them well and allow them to adjust to their forever changing environment by spending time at places like the Rottnest Island Humpback Oasis with a few hours at this special place having you ready to go.
A young mum and her lovely calf were resting just off Rottnest Island and as we made a gentle approach we could tell that this female was in her first few years of motherhood, this possibly being her first calf. Being young herself it is going to take many migrations to collect a wealth of knowledge and experience to keep herself and calves safe. She was very relaxed in our company and as she quietly rested her very confident calf was keeping a close eye on us. A little tail lob to let us know that he was boss before approaching us a couple of times to get a better look. It was on one of these approaches that we noticed the calf was right alongside our vessel but mum had continued moving in the opposite direction… 100 meters away! Realising her calf was not at her side she spun back around and frantically returned back towards us and by now her calf had realised that he had wondered far away from mum. Collecting her wandering little one it was a perfect example of how quickly separation can happen in an ocean environment and how as a young mum this female will continue to grow and develop from mistakes made along the way. For this young female it must be a bit tricky for one of your first calves to be so outgoing and confident, swimming right up to us to say hello!
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The Epic Humpback Odyssey™ that graces our Western Australian coastline each year is something everyone should treasure. Travelling thousands of kilometres to the heat of the nursery grounds in the Kimberly and then the ice of their feeding grounds in Antarctica is a pattern of migration repeated every year without fail. The calves enjoy their first few weeks of life in warm, tropical waters and grow at an extreme rate as all energy from mums rich milk is used to grow instead of also trying to keep warm. The journey back to Antarctica is inevitable though as the adult Humpbacks do not feed during their Epic Humpback Odyssey™. The warmth of Spring in the Kimberly begins the southern migration as the mothers gently bring their calves back towards the cooler waters of our southern coastline and closer to Antarctica, a long awaited meal for mom so very close yet so very far!
This morning we were excited to meet a few of these very special mothers and calves who were on their Epic Humpback Odyssey™ down the coastline. One mother and calf approached us curiously as they were making their way towards a quiet part of the resting grounds and away from the other pods. The calf appeared to begin feeding so we departed and made our way towards a pod who began to communicate The Language of the Whales™ towards each other as both pods moved too close together. Breaching, fluke slapping and tail lobs followed as both mothers encouraged their calves to practice the important communication required in resting grounds. After messages had been sent they both calmly moved off and found a new little territory of their own to relax in as the white bellied calf approached us for a closer look and mum showed off her perfect fluke with impressive tail dives.
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Special moments with the Whales off Perth this morning as a mother, calf and their male escort approached us curiously. They were new arrivals along the coast as we joined with them on their travel towards a pocket that would be a suitable resting ground. Looking around we sighted a total of seven pods cruising in the same way past the coast as a new wave of Whales off Perth enjoyed their Sunday morning travels. The male escort was very relaxed with our company and as we grew to know each other they would approach us and come in for a closer look with the calf keenly observing us. The local Bottlenose Dolphins were also busy travelling through the area on the lookout for breakfast.
All three appeared to have been travelling together for a while as they were relaxed and peaceful with each others company, the calf even swam over to the male a couple of times for a quick interaction before travelling back alongside mum. Males will often head down a bit earlier to begin preparations for next season, but this male was taking the opportunity to join with the female on his journey back south to Antarctica. Soon they had arrived further in the resting grounds and we watched carefully as the calf came to a complete stop and hovered above his mum. Circling above her he took three big breathes before diving back down and we knew that it was feeding time for this little one! Three minutes later he popped back up to the surface in the exact same spot and seemed to have a bit of energy about him now that his belly was full. Almost as if to say their goodbyes, mum gently brought her calf towards us and came incredible close as she passed by and the male escort also joined her in the approach. Slowly moving past they had one more look at us before continuing on their journey and we smiled as the calf wriggled his fluke in a tail dive as he “waved” goodbye and a touching moment for us today to see a father and his son spend a moment embracing The Language of the Whales™.
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A beautiful morning greeted us with blue skies, calm sea and a gentle warm breeze sending us on our way to the Humpback Whale sighting grounds. A small ripple on the waters surface quickly gave way to a large exhalation as a female Humpback and her calf surfaced to breathe in unison. They were quickly followed by another mother and her calf right alongside them, we had a very special mother/calf pod of four travelling along the coast. The memory a female Humpback has of her migratory route is phenomenal and she will pass this knowledge down to her calf with each new resting ground they visit. The resting ground may be a new place of discovery for the calf but the females have been visiting our coastline just off Perth for many, many years. A few moments after joining them we heard a commotion just to our right as we looked over to see a calf breaching along with his mum a few hundred meters away. Perhaps they had been feeding and resting quietly when the pod we had joined disturbed their little area… the breaching certainly created a large splash!
The response from our pod was of much curiosity as the calves shuffled in front of their mums to get a better look and listen to the pod not far away. After a few breaches the second pod continued with their morning and retained their reactionary distance from the busy pod of four travelling alongside us. We made our way over to say a quick hello and capture a few identification images of the female and her calf who continued to rest quietly, only being by themselves they were not too interested in socialising with the other pod a bit further away. Wishing them well we continued to travel with our curious pod of four who were enjoying their morning travelling on the Humpback Highway. A long journey ahead will not deter these two females as they are on the cusp of completing an almost six month long migration and round trip of 13,000 kilometres all without feeding. Their calves both looked healthy and strong with one of the calves having a beautiful white belly and we decided to name her in memory of a special person with a very beautiful name… Charlotte.
