The world's best land based whale watching spot for the Southern Right Whale
Frequently asked questions about the Southern Right Whale
(Just click on a question,and you'll be taken down to the answer lower down on the page)
How much does it weigh?
How big is the Southern Right?
Why is it called the Southern Right?
What do they eat?
How fast can they swim?
When will I be able to spot this whale in Hermanus?
Are their numbers on the increase?
How long does a Southern Right live?
How big is a calve when it is born?
Does Southern Rights Have hair?
How much milk can a calve consume on a day?
How do these whales differ from other whale species?
Why is South Africa such an ideal place for the Southern Right?
How Long is the female's gestation period?
How many species of Right Whale are there?
How close am I allowed to come to a whale?
What are "callosites"?
Is there a way in wich individuals are identified?
What is meant by the following terms: Blowing, Breaching,
 Grunting Lobtailing, Sailing and Spyhopping?
Q: How big is the Southern Right?
A: The Southern Right Whale
grows up to 18 meters long. (60 feet)
Q: How Much does it weigh?
A: The Southern Right Whale
can weigh 60 tons.
Q: Why is it called the Southern Right?
A: The Southern Right Whale got its name during the time when they were hunted. They were reffered to
as the "right" whales to kill because they would float when dead (which made it easy for the whalers to
find them in the ocean and transport them back to the whaling station. These whales have a large
amount of oil (also called blubber) and baleen.
Q: What do they eat?
A: The Southern right lives on a diet of tiny planktonic organisms of the nutrient-rich Antarctic waters like krill and copepods.
Q: How fast can they swim?
A: Southern Rights have a top speed of 17 km/h, but usually move at a modest rate of between 0.5 and 4 km/h. Their maximum diving depth is about 300m.
Q: When will I be able to spot this whale in Hermanus?
A: You'll be able to see them in the winter (May through November) where they will spend their time around the shallow coastal
waters of Southern Africa, South America and Australia.
Q: Are their numbers on the increase?
A: Yes. In 1994, the population of Southern Right Whale was estimated at between 1700 to 2000
individuals. This number has increased from about 100 in 1935 at the end of the whaling of
Southern Right Whales. But this represents only about 10% of the number of Southern Right
Whales which used to frequent our waters before they started to become hunted.
This number grows by about 7% every year, which means that their population doubles every
10 years. The number of Southern Right Whales should be back to what it used to be in
2040.
Q: How long does a Southern Right live?
A: Southern Rights have an average life expectancy of about 50 years.
Q: How big is a calve when it is born?
A: Right Whale calves have an average length of 6.1 meters (20 feet).
Q: Does Southern Rights Have hair?
A: Yes! Contrary to belief, the right whale has hair. The head is hairier than most whales. Up to 300 hairs are found on the tip of the lower jaw
and 100 are on the upper jaw.
Q: How much milk can a calve consume on a day?
A: A Right Whale calve can consume up to 600 litres of milk per day, enableing it to grow at a daily rate of about 3 centimetres.
Q: How do these whales differ from other whale species?
A: Right Whales can be distinguaged from other whales in the following ways:
- It has no dorsal fin on its back
- It has two blow holes, and it sprays out a V-shaped cloud above the water.
- There is a resence of callosities on its head. These callosities are white warts or rough skin patches on
which little creatures, called whale lice, are attached.
Q: Why is South Africa such an ideal place for the Southern Right?
A: Our coast is exactly what they need during this season.The shallow,
sandy-bottomed and sheltered bays are perfect for mating, calving,
nursing their young and resting.
Q: How Long is the female's gestation period?
A: Females usually have one calf every three years. Gestation (pregnancy) is about 13 months. Most calves
are born during August.
Q: How many species of Right Whale are there?
A: The number of species of right whales is in dispute;
most biologists believe there are two species,
Eubalaena glacialis, the northern right whale and
that right whales from the north Pacific should be
considered a third species, Eubalaena japonica. The
right whales are probably an example of a species that
is in the process of diverging into separate species after
prolonged separation across the globe.
Q: How close am I allowed to come to a whale?
A: South Africa strictly protects the whales in her waters and boats must stay a minimum of 300 metres away from any whale.
Q: What are "callosites"?
A: Callosities are white warts or rough skin patches on
which little creatures, called whale lice, are attached.
Q: Is there a way in wich individuals are identified?
A: The callosites on their heads vary in shape and size, and that is how individuals are identified. These callosites are sort of like a Right Whale's "fingerprints".
Q: What is meant by the following terms: ?
- Blowing (or spouting): air is expelled from the lungs through the blowhole, wich produces a hollow, echoeing sound and a spout of vapour (a mix of sea water and condensation from the animal's hot breath). One can often identify the species from the spout's shape (the Southern Right's forms a distinctive 'V'), but much depends on weather conditions: visibility needs to be good if not perfect.
- Breaching: the most spectacular of whale habits. The animal will sometimes thrust almost its entire body out of the water in a massive, oddly graceful leap to fall back with a great splash. The reasons are not clear; the behaviour may be related to a communication process or to aggressive display; probably helps in the moulting process, and in getting rid of whale lice. On the other hand it may simply express joyfulness.
- Grunting: a resonant bellow, wich can be heard 2km away and, at that distance, sounds like a protracted moan. It is often uttered a night.
- Lobtailing: a whale will raise its tail and slap the water hard: probably a signal of some sort; a sign of alarm or annoyance. It is often seen with mothers and calves.
- Sailing: the tail is raised and kept vertival for long periods; possibly a means of temprature control; possibly a pose adopted when feeding on organisms just below the surface; possibly just plain exhibisionism.
- Spyhopping: lifting their heads above the water and appear to be observing what's happening on the surface - wich is exactly what they're doing.
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