Whales on the move to warmer waters

More than 14,000 humpback whales are expected to migrate along the east coast of Australia over the coming months, with early sightings of whales already being made as far north as Cairns.

Southern Cross University researchers are again gearing up for the northern migration, which is expected to peak off the northern New South Wales coast in late June and July.

This year, the University has launched a new website to give whale watch operators and passengers the opportunity to upload their photos as part of an ongoing research project tracking the movements of the humpback whales.

Peta Beeman, who is completing a Master of Marine Science and Management and is part of the University’s Marine Ecology Research Centre, conducted a pilot project last year collecting close to 100 photos from operators and individuals from the Whitsundays to southern Tasmania.

This year, with the launch of the website, she is hoping to collect more individual fluke photos, which will then be matched to large, existing photographic catalogues from Southern Cross University whale researchers.

“From the photos I collected in the pilot project last year I was able to match whales sighted off the Gold Coast to whales photographed in the Antarctic. People were really positive about being able to make a contribution to our research by contributing their photos,” Ms Beeman said.

“This year I hope to broaden the range of photos, and with the new website I hope it will be easy for people to take part.

“These photos will be used to create a fluke catalogue that will significantly expand the range of individually identified humpback whales along the Australian east coast.

“The photos I am particularly interested in show the unique pigmentation pattern on the ventral surface (underside) of the tail fluke that enables individual whales to be identified.”

Professor Peter Harrison, director of the University’s Marine Ecology Research Centre and the whale research group, said the research was part of the ongoing work of the Centre, which was vital for the protection and management of humpback whales.

“We anticipate there will be more than 14,000 humpback whales migrating along the coastline this year, an increase of around 1500 on last year. This high rate of growth is very good news in terms of the ongoing recovery of the population,” Professor Harrison said.

“It is estimated there were around 26,000 humpback whales in eastern Australian prior to the start of commercial whaling last century, but that population crashed to just a few hundred due to commercial and illegal whaling. We are really pleased with the increasing humpback whale population, but ongoing research is vital to ensure that their recovery continues.”

To contribute a photo or find out more about the research project visit
www.scu.edu.au/eastcoastwhales

Photo: Whale watch operators and passengers can contribute their photos of whale flukes to assist with a research project by Southern Cross University.