This southern right whale calf clearly adores its mother as it frolics close by, and cuddles up to her.
Filmed by Anton Crone near Hermanus in South Africa, one of the best places to see southern right whales as they nurture their calves in Walker Bay. Calving females are known to return to calving grounds at 3-year intervals. The most commonly observed calving interval is 3 years, but intervals can range from 2 to 21 years. Calving takes place between June and October in Hermanus, off the coast of De Hoop Nature Reserve and other locations along the African coast and the southern hemisphere between 20° and 30° S.
Three cow/calf pairs and 29 unaccompanied adults were counted in Walker Bay last week. 132 cow/calf pairs and 16 unaccompanied adults were counted at De Hoop.
Fascinating facts about southern right whales
- Calves are able to grow rapidly because their mother’s milk is extremely high in fat content.
- It has been estimated that a calf will suckle 600 litres of milk per day.
- Whalers coined the term ‘right whale’ because they were slow and easy to approach, therefore they became the ‘right’ ones to hunt. Thousands were hunted in the 19th century until protection was agreed upon in 1935. Numbers have since recovered.
- The unique white markings on the heads of adult southern right whales are patches of calcified skin. Their whiteness is due to the large colonies of whale lice and barnacles that reside on them.
- Southern right whales have the largest testicles of any animal, each weighing around 500kg.
Also read: Results in for first aerial whale survey of 2021 season
