Southern right whales make a glorious comeback

3 September 2002

From fewer than 100 whales before whaling was banned, southern right whales have seen their population boosted to more than 4 000 whales, writes Henriette Geldenhuys

Some people scream with delight when they spot them. Others just stare in awe, mesmerised by their grace and powerful presence.

Southern right whales cause a commotion wherever they go, especially during September and October, which is the best time to see them frolicking along South Africa’s south and west coasts.

They were once nearly extinct, but now their numbers are increasing at the maximum possible biological rate, of 7% each year.

The banning of whaling and the establishment of whale sanctuaries around the world have made it possible for southern right whales to make a comeback. A ban on hunting southern rights was instituted in 1935, and a blanket ban on all whaling came into force in 1986. Their amorous nature apparently helps as well. "They mate a lot. People used to kill them so fast that they couldn’t keep up but, since the ban, they’ve been doing their best," says Simon Elwen, a member of the Whale Unit at the Pretoria University’s Mammal Research Institute.

There were fewer than 100 left worldwide before whaling became illegal, but their numbers have since grown to about 4 000. Last year, the Whale Unit counted 827 southern right whales, including 186 calves, during an aerial survey along 900km of South African coast. This was the highest number recorded since the start of the aerial surveys 33 years ago. Among the whales spotted was a 60-year-old grandmother first photographed in the 1940s. She recently calved and could have as many as 20 offspring if she calved every three years, as whales normally do between the ages of eight and 60.

They visit the South African coast during the last few months of the year to mate and calve. "There’s an abundance of food here. The females and their babies like the sheltered, protected bays, the low swell, the protection from the wind and the sandy bays," says Elwen.

The southern rights, which also visit Australia and Argentina, are referred to as right whales because these large, stocky and slow-moving creatures were considered to be the "right" whale to catch. The most recognisable features of the blue-black giants are the outgrowths of tough skin on their heads, known as callosites.

BOAT-BASED WHALE WATCHING

For decades, it was illegal in South Africa to come closer than 300m to whales. But in 1998, Marine and Coastal Management issued 13 boat-based whale-watching permits. Elwin is satisfied that the whales are adequately protected by the Marine Living Resources Act, which tries to ensure that permit-holders don’t harm whales. No boat-based whale watching licences have been allowed near nurseries, where all the babies are. The vessels are also prohibited from approaching a cow/calf pair.

Philippus May, who has tried since the 1980s to become part of the legal marine industry, is now the managing director of the Hawston Fishing Company (HFC) and one of the new boat-based whale-watching licence holders. May, a tour guide and skipper, runs HFC Whale Cruises from an 18-seater boat in Hermanus, where there are so many whales that he can guarantee his clients will see them. The licence has given him and six other previously disadvantaged people a chance to participate in tourism development.

"The whales are very curious and enjoy playing. They’re extremely gentle and won’t hurt anyone. They dive underneath the boat and rub against it. They lift their heads and pry at you. They jump into the air and flap their tails. It’s breathtaking. People really go crazy with excitement," enthuses May. He respects their precision and intelligence. He tells of how the giants, weighing between 40 and 80 tonnes, push their tails against the boat to launch themselves away from it. "It’s amazing that they can do this without making the boat move an inch," comments May.

But although boat-based whale watching is the new craze along the coast between August and November, land-based whale watching can be just as much fun. At the Hout Bay harbour near Cape Town recently, a large group of people rushed from quay to quay following the path of a visiting group of southern right whales. They glided between the moored yachts at sunset, enchanting the crowds. Sometimes they swam centimetres away from the yachts, yet never touched them. Come and see the whales!

* Hermanus is known as the whale capital of South Africa. The Hermanus Whale Festival from September 27 to October 6 offers guided whale-watching walks and boat-based whale-watching trips. Call the MTN whale hotline at 083 910 1028 for information about the latest whale sightings or visit the South African whale route website at www.mtnwhaleroute.co.za