Whale watch update

Dear whale watchers,

It was a very sad week last week for whale watchers at Warrnambool and surrounds when a deceased Southern Right Whale calf washed up at Logans Beach on the morning of Thursday 29th August. We believe this was Big Coaming’s calf. Big Coaming had been in residence at Logans Beach with her calf for over 5 weeks. She was last observed with her calf (alive) the day before but was subsequently observed over several days without a calf. The death of this calf is the second in Victoria and the third in Australia that we are aware of this season. The cause of this latest death is unknown, but Big Coaming’s calf did not appear to be thriving. Images taken by citizen scientists will be used to try and determine any factors that may have contributed to the deaths of Big Coaming and Tripod’s calves this season.

Whale sightings are still regularly occurring with more cow: calf pairs sighted in both Portland and Warrnambool. Continue to keep an eye out for these unique, Critically Endangered whales as the whale season draws to a close.  

All reports of whale sightings are welcome! If you would like to register and contribute sightings, please visit: https://www.swifft.net.au/srwsmp. Once registered you can also view images and news updates for the season. 

Images of Southern Right Whales submitted through the SWIFFT portal are used to support DELWP’s photo-identification research project. Identifying images will be included in the South-east Australian Southern Right Whale Photo-Identification Research Program, and sightings records will be added to the department's Victorian Biodiversity Atlas.

We will continue to post regular news updates on the whale season on the News tab of this page.

To bring you up to date, below is a summary of the confirmed sightings received by DELWP from 23rd August to the 6th September:

• 25 August Portland 2 x SRW (cow: calf pair)      
• 25 August Portland 1 x SRW       
• 26 August Logans Beach 1 x SRW (Big Coaming)       
• 27 August Logans Beach 2 x SRW (cow: calf pair)      
• 27 August Logans Beach 5 x SRW (cow (Big Coaming): calf pair, and 3 adults)      
• 28 August Logans Beach 8 x SRW (2 x cow: calf pairs; Big Coaming and calf and ‘Goldy’ and calf plus 4 others) 
• 28 August Portland 2 x SRW (cow: calf pair) 
• 29 August Portland 2 x HBW 
• 30 August Logans Beach 1 x SRW (Big Coaming) 
• 30 August Mornington 1 x SRW
• 31 August Rutledge Cutting 4 x SRW (cow: calf pair and 2 adults) 
• 1 September Warrnambool 2 x SRW (cow: calf pair)
• 1 September Port Fairy 2 x SRW 
• 1 September Cape Nelson 2 x HBW 
• 2 September Warrnambool 6 x SRW (2 x cow: calf pairs, Big Coaming and adult) 
• 3 September Warrnambool 4 x SRW (cow: calf pair, Big Coaming and adult) 
• 3 September Portland 2 x SRW (cow: calf pair) 
• 3 September Rye 1 x SRW  
• 4 September Cape Nelson 1 x HBW
• 5 September Logans Beach 1 x SRW (Big Coaming)
• 6 September Bridgewater 2 x SRW

SRW = Southern Right Whale

HBW= Humpback Whale

I am interested in hearing about your experience with the SWIFFT portal so far this whale season.  Send me your feedback and if you are having any difficulties with the portal, please get in touch so we can resolve it as quickly as possible. 

Regards,
Mandy