* Why do whales come to Warrnambool?

During winter and early spring Southern Right Whales move north from their summer Antarctic feeding grounds
to the warmer waters of the Southern Ocean to give birth to their young. In the early 19th century, whales were hunted to near extinction but have been seen regularly along the southern Victorian coast since 1970. Logan’s Beach is an ideal birth place with its warmer waters and shallow bay.

* How long do they stay?

The expectant mothers begin arriving from mid May - June and usually stay in the area until the end of Sept - October
before returning to the Antarctic waters.

* How many babies do they have?

Whales give birth to one baby every three years. At birth the baby calf measures around five to six metres long and has its first feed of milk soon after birth. Suckling takes place under water with the calf suckling for up to a full year, then spending another year in close contact with its mother.

Large baleen whales can produce up to 600 litres of milk a day and calves have been known to double their weight in a week.

* How did the Southern Right get its name?

Last century, hunters found the whale so desirable as a catch that they called it the ‘Right Whale’. It swam
slowly, yielded generous quantities of whale bone and oil and when floated when harpooned.

* How much does a fully grown whale weigh?

Adult Southern Right Whales are large even by whale standards, averaging 15 metres in length and 60 tonnes in weight.

* What is a baleen Whale?

A baleen Whale is one which does not have teeth. Baleen is made of kertain, the same substance as human fingernails.
Hanging from the upper jaw, baleen consists of flexible plates with dense bristles at the ends. Baleen Whales use
their powerful tongues to push sea water out through the baleen, trapping tiny organisms which they then swallow.

* How did whales evolve?

The ancestors of modern whales were probably hoofed animals. About 60 million years ago a group of mammals called mesonychids lived near shallow lagoons. One form of these mammals adapted to feed on the abundant life in the waters near its home and over time, became a water mammal that is today’s whale.

* How long can a whale stay under water?

Some whales can hold their breath for as long as two hours. Whales replace up to 90% of the air in their lungs with each breath. Right Whales normally surface for about five to ten minutes, blowing about once every minute before diving for around twenty minutes at a time.

Back to Whale page - Back to A Close Encounter - Accommodation