Sea World Cruises has had a stellar week of whale watching, including several intimate muggings (whales curiously approaching the vessel), breaches galore and the cutest mother and calf pairs making an appearance.
In unfortunate whale news; however, there were two whales caught in shark nets in Queensland, one in Noosa and one in Currumbin. There has been nine whale entanglements in shark nets since the beginning of the season in May.
The Sea World Foundation rescue team were quick to respond and headed out to Currumbin last Tuesday to assist the sub-adult.
The rescue operation took two hours, with the team using specialised cutting equipment to remove the netting which was entangled around the humpback’s face and pectoral fin.
Wayne Phillips, head of Marine Science at Sea World, took note that the humpback appeared to have an unusual lump on its back, suggesting that it could be an abscess.
Sea World Foundation conducts multiple training sessions over the year to teach their crew how to rescue marine life safely, including whale entanglements and strandings.
This entanglement serves as another reminder of the threats humpback whales face during their annual migration. Sea World Cruises encourages everyone to dispose of their fishing gear and litter correctly to avoid it being a hazard to marine wildlife. Water users should be mindful of the Queensland whale watching regulations, and to “go slow if you see a blow”.
Meanwhile, on the Humpback Highway, the first calf of the season was seen in training with its mum. A calf of the season is a term used to describe the southbound calves returning from Far North Queensland and roughly two months old.
Calves will spend downtime in the shallow waters of the Gold Coast Bay. The bay offers a safe refuge for bubs to build strength in their fluke for the epic journey down south.
Babies will mimic their mothers’ behaviour as they clumsily learn how to whale. This includes adorable breaches, pec slapping, peduncle throws and everything else they need to know before they are ready to take on the world on their own.
The Gold Coast is expecting sunshine over the next week, making for a fantastic time to go whale watching. With an increase in up-close encounters with humpback whales and more calves on their way south, there is no better time to head to the Humpback Highway.
Whale Watching Cruises depart up to seven times a day from Sea World Cruises Terminal at Sea World in Main Beach. For more information, visit seaworldcruises.com.au.
