The tale of our missing whales: Numbers right down at popular viewing locations

The annual migration of southern right whales to South Australia is running behind schedule, but experts say there’s no need to panic.

South Australia’s famous southern right whales look to have given the state a wide berth, with numbers right down along the coast.

Usually by this time of year whale watchers would be busy watching the majestic animals – which travel from Antarctic waters to South Australian shores every winter to give birth and mate – from Victor Harbor to The Head of The Bight.

This year, however, numbers are low across the state, with one Far West Coast operator reporting no whales at all and visitors at the famous Head of The Bight viewing area only seeing a few whales where there would normally be dozens.

Experts, however, said it was not unheard of for southern right whales to delay their northern migration and there was a still a chance that the huge animals – which can exceed 18m in length and weigh more than 80 tonnes – would show up en masse.

Southern Right Whales at The Head of The Bight Picture: Andrew Brooks

Rod Keogh, whose EP Cruises business runs a successful whale watching venture at Fowlers Bay west of Ceduna, said there were virtually no southern rights in the area.

“The last eight or nine years we’ve had whales by June,” Mr Keogh said.

“The only other year I can remember in the fifteen years that we’ve been here that has been anything like this was 2020.

“It’s nearly the end of July and we still haven’t had a resident whale. Normally by July there would be 10 cow-calf pairs. This is completely unexpected.”

Mr Keogh said he was being completely transparent with his customers.

“I’ve just been telling them straight up that we’re probably not going to see any southern rights,” he said.

Mr Keogh said there had been some humpback whales for his tour groups to watch and, unusually, sunfish.

“The last time we saw sunfish was in 2020, so there must be some connection between the conditions that favour the sunfish and the absence of whales,” he said.

Further up the coast at The Head of The Bight Whale Watching Centre manager Dylan Siewert said there were between six and eight whales close enough for visitors to observe – well below normal numbers.

A mother and her white calf at The Head of The Bight. Picture: Andrew Brooks

“We’d generally have about 120 whales in the area and probably 30 close to shore where people could see them,” Mr Siewert said.

“The water temperature here is much colder than it would normally be so that could be playing a role.”

Like Mr Keogh, Mr Siewert said staff at The Head of Bight had been informing visitors of the low whale numbers before they purchased a viewing ticket.

National Parks and Wildlife Service Marine Parks senior ranger Darryl Cowan said southern right whales numbers were down, but the situation was not unique to SA.

“Fewer whales have been spotted right across southern Australia,” he said.

“There are no definitive theories at this stage but it is not unusual for a late or a quiet season and we have seen previous seasons not really start until late July or August.

“Last year there were quite high numbers in Encounter Bay and the numbers do fluctuate quite a bit each year.”