Whale and calf photographed in Tasmania for national database

A southern right whale and her calf spent enough time in a sheltered bay for researchers to get high resolution images of the unique markings on their backs. See the stunning pictures.

A southern right whale and her calf in Tasmanian waters from August 2024. Picture: NRE Tas

A southern right whale mother and calf were photographed off the coast of Southport last week.

Sam Thalmann, a wildlife biologist with the Marine Conservation Program, said researchers got high resolution photos of the whales and the distinct barnacle-like markings on their head and mouth, called callosities.

“We take these high resolution photos of the callosities because they are arranged in distinctive patterns that are unique to every individual,” he said.

A Southern right whale and her calf in Tasmanian waters. Picture: NRE Tas

Researchers snap a photograph of the whale and its markings, map out the position and contribute it to a national catalogue.

“Then we use machine learning to investigate the catalogue and try and match the unique pattern,” Mr Thalmann said.

“We can use it like a fingerprint or passport and track the whales over time.”

Mr Thalmann said researchers now have a great starting point to track the calf, believed to be about one month old.

He said it was now peak migration season for the southern right whales, with the chance to see them in Tasmanian waters along the East Coast and in southern Tasmania.

He said Tasmanian waters continued to be important for the eastern Australian population of southern right whales, which is a small population believed to be only about 300 animals.

The western population stock was faring much better than the east with around 3200.

Mr Thalmann said the difference between the populations may be because the eastern population was reduced to a “small handful” before whaling was banned in the 1960s.

Sightings of whales and dolphins can be reported to the whale hotline on 0427 WHALES.

Originally published as Whale and calf photographed in Tasmania for national database