The bowhead whale is so-called because of its bow-shaped mouth and is black in colour with a whitish chin patch , broken by a 'necklace' of black spots.
Humpback” refers to the habit of raising and bending its back in preparation for the dive, accentuating the pronounced hump in front of the dorsal fin.
While at the surface, Southern right whales exhibit a variety of behaviors, including: breaching, fluking (lifting the tail out of the water), spy hopping, logging
Bryde’s whales are found in every ocean of the world. However,some populations of Bryde's whales take such a liking to an area that they are considered ‘resident’. The Cape Whale Coast is fortunate to have these whales as residents.
The southern right whale, Eubalaena australis, is among the largest of the four baleen whale species that come close inshore on the southern African coast: Southern Right, Humpback, Bryde's and Minke whales
The large numbers of southern right whales that usually visit the South African coast have been in dramatic decline since 2010. Research has shown that many lack the energy to do so and that female whales are calving less often. The success of reproduction depends on the success of feeding. Also, migration is energetically costly.
A preliminary count survey conducted at the end of August indicated the presence of 71 females with calves and 11 unaccompanied adults, leading to a total of 153 southern right whales, between Hermanus and Witsand.
Book an unforgettable Whale Watching trip today with Hermanus Whale Watchers, a boat-based whale watching company in South Africa. Hermanus is the capital of the Cape Whale Coast, and about an hour from Cape Town in South Africa.
The summer holidays are already in full swing, and parents want to explore as much as they can taking the kids along. If you are in the Hermanus area here are three things to do with the kids.