Visiting southern right whale and calf get great local welcome
A southern right whale mother and calf previously observed off the South Coast have ventured to the Central Coast over the past few days.
The southern right whale cow and calf pair were reported close to Copacabana Beach yesterday and south of the Entrance earlier today.
We'd like to express our appreciation for the local surfers and others who gave the mother and newborn calf plenty of space when it was spotted at the local beach. These very rare and special visitors need quiet, undisturbed time in shallow, sandy-bottomed bays and protected beaches to give birth and allow the newborn to develop.
The biggest current threat to the survival of southern right whales in NSW waters is disturbance from people getting too close.
It is exciting to see a southern right whale and its calf so close inshore. However, everyone is urged to resist that temptation to try and get too close.
The calf needs to nurse and consume around 300 litres of milk per day to gain the strength necessary for the long and treacherous swim back towards the Antarctic.
Approaching the pair in a boat, with a drone or on a jet ski, kayak or surfboard not only compromises a calf's ability to nurse and get the sustenance it needs to grow but can also drive the whales away from their shallow resting places and out into deeper waters, where they are exposed to predation by orcas and sharks.
All watercraft, including vessels, surfers and jet skis, must stay at least 300 m away from the pair in all directions.
Drones are strictly prohibited within 100 m of the whales, in all directions.
The best way to catch a glimpse of whales is from headland vantage points like Crackneck lookout in Wyrrabalong National Park or the Coastal Walk in Bouddi National Park. That way, you can enjoy the incredible sight without impacting the animals.
If you're lucky enough to see this pair, or another southern right whale, in coming weeks, we ask that you please immediately contact NPWS on 13000PARKS or ORRCA on 02 9415 3333.
Southern right whales are an endangered species, with fewer than 270 in the south-east Australian population. This calf is one of only 2 calves recorded in New South Wales this year.
For more information about marine mammal approach distances regulated under the Biodiversity and Conservation Act, visit Approaching marine mammals in NSW.