Endangered southern right whales are beginning to arrive to Australia’s southerly shores where they calve each year. 

Last year, SouWEST’s (South-western Whale Ecology Study) team was excited to meet one of their key goals. SouWEST’s researchers and local citizen scientists, for the first time, presented evidence that southern right whales occupy and use Geographe Bay, south-western Australia, in a manner consistent with the Commonwealth’s criteria for a nationally recognised Southern Right Whale Emerging Aggregation Area!

This year, the team’s goal is to communicate this breaking news widely, to ensure that whales are not adversely impacted. 

We look forward to building on the evidence by documenting southern right whales as they arrive this season, and identifying those that have returned for mating and giving birth to young.

If you would like to support the project this year you can donate on our fundraising page Go Fund Me – Whale of a time. Your contribution will help to fund scientists doing the important work on the ground. It will also help us communicate about the project to garner support and educate and engage community in the conservation of these incredible animals and the challenges they face.

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Photo credit: Blair Ranford