Winter and spring is the time of year we regularly see the southern right whale around our coasts and harbours. These whales are bouncing back from near extinction. While they’re found elsewhere around the world, these southern right whales – tohoraa – are ours. They’re recognised as our own population.
Increasing numbers of tohoraa requires increasing vigilance by mariners. The tohoraa sit low in the water, are slow to move, and are hard to see, especially in choppy water. They also like to come in close to shore, and are curious and inquisitive so hazards like loose warps and overly generous lines on pots can pose an entanglement risk. With their double blow, white 'barnacles' and lack of a dorsal fin, tohoraa are distinctive from other whales.
Researchers from the University of Auckland have used satellite tags to understand where our tohoraa feed and explore. They can cover quite a lot of ocean, including down to the Antarctic waters, so keep your eyes peeled and help keep them safe.
How to help protect tohoraa
If you encounter a whale, remember they're a bit like icebergs - a little bit showing but lots underneath. Here's what to do:
- keep a good lookout
- slow down and keep your distance - at least 200 metres
- remove unnecessary pots and entanglement risks from the water
- ensure pot ropes are an appropriate length and can't become an entanglement risk
- if you see a whale in a shipping channel, notify the local harbour control
- report any interactions or sightings to Department of Conservation via this sighting form .
