|
photos of southern
right whales
To see more southern right
whale pictures, click here
|
Southern Right Whale underwater photographs from Patagonia Argentina |
high res picture of tail flukes of Right Whale, available for
licensing |
Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis). Note callosities on
snout |
Southern Right Whale breaching marine stock image |
|
common
name |
Southern
Right Whale |
| scientific
name |
Eubalaena
australis |
| range |
southern
oceans, cold temperate and subpolar |
viewing
hotspots |
Patagonia
Argentina, South Africa, South Australia |
| habitat |
coastal |
| size |
to
55 feet (17m), 80 tons |
| diet |
krill,
copepods |
| trivia |
patches of
roughened skin on whale's head- called callosities- used by scientists
to identify individual whales; no dorsal fin; live to perhaps 70 years
old |
|
Man has not always
treated the right whale with the awe and reverence prevalent among
today’s whale watchers. Our past relationship with this gentle,
trusting animal was one of cruelty, stupidity, and blood, fueled by
greed. Right whales originally earned their name from the whalers,
as they were the "right" whales to hunt: easy to approach,
providing large quantities of oil, meat, and whalebone, and best of
all, they conveniently floated when dead. Their numbers around the
world were slashed to the brink of extinction in the 1800s.
Currently protected throughout its range, numbers are steadily
increasing, with a world-wide estimate of 5000 or more.
The
Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis, has a critically
endangered cousin in northern seas, E. glacialis. Like other baleen
whales, rights specialize in feeding on tiny crustaceans. 8-9 foot
long baleen plates hanging from the upper jaw strain krill and
copepods from surface waters. With a grace belying its gross
tonnage, rights can hurl their robust bodies into the air, breaching
repeatedly. They also can "sail" along with strong winds by holding
their wide flukes upright. Their tell-tale callosities- growths
above the eyes and along the snout- are often covered with whale
lice and barnacles. Every three to five years, mature females give
birth to a 15 foot long calf, born after a 12 month gestation
period. |
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| KEYWORDS
southern right whale, southern right whales, right, southern right, whale, whales,
Eubalaena australis, cetacean, cetaceans, marine mammal, marine
mammals, balaenidae, callosities, endangered, baleen, underwater,
breaching, jumping, spyhopping, tail, flukes, photo, photos, photograph, photographs,
picture, pictures, stock, photography, marine |
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