Why Are The Whitsundays So Significant To Humpback Whales?

The annual migration of humpback whales from the Antarctic to warm water of the Great Barrier Reef should be beginning in a couple of weeks. Humpback whales can be seen in many locations along the east coast of Australia. It’s been known for years that Hervey Bay is an important resting site in the whale migration, which has made it qualify as a Whale Heritage Site.

For many years it was never know where humpbacks gave birth, but since 2009 researchers have been putting the pieces together discovering it is right here in the Whitsundays, next to the islands!

The Whitsundays are the perfect location because it has deep troughs close to shallow reef, where whales can give birth and then move their calves to shallow water.  In shallow water there is less chance of predator attack from below and the mother can support the calf near the surface so it can breathe.

In the first few week's humpback calves spend 30% of their time suckling their mother's milk and 50% of their time on the surface breathing where they have to breathe every five minutes.  It is important that the mother doesn’t have to spend her energy reserves on protecting her calf, so she can spend her reserves on producing 600 litres of milk per day.  The mother will not feed until she returns to her feeding ground in the Antarctic.

Calves don’t have any buoyancy control for the first few weeks, so mothers have to assist them with buoyancy until they work it out for themselves. The calves are born with no fat supply, so it is important they build up insulation for when they reach cold water down south.  They also need to build up their energy to practice learning life skills.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is the size of Italy or Japan, so to have such a significant area on our doorstep is really special. It is so significant that in March 2024 the Whitsundays became a WHALE HERITAGE SITE, the first ever in a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE AREA and there is a SPECIAL WHALE PROTECTION AREA zone in the Whitsundays.

In the Whitsundays not only does the 300 metres exclusion zone apply to jet skis but to all vessels to protect the whales in the maternity and nursery area.

Whales of the Whitsundays is the project that collaborated to gain the Whale Heritage Site Whitsundays listing. To find out more about special whale events, whale sightings and information on whales in the Whitsundays, join the WHALES OF THE WHITSUNDAYS Facebook page or go to www.whalesofthewhitsundays.com.au

Contributed with thanks to Kellie Leonard - Whales of the Whitsundays

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