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| Baby whale calf playing the protected walkers of the Fraser Coast |
So why are some pods of whales more “active” than others?
Just like us humans, it often comes down to what stage the whales are at in
life. Whales generally mate every second year- and carry a calf for 11 months.
Mother whales will mate in the warm waters of Queensland towards the end of
whale season, and return the next year a give birth to their calf.
A whale calf typically weighs 1.5 tonnes and are just over 4
metres in length when they are born. Newborn calves will stay with their mother
to feed and learn the ropes for roughly one year before venturing off to join a
juvenile pod for a migration at around two to three years old. Traditionally a
full adult whale will escort a mother whale and her calf back down along the
Australian cost to Antarctica.
By the time whales join a pod of juveniles they are roughly
six to seven metres in length and full of energy and curiosity (imagine whales
on schoolies). They are usually some of
the first pods in the migration and, at times, can get lost along the way.
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| Juvenile whales play in the waters off Fraser Island |
A pod of whales is usually two or three, and they can often
meet up in the waters off Fraser Island where five or six whales may be in
close proximity to each other. In some cases, such as Migaloo the white whale,
a pod can actually just be one whale. But generally they travel in pods of two
or three.
Last, but definitely not least, are the big bulls – the full
grown adult male whales which can grow up to 14.5 metres in length and weigh up
to 36,000 kilograms. These whales generally follow along the tail of the
migration.
Whales love to frolic and play in the calm waters of Hervey
Bay, protected from the strong winds and ocean currents by Fraser Island with
approximately 20,000 humpback whales migrating along the Australian coast each
year.
Humans aren’t the only friends whales make along the way with dolphins
and dugong often spotted amongst whale pods in and around Hervey Bay.
If you haven’t seen these incredible creatures close up,
check-out these fantastic
packages that include whale watch cruises and accommodation on World
Heritage-listed Fraser Island.
