Males charging after female

Sun, 30 Jul 2017

By Eco Ranger Tessa

Whales surrounding us from all directions on today's whale watch cruise! The cruise started off with two juveniles that headed east past Cape Moreton. They surprised us with fantastic tail throws! As we watched these juveniles, we sighted more Humpback pods out in the distance. They soon approached closer and we got to witness more whales up close and personal! Included in these pods were 4 adults, 1 juvenile and a calf.

We witnessed the separation of the mother-calf pair, as the calf surprisingly swam solo. This seemed like odd behaviour, as calves stay very close to their mothers during their first few years. Soon to our surprise, the mother rejoined the calf, as they surfaced north. We soon found out the reason behind their separation, which was 3 charging males. The pod of 3 whales charged for access over the mother, as they raced at missile speed northbound! The males can get quite competitive over access for a female.

It was great to see nature at its finest on today's whale watch cruise!

About the author

Eco Ranger Tessa

Tessa is one of the many Eco Rangers at Tangalooma Island Resort's Marine Education and Conservation Centre. Tessa often joins in on the Whale Watching Cruise as the on board Eco Ranger commentator.

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