First Baby of the 2015!!

Fri, 10 Jul 2015

By Eco Ranger Ina

First Baby whale sighted on a Tangalooma Whale Watch in 2015!!

Today was quite a special whale watch, as we spotted our first baby humpback whale this year! The calf was swimming alongside mum staying very close to her side. It was quite small and still had a bent over dorsal fin! When baby whales and dolphins are born, their dorsal fins are very soft and curled up over the back, and their tail is rolled up kind of like a newspaper. Obviously this makes it a lot easier for the mother to give birth. Generally the fins harden and stand up straight after about a week or two. So this little one today was a newborn baby, less than two weeks old!

Mum seemed quite relaxed, even bringing the baby over to us to have a look. They were slowly travelling north towards the breeding grounds. Usually they give birth further north, in the warmer waters of the tropics, so this little baby was born a bit prematurely. It was great to see it swimming strongly and confidently along with mum. After a while the youngster became quite playful, rolling around at the surface, practicing a few little tail slaps and tail lobs, and even a few breaches to the delight of our guests! There were plenty of “awwww”s all around…

Eco Ranger Ina

About the author

Eco Ranger Ina

Eco Ranger Ina was a former Eco Ranger and Whale Watching Commentator from the Tangalooma Marine Education and Conservation Centre.

Book Now