These magnificent animals were named by whalers who identified them as the “right” whale to kill on a hunt.
They are classified as Lower Risk by the 2000 IUCN Red List. They were hunted to near extinction in the 1800s. Although they have been protected since 1937, they are still endangered and are recovering very slowly due to their slow reproductive rate.
Southern Right Whales (Eubaleana Australis) may be between 11-18 metres in length and 30-80 metric tons in weight. Their large heads can make up a third of the body length.
They are dark grey or black and may have irregular white patches on their undersides. They are often covered in barnacles and callosities and have a rounded body and arched mouth-line. They lack a dorsal fin.
Their diet consists mainly of plankton and tiny crustaceans like copepods, krill, and pteropods.
Mating and birthing takes place in the warmer waters in the spring. They breed slowly – only every 3-4 years. Southern right whales reach sexual maturity only after 5-10 years.
Southern Right Whales spend the summer months in the Southern Ocean feeding, probably close to Antarctica. They migrate north in winter for breeding and can be seen by the coasts of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru and Uruguay.
The best destinations for whale watching are Imbituba in Santa Catarina, Brazil, and Península Valdés in Patagonia, Argentina.