Southern Right Whale

Scientific name: Eubalaena australis

Appearance & Identification:
Large, rotund body, usually dark grey or black. No dorsal fin. Broad arched jaw, with distinctive rough patches on the head called callosities (unique to each whale). Blow is V-shaped due to twin blowholes.

Size & Lifespan:
Adults reach 13–16 m (sometimes up to 18 m) and weigh 40–60+ tons. Lifespans average 70–80 years, with some individuals living over 100 years.

Habitat & Range:
Found between 20°–60° South latitude. Migrate between Antarctic feeding grounds in summer and warmer coastal breeding grounds in winter.

Feeding & Behaviour:
Baleen whales that skim zooplankton and krill at the surface. Known for breaching, tail sailing, and spy-hopping. Often curious and approach boats.

Conservation Status:
Once heavily hunted and nearly wiped out. Now protected and slowly recovering, but still threatened by ship strikes, entanglement, and disturbance.