Blue on Blue
This story was first posted on our Centre for Whale Research Facebook page on May 05, 2021.
After a gorgeous patch of calm weather and even some smoky conditions offshore, the CWR and AIMS crew are very excited to be watching the tags we have deployed so far.
Rosemary, the large pregnant female tagged on ANZAC Day seems to be searching for krill in both the northern and southern areas at the eastern part of the Perth Canyon, while Goosey appears to be favoring the head of the canyon. ANZAC, also tagged on ANZAC Day, assumed to be a male accomplice of Rosemary, could be starting its northern migration from the Perth Canyon. In the next few days we’ll confirm ANZAC’s movements, as we see more positions along the west coast as well as the foraging behaviour of Rosemary and Goosey.
Click on the link below to follow Rosemary, ANZAC and Goosey.
Photos by Micheline Jenner/CWR
With a whoosh, this pygmy blue whale surfaces.
From the depths to the surface to breathe.
These blows rise 9m into the air and were the reason the whalers called out “Thar she blows!” .
These days we take photos, not lives.
In the calm conditions this whale pushed quite the bow-wave.
By rights, I suppose we should call it a rostrum-wave.
Note the extended left pectoral fin (appearing as a turquoise shape underwater to the left of the animal), as the whale slows and guides itself to the surface for a breath.
There’s that blue streak again.
The pale grey body colour turns turquoise in the clear blue water.
Once the whales begin migrating away from this krill cafe, a significant feeding area, they will dive to around 13 m (known from a previous tag deployment), while travelling to the next feeding opportunity.
At this depth, although not at the surface, they still face danger from ships with deep draughts.
The captured dive data from the satellite tags will provide all of this valuable information.
If ANZAC is on the move northward, one could only be left with these beautiful “footprints”.
Fortunately, over two months later from this original post on May 05, 2021, we can still track ANZAC’s migration with its tag.
Let its story continue to unfold.
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