Historical information

The dead whale washed ashore at Warrnambool and has been in the photographed position for around a month when the photograph was taken.

Warrnambool is Victoria's Southern Right Whale Nursery and whales have been visiting for hundreds of years. They were hunted almost to the point of extinction, but after whaling was outlawed in 1935 the numbers have been growing. Southern Right Whales live in the sub-Antarctic and migrate to warmer waters around southern Australia in Winter. Female whales migrate to the "nursery" areas close to the shores to bear their calves staying in the nursery for many weeks, allowing claves to feed and gather strength for the return journey to sub-Antarctic waters.

The Southern Right Whale can be recognised but its smotth, black back with no dorsal fin. A number of crusty outgrowths, called callosities, are found on the head.

Physical description

Three images of a dead whale washed ashore at Warrnambool.