Southern Right Whale

The southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) is a large baleen whale and one of three species of right whale belonging to the genus Eubalaena. Found throughout the Southern Hemisphere, it inhabits oceans between the latitudes of 20° and 60° south. Like its northern relatives, the southern right whale is noted by its broad back without a dorsal fin, a long, arching mouth, and white growths on its head known as callosities. Previously hunted for hundreds of years, almost to extinction, the species is now protected and its global population was estimated to be around 13,600 (2009).

Each year, the southern right whale migrates. During the summer months, it feeds on zooplankton and krill in the cold waters of the Southern Ocean, often near Antarctica. In the winter, it travels northward to the warmer coastal waters off Argentina, Australia, Brazil, South Africa, and New Zealand to breed and calve. The whales are known for their active behavior at the surface, which includes breaching and a unique practice called "tail sailing," where they use their flukes to catch the wind.

Historically, southern right whales were the primary target for whalers (thus the "right" whale to hunt), who killed tens of thousands from the 18th to the 20th century, decimating the population. International protection was established in 1937, though illegal whaling by the Soviet Union continued into the 1970s. Since cessation of industrialized whale slaughtering, the population has seen a steady increase, growing an estimated 7% per year. Today, the species is a focus for whale watching, though it continues to face threats from ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, and pollution.