Latest news with #PacificWhalesFoundation
NDTV
3 days ago
- General
- NDTV
Drone Footage Shows Endangered Whale Calf Being Hit By Speedboat: "Absolutely Horrific"
A harrowing drone video has captured the moment a speedboat collided with an endangered whale calf off the coast of New South Wales. The impact clipped the calf's back and sent the boat's occupants tumbling. The collision was captured on a drone by photographer Michael Hatte, who was filming the whale mother and calf near Stanwell Park. He expressed his helplessness in preventing the accident as the boat drew closer to the whales. The video shows a small speedboat running over the whale calf, sending the three occupants tumbling. After the impact, the calf dove deeper into the water to rest beside its mother. Fortunately, both the whale and calf escaped without major injuries. "I had already stopped filming, but could see the boat heading straight for the pair that were just below the surface. I pressed record and captured the whole event, which is 3 seconds long. Bub moving it's head just at the right time, impact could have been devastating," Mr Hatte wrote while sharing the video on his Instagram page. Watch the video here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Michael Hatte (@michaelhatte) "It was absolutely horrific," Michael Hatte later told Yahoo News, describing the moment. "I'm not an emotional guy, but I was absolutely gutted after the incident," he said. The footage has gone viral, sparking widespread concern and outrage over the incident. A NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service spokesperson said the footage was "alarming", considering only a handful of calves are born each year in NSW. "This is the only mother and calf pair known in NSW waters so far this season. Boaties must keep an active lookout to avoid this happening again during the whale season," they said in a statement. Southern right whales, an endangered species, are slowly recovering from decades of commercial whaling, but still face significant challenges. Whale scientist Dr. Vanessa Pirotta described the recent incident as "tragic", emphasising the need for boaters to be vigilant, especially during the May to November migration period when these whales are most active. Whale expert Dr. Barry McGovern of the Pacific Whales Foundation noted that southern right whales tend to swim just below the surface, making them difficult to spot, which can increase the risk of collisions with boats. "They also don't have dorsal fins like your humpback whales so they can be really difficult to see and if you're travelling at speed it can be very easy to miss them, to not see them. The larger boats can really impact them," he said.
Perth Now
21-07-2025
- General
- Perth Now
Whale and calf hit by speedboat off east coast
Boat carrying three passengers hits calf off NSW coast. Australian boaties have been urged to remain vigilant after three people aboard a speedboat collided with a whale and its calf south of Sydney. Troublesome vision was captured of a southern right whale and its calf south in waters off Stanwell Park on Saturday afternoon. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Speedboat whale collision The pair were swimming just beneath the surface when they were hit by the boat. It is understood both the whale and calf escaped without major injuries. The whales have just begun their annual migration and will continue travelling north this week. The mother was first detected off Bass Point on June 12 without the calf, and then near Meriumbula on July 10 with her baby. Whale expert Dr Barry McGovern from Pacific Whales Foundation said southern right whales often stay just below the surface and can be very hard to spot. 'They also don't have dorsal fins like your humpback whales so they can be really difficult to see and if you're travelling at speed it can be very easy to miss them, to not see them,' he said. 'The larger boats can really impact them. 'Whales can suffer some serious injuries from vessel collisions and in some cases they can be fatal, particularly with the larger vessels.' A southern right whale and her calf were hit by a speedboat off Sydney's south coast. Credit: 7NEWS The whales managed to avoid injury. Credit: 7NEWS He urged any boaties off Sydney's coast to stay vigilant and said the best thing to do is to slow down if they are travelling through the area. 'If you're in an area where you know there are whales, or people have seen whales previously, it's best to keep it slow,' McGovern said. 'If there's whales below, keep it slow — that's what we always say. 'Our research has shown boats (that) are travelling less than 12 knots, which is about 22km/h, there's a much lower chance of hitting a whale. 'It allows you to see if the whales are there in the first place and even if there is a collision, at the slower speeds, the injuries are less likely to be as severe.' There is an exclusion zone of 300m for whales with calves, and 100m for whales without newborns. This not only applies to vessels in the water but also drones in the air. 'While seeing one in Sydney is exciting, it's important to remember that this whale and her calf must be given space and quiet as they travel north,' NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) ranger Natasha Funke said. 'Southern right whales rely on sheltered coastal bays to rest and feed their young, and they need to do this without interference, so we encourage people to enjoy this spectacle from land or a safe distance on the water.' A list of national park viewing spots to watch the whales as they migrate is available on the NPWS website.
7NEWS
21-07-2025
- General
- 7NEWS
Southern right whale and calf hit by speedboat off Sydney's south coast
Australian boaties have been urged to remain vigilant after three people aboard a speedboat collided with a whale and its calf south of Sydney. Troublesome vision was captured of a southern right whale and its calf south in waters off Stanwell Park on Saturday afternoon. The pair were swimming just beneath the surface when they were hit by the boat. It is understood both the whale and calf escaped without major injuries. The whales have just begun their annual migration and will continue travelling north this week. The mother was first detected off Bass Point on June 12 without the calf, and then near Meriumbula on July 10 with her baby. Whale expert Dr Barry McGovern from Pacific Whales Foundation said southern right whales often stay just below the surface and can be very hard to spot. 'They also don't have dorsal fins like your humpback whales so they can be really difficult to see and if you're travelling at speed it can be very easy to miss them, to not see them,' he said. 'The larger boats can really impact them. 'Whales can suffer some serious injuries from vessel collisions and in some cases they can be fatal, particularly with the larger vessels.' He urged any boaties off Sydney's coast to stay vigilant and said the best thing to do is to slow down if they are travelling through the area. 'If you're in an area where you know there are whales, or people have seen whales previously, it's best to keep it slow,' McGovern said. 'If there's whales below, keep it slow — that's what we always say. 'Our research has shown boats (that) are travelling less than 12 knots, which is about 22km/h, there's a much lower chance of hitting a whale. 'It allows you to see if the whales are there in the first place and even if there is a collision, at the slower speeds, the injuries are less likely to be as severe.' There is an exclusion zone of 300m for whales with calves, and 100m for whales without newborns. This not only applies to vessels in the water but also drones in the air. 'While seeing one in Sydney is exciting, it's important to remember that this whale and her calf must be given space and quiet as they travel north,' NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) ranger Natasha Funke said. 'Southern right whales rely on sheltered coastal bays to rest and feed their young, and they need to do this without interference, so we encourage people to enjoy this spectacle from land or a safe distance on the water.' .
