Latest news with #PipJacobs
ABC News
21-07-2025
- General
- ABC News
Southern right whale calf hit by boat at Stanwell Park, NSW
A whale calf has been struck by a boat off the New South Wales South Coast weeks after its mother was hit by another vessel. Video of the incident shows the southern right whale, which was with its mother, being hit by a small boat off Stanwell Park. The impact of the collision knocked the three occupants of the boat off their feet. Directly after the strike the calf can be seen diving deeper into the water to rest near its mother. Michael Hatte, who filmed the incident, said he and his wife were observing the whales with a drone from the regulation 100-metre distance. "I was absolutely shocked, I froze," he said. The Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans (ORRCA), NSW Parks and Wildlife Service and members of the Right Whale ID program have been tracking the pair as they migrate north. Mr Hatte continued to observe the calf for about five minutes after the incident and said it appeared to have escaped injury. "The calf seemed fine. It didn't show signs of stress," he said. "It went back beneath mum and was playing with seaweed again on the surface, so it looked totally unscathed." ORRCA spokesperson Pip Jacobs said the whales were seen breaching in Sydney Harbour yesterday. "Vessel strikes can be fatal … but we're pleased to confirm that mum and baby seem to be doing well," she said. The southern right whale is an endangered species. Between 250 and 300 individuals have been identified along the east coast, and larger populations along the West Coast. The baby's mother sustained an injury from a vessel strike near Merimbula in July. A southern right whale calf is believed to have died after being hit by a boat near Coffs Harbour earlier this year. Ms Jacobs said the whales were vulnerable to boat strikes because they entered very shallow water and lacked a dorsal fin. "These whales are particularly difficult to spot from the water, so they're often in the way of boats who don't know they're there," she said. Ms Jacobs said boat users should be aware that the whales are in their migration season through to the end of August. Boats must stay 100m from an adult and 300m from a calf. Drones must maintain a height of at least 100m. Ms Jacobs said the mother and baby looked as if they had recovered from their hardships. "This pair has faced extraordinary challenges on their journey so far, but they appear to be doing well, which is not only great news for them but their species as well," she said.
ABC News
30-06-2025
- Science
- ABC News
Whale sightings hit record high during citizen science migration count
An unprecedented number of whales have been counted by hundreds of volunteers along the New South Wales coastline during the latest whale census. The Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans (ORRCA) said this year's count had already surpassed the 2023 record of 5,000 sightings, with counting still underway. ORRCA spokesperson Pip Jacobs said the large number of sightings was likely due to the record number of volunteers who participated in the citizen science event. "We had over 159 locations covered and over 600 participants registered," Ms Jacobs said. "[The numbers are] likely due to more counters and also very favourable whale-spotting conditions with light winds and low swell." This time each year for the last 26 years, ORRCA has hosted its whale census to collate data on whale population health, size and the types of species migrating north. Ms Jacobs said about 40,000 whales, predominantly humpback, passed eastern Australia during their northern migration to warmer waters. She said on Sunday, volunteers spotted humpback and minke whales but were also lucky enough to spot newborn calves. "We had some people who spotted calves within a week or two weeks old coming through," she said. Ms Jacobs said it was especially exciting to see the recovery of the humpback whale population. "In the 1960s, the population was down to the hundreds and now we expect to see 40,000 coming past our coastline," she said. Ms Jacobs said the spike in numbers was due to conservation and protection actions introduced in recent decades. On a cold Sunday on the far south coast of NSW, a group of avid whale watchers were stationed at Eden with binoculars and "flasks of tea" in hand. ORRCA volunteer John Griggs said there was plenty of "traffic", with many families and children heading to the lookout to catch a glimpse of a whale. "We had all our binoculars so they wanted to try them and search the ocean and they wanted to see," Mr Griggs said. "It's good to have people here so interested." Mr Griggs said the ocean was calm and steady, making for ideal whale-watching conditions. "That's the best time to see the whales because if it's rough, there's enough other white water going on out there, so you will be hard-picked to see the splash or the blow [of the whale]," he said. Despite the clear day and enthusiasm, onlookers at Eden only spotted a couple of the large mammals. ORRCA volunteer Caroline Jones said the whales often stayed further out from the shore while travelling past Eden during their northern migration, but would track closer to land on their southern migration later this year. "They're also slower when they're coming south because they've got the calves with them and they're stopping to rest more," Ms Jones said. "That's when we might even see them coming into the bay [Eden's Twofold Bay]." However, Ms Jones said any sighting of a whale was always special. "It's a wild species coming right on our doorstep and they're just magnificent creatures," she said. "They are incredible journeys that they take from Antarctica up north. "They're just wonderful to see."
Asharq Al-Awsat
09-06-2025
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Tangled Humpback Whale Sparks Rescue Mission off Australia
Wildlife rescue teams scoured Australia's east coast on Monday to find and free a distressed humpback whale tangled in a rope. Aerial footage showed the whale swimming south of Sydney Harbor trailing a rope attached to a floating buoy. "It makes it more difficult for the whale to dive," said Pip Jacobs from whale rescue group ORRCA. "It's tiring for the whale, which is already in a state of distress being tangled." The whale was about eight meters (25 feet) long, Jacobs said, indicating it was still "quite young". The rope appeared to be tangled around the whale's left pectoral fin, she said. "The way it is moving is quite erratic," Jacobs told AFP. "It's moving south which is unusual. "They should be heading north as part of their migration." Teams of volunteers and wildlife rescue experts were searching the coastline to pinpoint the whale's location, she said. But efforts had been hindered by choppy waters and blustery winds. "If conditions allow and we have eyes on the whale, the best-case scenario is we have a successful disentanglement. "If they are dragging gear, it hinders their ability to swim freely. The worst-case scenario is the whale can't feed or swim."
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Tangled humpback whale sparks rescue mission off Australia
Wildlife rescue teams scoured Australia's east coast on Monday to find and free a distressed humpback whale tangled in a rope. Aerial footage showed the whale swimming south of Sydney Harbour trailing a rope attached to a floating buoy. "It makes it more difficult for the whale to dive," said Pip Jacobs from whale rescue group ORRCA. "It's tiring for the whale, which is already in a state of distress being tangled." The whale was about eight metres (25 feet) long, Jacobs said, indicating it was still "quite young". The rope appeared to be tangled around the whale's left pectoral fin, she said. "The way it is moving is quite erratic," Jacobs told AFP. "It's moving south which is unusual. "They should be heading north as part of their migration." Teams of volunteers and wildlife rescue experts were searching the coastline to pinpoint the whale's location, she said. But efforts had been hindered by choppy waters and blustery winds. "If conditions allow and we have eyes on the whale, the best-case scenario is we have a successful disentanglement. "If they are dragging gear it hinders their ability to swim freely. The worst-case scenario is the whale can't feed or swim." sft/djw/tym
Free Malaysia Today
09-06-2025
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Tangled humpback whale sparks rescue mission off Australia
Aerial footage showed the whale swimming south of the Sydney Harbour. (Wikimedia Commons pic) SYDNEY : Wildlife rescue teams scoured Australia's east coast on today to find and free a distressed humpback whale tangled in a rope. Aerial footage showed the whale swimming south of Sydney Harbour trailing a rope attached to a floating buoy. 'It makes it more difficult for the whale to dive,' said Pip Jacobs from whale rescue group ORRCA. 'It's tiring for the whale, which is already in a state of distress being tangled.' The whale was about 8m long, Jacobs said, indicating it was still 'quite young'. The rope appeared to be tangled around the whale's left pectoral fin, she said. 'The way it is moving is quite erratic,' Jacobs told AFP. 'It's moving south which is unusual. They should be heading north as part of their migration.' Teams of volunteers and wildlife rescue experts were searching the coastline to pinpoint the whale's location, she said. But efforts had been hindered by choppy waters and blustery winds. 'If conditions allow and we have eyes on the whale, the best-case scenario is we have a successful disentanglement. 'If they are dragging gear it hinders their ability to swim freely. The worst-case scenario is the whale can't feed or swim.'
