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Humpback whale that swam to Circular Quay, delighting ferry passengers, has left Sydney Harbour
Humpback whale that swam to Circular Quay, delighting ferry passengers, has left Sydney Harbour

The Guardian

time6 days ago

  • General
  • The Guardian

Humpback whale that swam to Circular Quay, delighting ferry passengers, has left Sydney Harbour

A young humpback whale who wandered from its usual migratory route right up to Sydney's Harbour Bridge has left the harbour. The sub-adult whale had left the harbour, with no sign of it on Thursday morning, a government source told Guardian Australia. The whale delighted onlookers and experts after it was first spotted swimming at Circular Quay on Wednesday morning before moving east on what experts tracking the mammal called its 'full harbour experience'. Dr Vanessa Pirotta, a whale expert on board a New South Wales Maritime boat on Wednesday, confirmed the whale was 'not in distress, quite the opposite'. It appeared to be inquisitive and relaxed, visiting various harbour-side locations, she said. The whale's appearance was a 'reminder that Sydney Harbour is very wild'. It was last seen at Rose Bay on Wednesday evening, Pirotta said on Thursday. The founder of citizen science project Wild Sydney Harbour, which works with organisations including the NSW government, said ordinary people who spotted the whale throughout the day helped experts know where it was. The process was 'citizen science at its very best'. There have been no sightings of the whale on Thursday to her knowledge, Pirotta said. Pirotta said while the whale may have left the harbour, she cautioned it could resurface. 'It was just all over the place [on Wednesday]. So just when you think that it's probably had enough, maybe it hasn't, and maybe it could pop up where we least expect it.' She encouraged anyone to report sightings to NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. Sign up to Morning Mail Our Australian morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion 'Because it was sometimes conspicuous and sometimes inconspicuous, it wouldn't surprise me if it's still in the harbour, but surely by now, it must have done so much exploring,' Pirotta said. The Port Authority of NSW also had cameras monitoring the harbour and they were an 'incredibly important part of yesterday's mission,' the whale expert said on Thursday. Humpback whales usually travel the 'humpback highway' which runs up and down Australia's east coast. It is not unusual for them to briefly leave it, with four humpbacks having been seen in the harbour this migratory season. But Pirotta said this week's visitor was unusually explorative, coming as far as the harbour bridge.

‘Inquisitive, relaxed' humpback whale swimming in Sydney Harbour delays ferries and boats
‘Inquisitive, relaxed' humpback whale swimming in Sydney Harbour delays ferries and boats

The Guardian

time6 days ago

  • General
  • The Guardian

‘Inquisitive, relaxed' humpback whale swimming in Sydney Harbour delays ferries and boats

An 'inquisitive' humpback whale that wandered from its usual migratory route and into the centre of Sydney Harbour is causing 'navigational challenges' for ferries and vessels as its tour of the world-famous harbour continues. The sub-adult whale was first spotted by commuters on a harbour ferry service near Fort Denison at about 8am. It swam to Circular Quay – Sydney's central ferry terminal - before moving east towards the defence base of Garden Island then to Watsons Bay and north to Balmoral Bay. Speaking from a New South Wales Maritime boat shadowing the creature, whale expert Dr Vanessa Pirotta said it was 'not every day a whale takes a detour and hangs out in Watsons Bay'. Its harbour trip was posing a 'navigational challenge' for ferries and vessels, she said. 'NSW Maritime and NSW National Parks and Wildlife are literally escorting a school bus-sized mammal out of the harbour. It's so easy for vessels to strike whales,' she said. 'They do things when you least expect it – [we're] making sure it has space and is escorted out of the harbour, because this one is very inquisitive.' Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email While it's not unusual for a whale to briefly leave the 'humpback highway' running up and down Australia's east coast – four humpbacks have been seen in the harbour this migratory season, she said – it is 'crazy' for the creatures to be as inquisitive and explorative as the whale seen today. 'Most will hang out around Manly and then work out it's not in the right place and swim away, but this one is having the full harbour experience,' she said. There is a whale and her calf in Circukar Quay! (She delayed my ferry) 'It's the most inquisitive whale. It's thin, but from its behaviour, it's very relaxed.' In Balmoral Bay on Sydney's north shore, the whale was on Wednesday afternoon seen swimming close to a paddle boarder with onlookers watching from the beach. 'This whale continues to surprise me. It's just hanging out and in such shallow water – I'd expect this from a southern right whale, not a humpback whale.' Pirotta said the whale's condition – which she described as 'OK' – suggested it was migrating south and that it might have entered the harbour overnight. Pirotta said the Wild Sydney Harbour project had 'delivered' after commuters on the harbour first spotted the whale. One social media user said the whale had delayed their ferry on Wednesday morning. She said the sighting was a chance to gather data and photos of the creature, adding that every time she watches whales, she learns 'so much more about them'.

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