It’s World Whale Day, and we couldn’t resist the opportunity to celebrate the marvellous mammals that frequently grace the Western Cape.
Whales typically visit South Africa over the months spanning from June to December, with peak season falling between August and October.
Cape {town} Etc shared footage of one such event. The video quickly went viral, reaching almost 350 000 views on YouTube. Making the clip extra special is that the whales were accompanied by a super-pod of dolphins too. Easily one of the most epic local wildlife spectacles we’ve ever seen, the world was offered a glimpse into a feeding frenzy extravaganza.
Over the years, super-groups of humpback whales ranging from 20 to 200 have been observed in the coastal region of the Southern Benguela current between St Helena Bay and Cape Point.
The formation of super-groups of humpback whales is a unique phenomenon. Described as ‘loners of the sea’, researchers took a dive into the why behind whale sightings of up to 200 strong.
Whales typically migrate to Antarctica during South Africa’s summer months. So, the strange reroute, coupled with the shear number of mammals hitting up the Western Cape had many whale-wondering.
A study co-led by Dr Subhra Prakash Dey and Associate Professor Marcello Vichi from the University of Cape Town suggests that “the formation of super-groups in recent years suggests that there might be a change in oceanographic or ecological characteristics.”
Researchers found that the most prominent condition for the occurrence of super-groups is the occurrence of a higher-than-normal phytoplankton bloom, combined with a reduction in water volume export from the area. This reportedly occurs in October — bingo!
Simply put, this combination of bloom and volume means more food for fish. So, the fish come to the all-you-can-eat phytoplankton buffet and the whales come to the all-you-can-eat fish buffet. But that’s not all…
Most mass whale sightings have occurred in South Africa, with a couple in Australia as well. Changing ocean conditions, coupled with prey availability (or unavailability) are reported to contribute to the mammals’ bizarre movements.
If visiting Cape Town means ducking, overfishing, global warming, and slaughter — there’s always room for whales here. We do have two oceans, after all! (Not sure about this paragraph)
Though having more and more whales visit the Western Cape is wonderful, it would be ignorant to ignore big issues presented by these studies:
Overfishing has reduced prey population so dramatically that ocean wildlife has to adjust typical feeding behaviour to survive. Global warming is also resulting in a loss of habitat for whales, which effects the timing and range of migration, distribution and even their ability to reproduce.
Other major threats to whales include:
- Whaling
- By-catch (related to overfishing)
- Ship strikes
- Toxic contamination
- Oil and gas development
So, in light of celebrating and protecting all whales, here are five things anybody can easily implement to make a difference:
- Choose responsible whale watching over captivity.
- Think twice about the fish on your plate (only eat green-listed species).
- Dispose of your waste responsibly and help others do the same.
- Analyse and reduce your carbon footprint.
- Support locals doing the most (like the Simon’s Town Boat Company)!
Also read:
Look! Whales, dolphins, sharks and more – Cape Town captured from above
Picture: Cape {town} Etc / YouTube