Latest news with #DrVanessaPirotta
The Independent
26-06-2025
- The Independent
Commuter ferries held up as humpback whales migrate
Commuters experienced an extraordinary delay when their ferry journey across Sydney Harbour was unexpectedly halted by a pod of humpback whales. Travellers watched from an idling boat this month as humpback whales the size of buses surfaced nearby, and the curious mammals seemed to be watching them back. While unusual for many, such encounters are not uncommon in Sydney during June and July. The winter months herald the opening of the so-called humpback highway, a migratory corridor along Australia 's east coast used by about 40,000 of the massive creatures as they travel from feeding grounds in the icy waters of Antarctica to tropical breeding areas off Queensland. 'It's blubber to blubber,' said Dr. Vanessa Pirotta, a wildlife scientist at Macquarie University in Sydney and author of the book 'Humpback Highway.' During peak traffic periods, the bustling coastal city of 5.5 million people becomes one of the world's few urban centres where you might see a breaching whale on your morning walk, while buying a coffee, or waiting at a bus stop – anyplace you can see the ocean. Whales cruise close to shore The reason humpbacks on the highway are so visible is due to their size – adults can be 16-17 meters (52-56 feet) in length, and weigh 40 tonnes – and their proximity to people. On their 10,000km journey from icy to balmy waters, one of the world's longest mammal migrations, the creatures stay close to shore. 'They are incredibly curious,' said Pirotta. 'There's been times where there's been whales in the harbour this year where they've literally halted traffic.' Australians get so close to the creatures that some have attracted fans. Among them are Migaloo, an all-white humpback whose sightings spanned 1991 to 2020, and Blade Runner, named for her tussle with a boat propeller that created her long, distinctive scars. Humpbacks go people-watching On a recent morning, Ben Armstrong, a veteran skipper of a whale-watching boat in Port Stephens, a scenic harbour north of Sydney, slowed the engine as two humpbacks breached nearby. He encouraged passengers to put down their phones and enjoy the spectacle. Armstrong keeps his tourist boat at distances mandated by Australia 's state laws, but inquisitive whales often go off-script. Once, the skipper let his boat drift for an hour while four or five humpbacks treated the vessel 'like a bath toy," playfully preventing it from moving forward or back. In another episode, a whale peeled away from its pod and rushed to the boat, 'like a dog greeting its master at the gate,' he said. It lounged for 40 minutes in the water, rubbing its massive fins against the vessel. 'It was like, 'Oh, there's that boat I really like,' said Armstrong. Vincent Kelly, who travelled from Geelong, Victoria, to witness the migration, was a recent passenger. Over two hours, he watched half a dozen humpbacks perform breathtaking aerial manoeuvres. 'It was unbelievable to me,' Kelly said. 'I didn't expect to actually see a whale. But they were everywhere.' The congestion marks a conservation comeback The humpback gridlock marks a sharp reversal of fortune for the whales. They were once hunted for meat and oil, and numbers dwindled to a few hundred before humpbacks became a protected species in the Southern Hemisphere in 1963. The humpback boom to about 40,000 since, has brought the creatures into more frequent contact with people than before. That means more entanglements with fishing nets or run-ins with watercraft. Where and when they appear has become less predictable too, with whales in recent years giving birth to calves the size of small cars in unexpected places. Harvesting of krill, which humpbacks eat in bulk, and heating seas due to climate change could be altering their migratory patterns, Pirotta said. The population is still growing steadily, amplifying concerns about how humans and giants of the sea can safely share the coastline. But it also puts millions of Australians a short walk and a little luck away from encountering one of the largest mammals on the planet. 'It grounds you, I think,' said Armstrong, the boat skipper. 'It makes you realise there's a lot more out there than what we think there is in nature.'
Washington Post
26-06-2025
- Washington Post
Commuter traffic gives way for whales on Australia's humpback highway
PORT STEPHENS, Australia — The ferry was late, but not because of the usual traffic. Sydney commuters watched from an idling boat this month as humpback whales the size of buses surfaced nearby, halting the vessel's passage across the harbor. The curious mammals seemed to be watching them back. In June and July, it's not uncommon for whales to stop water traffic in Sydney. Winter heralds the opening of the so-called humpback highway, a migratory corridor along Australia's east coast used by about 40,000 of the massive creatures as they travel from feeding grounds in freezing Antarctica to tropical breeding areas off Queensland state. 'It's blubber to blubber,' said Dr. Vanessa Pirotta, a wildlife scientist at Macquarie University in Sydney and author of the book 'Humpback Highway.' During peak traffic periods the bustling coastal city of 5.5 million people becomes one of the world's few urban centers where you might see a breaching whale on your morning walk, while buying a coffee, or waiting at a bus stop – anyplace you can see the ocean. The reason humpbacks on the highway are so visible is due to their size – adults can be 16-17 meters (52-56 feet) in length, and weigh 40 tonnes – and their proximity to people. On their 10,000km (6,000 mile) journey from icy to balmy waters, one of the world's longest mammal migrations, the creatures stay close to shore. 'They are incredibly curious,' said Pirotta. 'There's been times where there's been whales in the harbor this year where they've literally halted traffic.' Australians get so close to the creatures that some have attracted fans. Among them are Migaloo, an all-white humpback whose sightings spanned 1991 to 2020, and Blade Runner, named for her tussle with a boat propeller that created her long, distinctive scars. Some keen whale watchers seek a closer look. On a recent morning, Ben Armstrong, a veteran skipper of a whale-watching boat in Port Stephens, a scenic harbor north of Sydney, slowed the engine as two humpbacks breached nearby. He encouraged passengers to put down their phones and enjoy the spectacle. Armstrong keeps his tourist boat at distances mandated by Australia's state laws, but inquisitive whales often go off-script . Once, the skipper let his boat drift for an hour while four or five humpbacks treated the vessel 'like a bath toy,' playfully preventing it from moving forward or back. In another episode, a whale peeled away from its pod and rushed to the boat, 'like a dog greeting its master at the gate,' he said. It lounged for 40 minutes in the water, rubbing its massive fins against the vessel. 'It was like, 'Oh, there's that boat I really like,' said Armstrong. Vincent Kelly, who travelled from Geelong, Victoria, to witness the migration was a recent passenger. Over two hours, he watched half a dozen humpbacks perform breathtaking aerial maneuvers. 'It was unbelievable to me,' Kelly said. 'I didn't expect to actually see a whale. But they were everywhere.' The humpback gridlock marks a sharp reversal of fortune for the whales. They were once hunted for meat and oil, and numbers dwindled to a few hundred before humpbacks became a protected species in the Southern Hemisphere in 1963. The humpback boom to about 40,000 since has brought the creatures into more frequent contact with people than before. That means more entanglements with fishing nets or run-ins with watercraft. Where and when they appear has become less predictable too, with whales in recent years giving birth to calves the size of small cars in unexpected places. Harvesting of krill, which humpbacks eat in bulk, and heating seas due to climate change could be altering their migratory patterns, Pirotta said. The population is still growing steadily, amplifying concerns about how humans and giants of the sea can safely share the coastline. But it also puts millions of Australians a short walk and a little luck away from encountering one of the largest mammals on the planet. 'It grounds you, I think,' said Armstrong, the boat skipper. 'It makes you realize there's a lot more out there than what we think there is in nature.'
The Independent
26-06-2025
- The Independent
Commuter traffic gives way for whales on Australia's humpback highway
The ferry was late, but not because of the usual traffic. Sydney commuters watched from an idling boat this month as humpback whales the size of buses surfaced nearby, halting the vessel's passage across the harbor. The curious mammals seemed to be watching them back. In June and July, it's not uncommon for whales to stop water traffic in Sydney. Winter heralds the opening of the so-called humpback highway, a migratory corridor along Australia's east coast used by about 40,000 of the massive creatures as they travel from feeding grounds in freezing Antarctica to tropical breeding areas off Queensland state. 'It's blubber to blubber,' said Dr. Vanessa Pirotta, a wildlife scientist at Macquarie University in Sydney and author of the book 'Humpback Highway.' During peak traffic periods the bustling coastal city of 5.5 million people becomes one of the world's few urban centers where you might see a breaching whale on your morning walk, while buying a coffee, or waiting at a bus stop – anyplace you can see the ocean. Whales cruise close to shore The reason humpbacks on the highway are so visible is due to their size – adults can be 16-17 meters (52-56 feet) in length, and weigh 40 tonnes – and their proximity to people. On their 10,000km (6,000 mile) journey from icy to balmy waters, one of the world's longest mammal migrations, the creatures stay close to shore. 'They are incredibly curious,' said Pirotta. 'There's been times where there's been whales in the harbor this year where they've literally halted traffic.' Australians get so close to the creatures that some have attracted fans. Among them are Migaloo, an all-white humpback whose sightings spanned 1991 to 2020, and Blade Runner, named for her tussle with a boat propeller that created her long, distinctive scars. Humpbacks go people-watching Some keen whale watchers seek a closer look. On a recent morning, Ben Armstrong, a veteran skipper of a whale-watching boat in Port Stephens, a scenic harbor north of Sydney, slowed the engine as two humpbacks breached nearby. He encouraged passengers to put down their phones and enjoy the spectacle. Armstrong keeps his tourist boat at distances mandated by Australia's state laws, but inquisitive whales often go off-script. Once, the skipper let his boat drift for an hour while four or five humpbacks treated the vessel 'like a bath toy," playfully preventing it from moving forward or back. In another episode, a whale peeled away from its pod and rushed to the boat, 'like a dog greeting its master at the gate,' he said. It lounged for 40 minutes in the water, rubbing its massive fins against the vessel. 'It was like, 'Oh, there's that boat I really like,' said Armstrong. Vincent Kelly, who travelled from Geelong, Victoria, to witness the migration was a recent passenger. Over two hours, he watched half a dozen humpbacks perform breathtaking aerial maneuvers. 'It was unbelievable to me,' Kelly said. 'I didn't expect to actually see a whale. But they were everywhere.' The congestion marks a conservation comeback The humpback gridlock marks a sharp reversal of fortune for the whales. They were once hunted for meat and oil, and numbers dwindled to a few hundred before humpbacks became a protected species in the Southern Hemisphere in 1963. The humpback boom to about 40,000 since has brought the creatures into more frequent contact with people than before. That means more entanglements with fishing nets or run-ins with watercraft. Where and when they appear has become less predictable too, with whales in recent years giving birth to calves the size of small cars in unexpected places. Harvesting of krill, which humpbacks eat in bulk, and heating seas due to climate change could be altering their migratory patterns, Pirotta said. The population is still growing steadily, amplifying concerns about how humans and giants of the sea can safely share the coastline. But it also puts millions of Australians a short walk and a little luck away from encountering one of the largest mammals on the planet. 'It grounds you, I think,' said Armstrong, the boat skipper. 'It makes you realize there's a lot more out there than what we think there is in nature.'
Associated Press
26-06-2025
- Associated Press
Commuter traffic gives way for whales on Australia's humpback highway
PORT STEPHENS, Australia (AP) — The ferry was late, but not because of the usual traffic. Sydney commuters watched from an idling boat this month as humpback whales the size of buses surfaced nearby, halting the vessel's passage across the harbor. The curious mammals seemed to be watching them back. In June and July, it's not uncommon for whales to stop water traffic in Sydney. Winter heralds the opening of the so-called humpback highway, a migratory corridor along Australia's east coast used by about 40,000 of the massive creatures as they travel from feeding grounds in freezing Antarctica to tropical breeding areas off Queensland state. 'It's blubber to blubber,' said Dr. Vanessa Pirotta, a wildlife scientist at Macquarie University in Sydney and author of the book 'Humpback Highway.' During peak traffic periods the bustling coastal city of 5.5 million people becomes one of the world's few urban centers where you might see a breaching whale on your morning walk, while buying a coffee, or waiting at a bus stop – anyplace you can see the ocean. Whales cruise close to shore The reason humpbacks on the highway are so visible is due to their size – adults can be 16-17 meters (52-56 feet) in length, and weigh 40 tonnes – and their proximity to people. On their 10,000km (6,000 mile) journey from icy to balmy waters, one of the world's longest mammal migrations, the creatures stay close to shore. 'They are incredibly curious,' said Pirotta. 'There's been times where there's been whales in the harbor this year where they've literally halted traffic.' Australians get so close to the creatures that some have attracted fans. Among them are Migaloo, an all-white humpback whose sightings spanned 1991 to 2020, and Blade Runner, named for her tussle with a boat propeller that created her long, distinctive scars. Humpbacks go people-watching Some keen whale watchers seek a closer look. On a recent morning, Ben Armstrong, a veteran skipper of a whale-watching boat in Port Stephens, a scenic harbor north of Sydney, slowed the engine as two humpbacks breached nearby. He encouraged passengers to put down their phones and enjoy the spectacle. Armstrong keeps his tourist boat at distances mandated by Australia's state laws, but inquisitive whales often go off-script. Once, the skipper let his boat drift for an hour while four or five humpbacks treated the vessel 'like a bath toy,' playfully preventing it from moving forward or back. In another episode, a whale peeled away from its pod and rushed to the boat, 'like a dog greeting its master at the gate,' he said. It lounged for 40 minutes in the water, rubbing its massive fins against the vessel. 'It was like, 'Oh, there's that boat I really like,' said Armstrong. Vincent Kelly, who travelled from Geelong, Victoria, to witness the migration was a recent passenger. Over two hours, he watched half a dozen humpbacks perform breathtaking aerial maneuvers. 'It was unbelievable to me,' Kelly said. 'I didn't expect to actually see a whale. But they were everywhere.' The congestion marks a conservation comeback The humpback gridlock marks a sharp reversal of fortune for the whales. They were once hunted for meat and oil, and numbers dwindled to a few hundred before humpbacks became a protected species in the Southern Hemisphere in 1963. The humpback boom to about 40,000 since has brought the creatures into more frequent contact with people than before. That means more entanglements with fishing nets or run-ins with watercraft. Where and when they appear has become less predictable too, with whales in recent years giving birth to calves the size of small cars in unexpected places. Harvesting of krill, which humpbacks eat in bulk, and heating seas due to climate change could be altering their migratory patterns, Pirotta said. The population is still growing steadily, amplifying concerns about how humans and giants of the sea can safely share the coastline. But it also puts millions of Australians a short walk and a little luck away from encountering one of the largest mammals on the planet. 'It grounds you, I think,' said Armstrong, the boat skipper. 'It makes you realize there's a lot more out there than what we think there is in nature.'
The Independent
03-06-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Sightings soar on Australia's ‘humpback highway' as 40,000 whales return for winter
Thousands of humpback whales have begun their migration from Antarctica to Australia, with a pod appearing in the Sydney harbour on Monday and momentarily halting ferry services. A group of three to four whales surfaced near Manly Wharf on Monday afternoon, causing the Freshwater ferry service to pause for about five minutes, according to Transport for NSW. The sighting follows several other appearances in the harbour over the weekend and comes during the annual migration of humpback whales. The migration sees up to 40,000 humpback whales journeying from the cold feeding grounds of Antarctica to the warmer waters off Queensland and Western Australia to breed and give birth. The northward migration, often referred to as the "humpback highway," covers almost 10,000km and is one of the longest migrations of any mammal. The migrating whales tend to swim closer to the shore, making them more visible to onlookers. 'Anywhere you can see the ocean, you have a chance of spotting a whale,' Dr Vanessa Pirotta, a marine scientist, told The Guardian, adding that peak migration season was 'pretty much like whale peak hour' along Australia's east coast. Researchers are now seeing changes in the humpback migration pattern, however. A recent study, published in Frontiers in Marine Science, notes humpback calves being born much further south than expected, including off the Tasmania coast and New Zealand 's South Island, which are not traditionally considered calving grounds. They say the shift may be linked to the waters getting warmer due to rising ocean temperatures. Although the humpbacks continue to recover from near-extinction due to commercial whaling, with latest estimates of their population ranging from 30,000 to 50,000, conservationists say the species remains vulnerable to human impact, especially during the migration season. Entanglement in fishing gear is one of the biggest threats. In an effort to reduce such risks, OceanWatch Australia and similar groups are running initiatives like the East Coast Whale Entanglement Mitigation Programme, which is trialling modified gear designs. The humpback migration typically peaks in June and July but is expected to continue through to October, with the whales returning south with newborn calves. Scientists say this year's observations will be key to understanding how these iconic mammals are adapting to a warming ocean.
