Southern right whale
Eubalaena australis
The southern right whale is a mammal of the order Cetacea, the group that includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. It belongs to the suborder Mysticeti, which brings together the great whales that use baleen plates to filter their food.
Its body is black or dark gray with irregular white patches on the belly, although it can also show depigmentation on other parts of the body.
The most distinctive feature of these whales is the callosities on the top and sides of the head, made of hardened, horn-like skin.
«Getting close to the whales taught me to discover the balance of the oceans»
Tito Bottazzi, ounder
The peninsula becomes a great nursery
Mating also takes place in these waters, and it´s a spectacular event. Mating groups of several individuals usually form.
Female right whales are thought to reach sexual maturity at around 7 years of age and to have a calf every 3 years. Gestation lasts about a year, and the first calves are born from June through mid-September. During that time the peninsula becomes a great nursery where the calves spend their first months of life.
The female often rolls belly-up to avoid mating, but when she has to turn over to breathe, the males immediately dive and try to mate with her. Males compete intensely for the female, although they may also work as a team during courtship.
What youll see each month of the season
Behavior changes month by month. Choose the period of your trip.
We collaborate with the Marine Mammal Laboratory of the Centro Nacional Patagónico and with the Protejamos Patagonia Foundation in the study and conservation of the species.
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