Keep An Eye Out For Endangered Southern Right Whales

[Melissa_Theuriau]

The Department of Conservation (DOC) is calling on the public to keep an eye out and report sightings of southern right whales which are starting to move along the New Zealand coastline.

Recent sightings of whales near Dunedin, and one near Stewart Island, has signalled the start of this year’s whale migration season and the beginning of the Department of Conservation’s southern right whale research programme.

“This is exciting – it’s a rare opportunity for members of the public to see large whales from the coast and to help DOC with crucial research” said Steve Smith, DOC’s national marine mammal coordinator.

DOC’s challenge is to find as many whales as possible and do more research to better understand the relationship between the whales seen around the mainland and those from the New Zealand sub Antarctic region. Whale sightings help DOC researchers retrieve tissue samples and other vital information. DOC needs to collect genetic samples from 30 individual right whales but at present we only have 22.

The purpose of DOC’s research is to learn as much about endangered southern right whales as possible and then take measures to ensure the whales have the right level of protection.

Since May of 2003 an average of 70 southern right whale sightings have been reported each season. “Hopefully with the public’s continued help we will be able to complete our research by the end of the year,” said Mr. Smith.

Any southern right whale sightings should be reported immediately on the Doc hotline, 0800 DOCHOT (0800 36 24 68).

[johnL]

I looked around Rotorua on the way home, other than the manatees at maccas I saw no southern right whales. I will keep an eye out though

[OliverBendix]

None in Lower Hutt either!

I suppose I might see one if it comes into the harbour and I ride round to Eastbourne. I might go around there tomorrow lunchtime.

[nzmatto]

I think I just saw one going past the window.......opppps no, my bad. It was a sneezing pig flying by.

[happybaboon]

How can I tell the difference between endangered Southern Right Whales and the numerous more-common whales that I see on an hourly basis?

[j2hyde]

What is their typical migratory route?

[johnL]

a lot of information can be found in the japanese book of scientfic BBQ meats

[thorg]

What is their typical migratory route?

State Highway 1, using the matamata bypass to avoid Hamilton.

(up the East Coast I believe. . . . )

[sifter]

I looked around Rotorua on the way home, other than the manatees at maccas I saw no southern right whales. I will keep an eye out though

[Tama]

How can I tell the difference between endangered Southern Right Whales and the numerous more-common whales that I see on an hourly basis?

They taste better

[xcwander]

How can I tell the difference between endangered Southern Right Whales and the numerous more-common whales that I see on an hourly basis?

Southern Right Whales wont slap you in the face and call you a pig for stating the obvious

[mfw]

How can I tell the difference between endangered Southern Right Whales and the numerous more-common whales that I see on an hourly basis?

They taste better

But seriously though, we were having this pig cruelty debate at work the other day, and came up with the idea that instead of killing 100,000's of animals each year to eat, we could have a few hundred whales in a whale farm instead to provide the same meat. They only have the brain size of a pea anyway so don't suffer much (compared to a pig), so overall with much fewer animals much less suffering

Plus they're religion agnostic (not taboo to eat in any religion I know of)

Can I claim vorb idea of the week now

[slidecontrol]

What is their typical migratory route?

State Highway 1, using the matamata bypass to avoid Hamilton.

(up the East Coast I believe. . . . )

that explains why I haven't seen any

[happybaboon]

How can I tell the difference between endangered Southern Right Whales and the numerous more-common whales that I see on an hourly basis?

They taste better

But seriously though, we were having this pig cruelty debate at work the other day, and came up with the idea that instead of killing 100,000's of animals each year to eat, we could have a few hundred whales in a whale farm instead to provide the same meat. They only have the brain size of a pea anyway so don't suffer much (compared to a pig), so overall with much fewer animals much less suffering

Plus they're religion agnostic (not taboo to eat in any religion I know of)

Can I claim vorb idea of the week now

Allegedly whales taste awful.

Pigs taste far too amazing for me to stop eating them.

[E Dogg Capizzle]

Allegedly whales taste awful.

Pigs taste far too amazing for me to stop eating them.

Clearly then we need to get the boffins down at the lab working on some sort of genetically modified pig-whale hybrid.