The Australian Marine Conservation Society and ORRCA recently co-hosted this year’s whale migration count. Their combined efforts painted a picture of a 700% increase in whale sightings along Australia’s east coast over the past 40 years! This year’s census was in June and July. It logged nearly 40,000 whales, primarily humpbacks, completing their annual migration north to breed in warmer waters. Over 600 volunteers participated in this year’s event, setting a new participation record in the event’s 26-year history. Their combined outreach efforts helped serve more than 159 sites as a team.
Pip Jacobs, a member of the advocacy group ORRCA, said they were overjoyed with the results. That number is going up every single year,” she said, pointing to the increase in sightings as evidence of increased volunteer commitment and more effective conservation work over the last several decades. This booming whale population might be the most exciting development, representing the undeniable success of protection and recovery efforts.
A Record Participation
This year’s Mug Up census had a record participation, with over 600 local participants registered. Volunteers climbed aboard boats, planes, and choppers, even standing on land in select locations, to get a view of the migrating whales from behind their respective lenses. John Griggs, a retiree and novice whale watcher, expressed his enthusiasm for taking part. They were curious to test them and explore the depths of the ocean and they wanted to know,” he said.
These citizen contributions were essential to the success of the campaign and provided valuable data on whale health, size, and species. Jacobs noted that favorable weather conditions played an important role in this year’s successful sightings. Even light winds and low chop or swell made a huge difference! “We had over 159 locations covered and over 600 participants registered,” she said, highlighting the extensive reach of the census.
Thriving Population of Humpbacks
Jacobs underlined the crucial role of the census in tracking whale populations. She emphasized that in the 1960s, the humpback population had dropped to only a few hundred. Today, the population has rebounded to around 40,000 whales making their big seasonal migration up and down the coast. By the 1960s the population had reduced to only a few hundred. Now, Jacobs continued, we expect that number to be a stunning 40,000 passing by our coastlines.
The proud volunteers got to see adult humpbacks with their newborn calves while on watch. Jacobs shared that they had a lot of people looking for calves that were only one to two weeks old. This underscores just how successful this majestic species is doing.
Volunteer Experiences
Given the geography of the coast, the volunteers’ experiences would differ immensely depending on where they landed on the coast. Caroline Jones has been an active volunteer with ORRCA for more than three years. She remarked that, while most of these whales currently go farther out to sea in their migrations, when you see them it still fills you with tremendous happiness. They’re traveling more slowly when going southbound. They have their calves in tow, so they take more breaks as they go,” she said.
On a normal Sunday during the census, devoted volunteers such as Griggs are quick to establish shop at Eden. Equipped with binoculars and flasks of tea, they are ready for an unforgettable day of whale watching. He remarked on the optimal conditions for spotting whales: “That’s the best time to see the whales because if it’s rough, there’s enough other white water going on out there, so you will be hard-picked to see the splash or the blow of the whale.”
Inspiring volunteers like these salty heroes are positively changing the game this migration season. Their efforts, along with targeted, smart conservation measures, have brought us to record-high whale sightings.
