A large southern right whale relaxing in the shallows just off the Dalmeny headland on Wednesday morning was a cause of concern for some, who thought it may have been sick.
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This southern right was just doing what southern rights do – relaxing in the shallows, possibly taking shelter from the East Coast Low making its way along the coast.
The appearance of the southern right came right when the the northern migration of humpback whales is in full swing on the Far South Coast.
Locals including Aida Zapasnik were concerned there was something wrong with the whale as it was in so close sometimes less than 100 metres from shore for so long, from 7am and still there at 2pm.
But southern right whales are known to come in close and just hang around for hours, unlike humpback whales that at the current time are in a rush to get their northern birthing and mating grounds.
Southern right whales are easy to tell apart from humpbacks as they have a flat, broad back without a dorsal fin, and a long arching mouth that begins above the eye. The head is often covered with white growths, known as callosities.
The species is listed as "endangered" by CITES and there are around 10,000 southern rights thought to be in existence. They were called the “right” whale as they were easy to harpoon by whalers.
Over the years, locals have got some amazing footage of southern right whales relaxing off the Narooma coastline.
Related stories: Amazing southern right whale encounter
Anyone who does notice marine mammals in distress, whether whales or seals, is encouraged to contact ORRCA (Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia) on their 24-hour hotline at 02 9415 3333.