Why Southern Right Whales Migrate to Walker Bay
Every year, thousands of kilometres from the nearest feeding ground, Southern Right Whales arrive in Walker Bay with a single purpose: to mate and to raise their newborn calves in calm, predator-light water. Understanding why they migrate, and why Hermanus specifically, makes watching them far more meaningful.
What’s in this guide
Where Southern Right Whales Come From
Southern Right Whales spend their summer months (roughly December to May) feeding in the cold, nutrient-rich waters near Antarctica, building up the fat reserves they’ll rely on for months without feeding. As the southern hemisphere moves into winter, they begin a long migration north toward the warmer, sheltered coastal waters of South Africa.
Why They Migrate
Southern Right Whales don’t feed in Hermanus’s waters; they arrive with fat reserves built up over the summer and largely fast for the duration of their stay. The migration exists for one reason: reproduction. The cold Antarctic waters that suit feeding are too exposed and too cold for newborn calves, which are born with relatively little blubber. Walker Bay’s calm, shallow, sheltered water offers a safer environment for calving, nursing, and building strength before the long swim back south.
The Migration Route and Timing
Southern Right Whales begin the journey north in early winter, with the first arrivals typically reaching Walker Bay in June. Mating tends to happen earlier in the season, while calving is concentrated in August and September. By October, the bay is at its fullest, hosting mothers, calves, and males all at once. From late November, whales begin the return migration south, and by early December most have left the bay.
Recognising a Southern Right Whale
A few features make Southern Right Whales among the easiest large whales to identify:
- No dorsal fin: unlike Humpback or Bryde’s Whales, their backs are smooth and unbroken.
- A distinctive V-shaped blow: caused by two widely separated blowholes.
- Callosities: rough, pale patches of thickened skin on the head, unique to each whale like a fingerprint, and often colonised by small crustaceans called whale lice.
- Size: adults typically reach 13–17 metres in length and can weigh up to 60 tonnes.
Walker Bay as a Nursery
Walker Bay’s role as a calving ground is central to the Southern Right Whale’s survival story. The species was hunted to the edge of extinction in the 19th and early 20th centuries, a history that gives it its name, since it was once considered the “right” whale to hunt for its oil and baleen. Decades of international protection have allowed the population to recover steadily, and Walker Bay remains one of the most important nursery sites for the species anywhere in the world.
Southern Right Whale Migration FAQ’s
Why do Southern Right Whales come to Hermanus specifically?
Walker Bay’s sheltered, shallow, calm water provides ideal conditions for calving and nursing, which is why the species returns to the same stretch of coastline every year.
Do Southern Right Whales eat while in Hermanus?
Rarely. They largely rely on fat reserves built up while feeding near Antarctica during the summer months.
How can you tell a Southern Right Whale from a Humpback?
Southern Right Whales lack a dorsal fin and have a distinctive V-shaped blow, while Humpback Whales have a visible dorsal fin and are known for breaching.
How big is a Southern Right Whale?
Adults typically measure 13–17 metres and can weigh up to 60 tonnes.
Are Southern Right Whales endangered?
They are protected, and their population has been recovering for decades, though they remain a conservation priority after being hunted to near-extinction historically.
