Auckland visitors have a whale of a time
12 Dec 2008
A rare visit from humpback whales to Auckland's marine doorstep has scientists and whale watchers very excited.
A boat-load of tourists on a whale and dophin safari on the Hauraki Gulf on Friday (12.12.08) screamed with delight as a mother humpback and her calf treated them to a thrilling display of acrobatics.
Hurling their giant bodies from the water, twisting and turning, and slapping their distinctively marked tails on the surface, the pair's synchronised performance took place within metres of the boat.
Out on an afternoon voyage, Explore NZ's Auckland Whale and Dolphin Safari spotted the mother and calf north of Waiheke Island.
"Everyone was really excited ... it's incredibly rare for them to come so far in," said Explore NZ's senior master Keith Algie.
Confirmed sightings
According to Department of Conservation marine scientist Dr Mike Donoghue there have been only five or six confirmed sightings in the Hauraki Gulf in as many years.
After whaling stations were established around New Zealand from the late 19th century, the whale population - particularly humpbacks - was hunted almost to extinction. Today the species is considered to be endangered.
Vast menu
It was likely the pair had come into the gulf to feed on their way to the Antarctic. With its "vast menu" of food, it was possible the mother and calf would be regular visitors to the area, Mr Algie said.
Dr Donoghue was thrilled to hear of the sighting, and said he hoped the whale would be back.
"How absolutely splendid. She's potentially a new chum, but if not then we'll still be able to find out a little more more about her so it's really good news. It's a good indication that the population is slowly recovering," he said.
Diverse marine park
Dolphins and other whale species are regularly spotted in the Hauraki Gulf.
Tour operators Explore NZ who operate the catamaran Dolphin Explorer, said that whale sightings happen on about 75 percent of their trips, while dolphins are seen on over 90 percent of trips.
Considered one of the most biologically and geographically diverse marine parks in the world, the Hauraki Gulf has been identified with 22 species of marine mammals - almost one third of the entire world's population of species.
These topics may also be of interest to you
|
