Albino Southern Right Whale calf at Witsand

Every winter Southern Right whales migrate to the South Coast of South Africa to calf. Watch these parents play with their new born calves. The albino calf is a very rare find and a joyful experience to observe.
Southern Rights can grow to around 15 meters (49 feet) in length and can weigh over 47 tonnes, with the largest of the species being recorded at 18 meters (59 feet) and 80 tonnes, aging almost 100 years! They are most easily recognised by the callosities (sometimes mistaken for barnacles) that cover their heads and blowholes. These unique patches have been used to record the different whales, as each layout is as unique as a fingerprint.

Many Southern Rights are also mottled in colour, with large black and white splotches patterning their bellies – making it easier to spot them when they’re relaxing in the water. Around 4% of these whales are born completely white and carry this into adulthood. Something that not many know is that Southern Rights are extremely susceptible to sunburn and skin cancer and therefore shy away from bright and warm days. The albino whales are even more at risk to this and are therefore rarely seen. It’s because of this that the whales choose to make their way to Witsand, and surrounding areas, in the winter months, when the sun is weaker and the waters cooler.

Another discerning factor is the v-shaped blowhole atop their heads. When the whales expel air, a distinctive v-shaped plume of misty air is shot into the air, which can be spotted from quite a distance away.