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Southern Right Whale

EUBALAENA AUSTRALIS

The Southern Right Whale is a marine mammal belonging to the order Cetacea, a group that includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises. It is part of the suborder Mysticeti, which includes the large baleen whales that use keratin plates to filter their food. Its body is typically black or dark gray with irregular white patches on its underside, though it can also show lighter pigmentation in other areas.

Getting close to whales taught me how to discover the balance of the oceans.

Tito Bottazzi -founder-

One of the most distinctive features of these whales is the presence of callosities on the top and sides of their heads. These are patches of thickened skin made of keratinized epidermis.

According to the Marine Mammal Laboratory at the Patagonian National Research Center (with whom we collaborate), each whale typically remains in our gulfs for an average of 70 days.

Mating also occurs in these waters, a truly spectacular event. Mating groups usually consist of two to ten individuals.

Southern Right Whale females reach sexual maturity at around seven years of age and typically give birth every three years. Gestation lasts about one year, and calves are usually born between June and mid-September. During this time, the peninsula becomes a vast nursery, where the young whales spend the first months of their lives.

It’s common for females to position themselves belly-up to avoid mating. However, when they need to turn over to breathe, the males quickly dive in and try to mate. Males compete intensely for the female, although at times, they may also cooperate in courtship.

Southern Right Whale Behavior

During Their Visit with Us

June and July:

Southern Right Whales are already present in the Golfo Nuevo. You’ll find juveniles, adult males and females arriving to mate, as well as females returning with last year’s calves and others coming to give birth near the Doradillo area. These months are filled with lively interactions in the water.


August and September:

These months are marked by intense surface activity. Juveniles, adult males and females are frequently seen, while birthing females usually stay apart, closely bonding with their newborn calves. This is also when you’ll witness the most spectacular breaches.


October, November, and December:

The adult and subadult whales begin to leave, while a large number of females with newborn calves remain. The calves start to separate slightly from their mothers and display remarkable curiosity — often breaching energetically while their mothers dive for food at the bottom. Fewer adults and juveniles remain, each exhibiting a variety of behaviors.