| These photos
were provided courtesy of Trish and Wally Franklin, expedition leaders
and founders of the Oceania Project. We hope you enjoy them.
[Photographs - © Trish Franklin] |
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| Meet
the whales of Hervey Bay |
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The Oceania Project has been studying, photographing, filming and recording the Humpback Whales that visit Hervey Bay each year. This information is providing new insights into the behaviour and social organisation of the Humpback Whales and how they are using Hervey Bay.
On this page you will meet a few individual
whales - Ropey, Slaphappy, Retro, Venus
and Cupid, Oceania and Gregono.
If you'd like more information, follow the link to 'The Oceania Project' page.
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| "Ropey" |
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| Ropey,
a sub-adult whale, was first spotted
in August 1998 with a rope wrapped
around and trailing from its fluke.
But this is a tale with a happy
ending. Eleven days later Ropey was
sighted again minus the rope! The
series of breach photos above, taken
from the first sighting, shows how
low in the water the breaches were
and suggests the rope was affecting
Ropey's ability to breach. |
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| "Slaphappy" |
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Slaphappy playing with Bottlenose Dolphins. The name 'Slaphappy' was an obvious choice after watching the energetic fluke slapping of this young whale. Slaphappy is a female. It's not unusual to find young sub-adult whales, both male and female, spending time alone in Hervey Bay. It may be that only recently separated from their mothers, they are exploring the world alone for the first time. |
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| "Retro" |
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Malcolm Salisbury sits quietly with Retro at the stern of 'Karma'. The whales name arose from the fact that during the time Retro spent with the crew of The Oceania Project, he continuously moved to the bow of 'Karma' and then pushed himself backwards between and under the twin hulls looking up at those on the nets above. |
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| "Venus"
and "Cupid" |
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This mother (Venus) and calf (Cupid) were first sighted in October 1995. The calf was straying away from the Mother who surfaced quickly, bringing the Calf back to her and resuming the fluke up feeding position. The mother had two very distinctive black circles on the upper part of her left-hand side under-fluke. These marks are permanent and will enable identification throughout her life. The names Venus and Cupid apparently came easily for this appealing
pair.
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| "Oceania" |
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After laying quietly with her calf, Oceanus, for some time, Oceania suddenly bursts into a series of breaches.
Perhaps she'd seen a shark and was protecting her young one. |
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| "Gregono" |
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Brothers Gregory and Jonathon Harris named Gregono using a combination of their own names. Naming the Whales is an important part of The Oceania Project
research.
Sub-adults like Gregono are curious about the people watching them from the Expedition vessel. Here makes a gentle headrise alongside the ship. |
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Photographs on
this page are copyrighted and supplied courtesy
of
Trish and Wally Franklin
The Oceania Project
Please visit The Oceania Project Web Site at: http://www.oceania.org.au
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