51 humpbacks spotted in Great Kaikōura Whale Count

Dozens of humpback whales were spotted by volunteers who gathered in Kaikōura for the annual whale count.

The Great Kaikōura Whale Count looks at how many humpback whales are migrating between feeding grounds in the Southern Ocean near Antarctica and breeding grounds in a more tropical climate.

It also doubles as a tourism boost for the coastal town, which attracted people from 15 countries, at an otherwise quiet time of year.

The whale count brought together 156 volunteers from South and North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and around New Zealand.

Kaikōura Ocean Research Institute Inc (KORI) director Jody Weir said 51 humpback whales were sighted over a two week period, from June 27 to July 10.

Sperm, blue and southern right whales were also observed.

Southern right whales once gave birth to their calves off the coast of Kaikōura in their hundreds, until whaling nearly wiped them out.

In recent years only half a dozen newly born southern right whale calves have been observed in the area, Dr Weir said.

‘‘If you wipe out a whole group of individuals, no-one is around to remember that Kaikōura is a good place to have your calf.

‘‘So, in a sense the Great Kaikōura Whale Count is a way of welcoming them back.’’

She said whales were important to the ecosystem of the ocean and restoring whale numbers could help to restore some balance.

‘‘Whales eat and move great distances in the water column and they leave their poop behind, which feeds the bottom of the food chain.

‘‘We are learning more about the moving of carbon and how the impact of climate change is affecting the movement of whales and the ocean ecosystem.’’

Microscopic phytoplankton plants feed off the nutrients left behind in whale poop, she said.

Although this year’s count was over a shorter period, Dr Weir said it continued the trend of a growing number of whales being observed.

She said 80 humpback whales were observed in the first year, but it was over a much longer period.

‘‘Overall, it helps to connect the community with the marine life and gain a greater understanding of whale life off our shores.’’

The whale count was first held in 2020, when local tourism operators WhaleWatch and Dolphin Encounter were out of action due to Covid.

It was held for three years, but did not happen last year due to a lack of funding.

A community initiatives grant from the Kaikōura District Council has allowed KORI to offer internships to help plan and run events this year, including the whale count.

It allowed KORI to run events during the fortnight to raise awareness of whales.

KORI is now looking for funding to run the whale count again next year and has set up a Givealittle page.

‘‘Every year people say they wish they knew about it sooner, but we can’t advertise it until we have funding sorted.’’

By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.