Our Southern Right Whale Research in south WA

Southern right whale study quantifies impact of whaling in New Zealand's waters - ABC News.

Katy Fannei. UWA logo - Diabetes WA. Bachelor in Biological Science (Germany, 2017), specialised in cancer research Master in Marine Science (The University of Western Australia, Perth/Albany, 2022), specialised in Southern Right Whale Research Research Assistant at Centre for Whale Research and Oceanwise Australia Conducting Southern Right Whale Research in south WA since 2020.

Why Southern Right Whales?. Still endangered in Australia Slow repro duction rate Use areas very close to the coast for their breeding activities Ecosystem values Cultural values.

Dissertation research 2021. “Within-season variation in abundance, distribution, and habitat use of Southern Right Whales in Western Australia”.

Australian Southern Right Whales. South-western subpopulation Head of Bight h South-eastern subpopulation s.

Our survey area. 5 30.

Our survey effort. 4 th of June and 23 rd of October 2021 23 aerial surveys (23 weeks) supported by 14 recreational pilots 75.5 flight hours with 50 hours observation ~450 km of coastline with a total distance of 14.807 km across all flights 1655 individual Southern Right Whale sightings, including 673 mother-calf pairs and 309 whales without calves..

Mother-calf pairs Unaccompanied Whales All Southern Right Whales.

Comparing the numbers with the annual census. Year (Date) All whales Mother-calf pairs U nacc . whales 2015 (2-6 September) 122 28 66 2016 (24-29 August) 162 62 38 2017 (23-27 August) 194 77 40 2018 (18-23 August) 219 79 61 2019 (18-24 August) 190 76 38 2020 (20-24 August) 131 53 25 Average 169.7 62.5 44.7 2021 peak abundance (7 August) 160 72 16 2021 max abundance 194 72 (7 August) 50 (4 September).

Where are the Southern Right Whales?. Albany. Hassel Beach.

Doubtful Island Bay Sremer Bay Dillon Bay Wray Bay Cheyne Bay Hassel Beach Alba nw.

Distribution in June. MCs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0 0.5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.5 0.25 0 0.47871355387816905 0 1.181453906563152 0.25 1.3149778198382918 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0 0.5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.5 0.25 0 0.47871355387816905 0 1.181453906563152 0.25 1.3149778198382918 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0 0.5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.5 0.75 0 0.75 0 2.75 0.75 2.25 0 UWs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0.5 0 0 0 0.28867513459481287 0.25 0 0.25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25 0.25 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0.5 0.25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.5 0 0 0.25 1.6832508230603465 1.5 0.9574271077563381 0.75 1.181453906563152 2.2546248764114472 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0.5 0 0 0 0.28867513459481287 0.25 0 0.25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25 0.25 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0.5 0.25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.5 0 0 0.25 1.6832508230603465 1.5 0.9574271077563381 0.75 1.181453906563152 2.2546248764114472 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0.5 0 0 0 0.5 0.25 0 0.25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25 0.25 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0.5 0.25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.5 0 0 0.25 2 1.5 1.5 0.75 1.75 3.5 0 SRWs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0.5 0 0 0 0.28867513459481287 0.25 0 0.75 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.47871355387816905 0.25 0 0 0 0.9464847243000456 0 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0.5 0.25 0 0.5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.5 0 1 0.62915286960589578 1.6832508230603465 1.9148542155126762 0.9574271077563381 2.5289984842489197 0.75 4.708148963941845 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0.5 0 0 0 0.28867513459481287 0.25 0 0.75 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.47871355387816905 0.25 0 0 0 0.9464847243000456 0 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0.5 0.25 0 0.5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.5 0 1 0.62915286960589578 1.6832508230603465 1.9148542155126762 0.9574271077563381 2.5289984842489197 0.75 4.708148963941845 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0.5 0 0 0 0.5 0.25 0 0.75 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.75 0.25 0 0 0 1.25 0 0 0 0 0.25 0 0 0 0.5 0.25 0 0.5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.5 0 1 1.75 2 3 1.5 6.25 3.25 8 0.

Distribution in July. Wray Bay Cheyne Doubtful Island Bay Bremer Bay Dillon Bay Hassel Beach Albany,.

MCs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0.96953597148326576 0.97979589711327131 0.67823299831252692 0.58309518948452987 0.58309518948452999 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.19999999999999998 0 0 0.19999999999999998 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.19999999999999998 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.24494897427831777 0 0 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0.6 0.37416573867739417 1.5937377450509229 1.1401754250991378 1.4491376746189437 1.4628738838327793 2.745906043549196 1.1401754250991378 1.2884098726725122 0.81240384046359593 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0.96953597148326576 0.97979589711327131 0.67823299831252692 0.58309518948452987 0.58309518948452999 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.19999999999999998 0 0 0.19999999999999998 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.19999999999999998 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.24494897427831777 0 0 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0.6 0.37416573867739417 1.5937377450509229 1.1401754250991378 1.4491376746189437 1.4628738838327793 2.745906043549196 1.1401754250991378 1.2884098726725122 0.81240384046359593 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.4 2.8 2.6 2.6 3.8 0.8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.2 0 0 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.4 0 0 0 0 0.4 0.6 1.8 5.8 6 5 4.8 8.8000000000000007 5 6.6 2.4 UWs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.19999999999999998 0.58309518948452999 0.37416573867739411 0.19999999999999998 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.19999999999999998 0 0 0 0.19999999999999998 0.19999999999999998 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0.58309518948452999 0.58309518948452999 1.42828568570857 1.1224972160321824 0.5099019513592784 0.31622776601683794 0.97979589711327109 0.39999999999999997 0.19999999999999998 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.19999999999999998 0.58309518948452999 0.37416573867739411 0.19999999999999998 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.19999999999999998 0 0 0 0.19999999999999998 0.19999999999999998 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0.58309518948452999 0.58309518948452999 1.42828568570857 1.1224972160321824 0.5099019513592784 0.31622776601683794 0.97979589711327109 0.39999999999999997 0.19999999999999998 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.2 0.8 1.2 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.2 0 0 0 0.2 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.4 0 0 0.4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.4 0 0 0.4 0.8 1.2 2.2000000000000002 3.4 1.6 1 1.4 0.6 0.2 SRWs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.79999999999999993 1.9390719429665315 1.8867962264113205 1.0488088481701516 1.3928388277184121 1.3564659966250534 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0.19999999999999998 0.19999999999999998 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0 0 0.48989794855663554 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.48989794855663554 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0 0.79999999999999993 1.5999999999999999 1.0295630140987 3.5972211497209892 3.3823069050575523 3.6138621999185307 3.3376638536557266 5.6621550667568261 3.1559467676119004 2.6532998322843193 1.5491933384829666 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.79999999999999993 1.9390719429665315 1.8867962264113205 1.0488088481701516 1.3928388277184121 1.3564659966250534 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0.19999999999999998 0.19999999999999998 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0 0 0.48989794855663554 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.48989794855663554 0 0 0.39999999999999997 0 0.79999999999999993 1.5999999999999999 1.0295630140987 3.5972211497209892 3.3823069050575523 3.6138621999185307 3.3376638536557266 5.6621550667568261 3.1559467676119004 2.6532998322843193 1.5491933384829666 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.8 5.6 5.4 6 8.8000000000000007 1.8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.6 0 0 0.4 0.2 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.4 0 0 0.8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.8 0 0 0.4 0 0.8 1.6 4.4000000000000004 12.8 14.2 13.4 11.2 18.600000000000001 11.4 13.8 5.

Distribution in September. Wray Bay Cheyne Doubtful Island Bay Bremer Bay Dillon Bay Hassel Beach Albany,.

Distribution in October. Wray Bay Cheyne Doubtful Island Bay Bremer Bay Dillon Bay Hassel Beach Albany,.

Outcomes and significance. Providing information on timing, areas, and environmental conditions of Southern Right Whale aggregations within a breeding season Complementing previous and ongoing research, specifically the annual census, with insights into within-season dynamics of Southern Right Whale abundance and distribution in south WA Informing local conservation management about when and where Southern Right Whales might be exposed to potential threats to mitigate risks By continuing the project over years, we will be able groundtruth and compare our results across different breeding cohorts and environmental conditions.

Thanks to all collaborators and supporters. Max Fabry (project partner) Lisa-Maree and David Ellett (financial and organisatory support) Noel and Robyn Stoney Paul Close, Barbara Cook, and Jane Prince (supervisors) Nick and Anna Gorman Mick Moir The pilots: David Ellett , Noel Stoney, Max Shearer, Hans Van Mullen, Paul Cole, James King, Callum Neil, Anderson Dufty, Andrew Ducan , Braden Smale , Rod Moir, David Campbell, & William Owen.

Thanks for your attention and support!. A whale in the water Description automatically generated with low confidence.