Tohorā Southern Right Whale, Kokotahi-te-Taniwha Evans Bay

Discuss natural history subjects not strictly related to birds. Reports of interesting mammal, reptile, and invertebrate sightings are welcome.
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Michael Szabo
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Tohorā Southern Right Whale, Kokotahi-te-Taniwha Evans Bay

Postby Michael Szabo » Thu Jul 27, 2023 8:31 am

Seen yesterday in Evans Bay in Wellington by many people.
Last edited by Michael Szabo on Thu Jul 27, 2023 3:30 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Michael Szabo
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Re: Tohorā Southern Right Whale, Kokotahi-te-Taniwha Evans Bay

Postby Michael Szabo » Thu Jul 27, 2023 3:28 pm

It is still there today at the western end of the bay near the marina, swimming around and sometimes giving a deep growling call.
It seems quite settled and could stick around for the next week if the last one that visited us here in winter 2018 is anything to go by.
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Tohorā Southern Right Whale in Kokotahi-te-Taniwha Evans Bay, 27/7/23.
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'New Zealand Birders' Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/857726274293085
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Michael Szabo
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Re: Tohorā Southern Right Whale, Kokotahi-te-Taniwha Evans Bay

Postby Michael Szabo » Sat Jul 29, 2023 8:40 am

It wasn't seen in the same location yesterday so it seems to have moved on now. Here's some more photos I posted to Facebook including another link to a video clip in which you can hear the amazing deep growling calls that it made at the surface:
https://www.facebook.com/michael.szabo. ... Md1SbMg9rl
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Michael Szabo
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Re: Tohorā Southern Right Whale, Kokotahi-te-Taniwha Evans Bay

Postby Michael Szabo » Sat Jul 29, 2023 3:27 pm

As luck would have it, the Tohorā Southern Right Whale was found again this morning here in Taputeranga/Island Bay.
More photos here on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michael.szabo. ... QuktDJTF7l
SRW in IB_8666.JPG
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Cardinal15
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Re: Tohorā Southern Right Whale, Kokotahi-te-Taniwha Evans Bay

Postby Cardinal15 » Tue Aug 01, 2023 11:49 am

What an absolutely amazing creature

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