Whales Roar Back: Citizen Science Counts Comeback

Citizen scientists are playing an indispensable role in monitoring whale populations, particularly due to the scarcity of funding for dedicated research. Their efforts are crucial for compiling essential data that would otherwise be unavailable.

This year's annual whale census sees thousands of volunteers, like the Fox family, heading to coastal vantage points to count migrating whales. Their observations are critical in understanding whale movements and population health.

The humpback whale population along the Australian east coast is a celebrated success story. Once decimated to as few as 100 individuals due to whaling, their numbers have rebounded impressively, with estimates now exceeding 50,000 annually.

In contrast, southern right whales are experiencing a stalled recovery and are considered endangered in Australian waters. Factors such as climate change impacting their Antarctic habitats and krill populations are believed to be contributing to their precarious situation.

Volunteers, such as those participating in the census, are vital for gathering data on whale entanglements in fishing gear and nets, a growing concern for marine life.