Kimberley Whale Watching on Camden Sound Marine Park

Kimberley Whale Watching on Camden Sound Marine Park

Kimberley Whale Watching congratulates the Western Australian State Government on the creation of the Camden Sound Marine Park on the Kimberley coast covering an area of nearly 7,000km2.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Breach at Lulim Island

PRLog (Press Release) - Apr 19, 2012 - Kimberley Whale Watching congratulates the Western Australian State Government in announcing the new Camden Sound Marine Park.  The park, which was announced by former Environment Minister Donna Faragher in October 2009 covers a large area considered one of the main calving grounds for Breeding Stock D,  the world's largest population of Humpback whales, and Montgomery Reef, which at 350km2 is considered to beone of Australia's largest inshore reefs. The State Government will be working closely with traditional owners and sea rangers in the joint management of the park.

The Kimberley's Humpback whales use the islands and reefs of the marine park as areas to shelter whilst feeding and nurturing young calves.  Through our observations of Humpback whale distribution and behaviour along the Kimberley coast and outer reefs and shoals over the past six years, we have also noted the importance of the Dampier Peninsula as a whale calving, resting and feeding area, and urge the State Government to consider increased protection for the Humpback whale population along this part of the coast.  We hope that the state government will extend the areas under marine protection to include the Buccaneer Archipelago, Talbot Bay, Dugong Bay and the Horizontal Waterfalls.

Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/11853279/1

www.kimberleywhales.com.au

Whales Turn up in Kimberley waters

    PRESS RELEASE

The first humpback whales for 2010 have been spotted in Kimberley Waters.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PR Log (Press Release) – May 28, 2010 – Humpback whales have turned up in Kimberley waters a week earlier than last year.  Gregg Davey from Kimberley Kayak Fishing Tours (http://kimberleykayakfishing.com.au/) spotted the first pod of 3 juvenile whales near Talboys Rock, off Manari on the Kimberley coast on Monday the 24th of May 2010.  This year's sighting is a week earlier than the first reported whale sighting for 2009, which occurred on the 31st of May.  

Juveniles form the advance guard for the migrating whale population, which is estimated at approximately 22,000 individuals. The Breeding Group D population of Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) migrate from the frigid waters of the Antarctic to the warm tropical waters of the Kimberley coast to give birth.  The calving grounds extend from just south of Broome to north of Camden Sound, which will soon become the Kimberley's first inshore marine park.

The whale sightings herald the beginning of the Kimberley's whale watching season.  Broome will also host the second Kimberley Whale Festival, which will be held in Broome from the 15th to the 18th of July 2010.  As part of the festival, "Kimberley Whale Watching", a Broome based research group, is offering a framed whale photo for the first photo taken of a humpback whale in Kimberley waters in 2010.

Send your photo with time, date and location to kimberleywhales@bigpond.com.

Kimberley Whale Watching -  http://www.kimberleywhales.com.au
Kimberley Whale Festival - http://www.kimberleywhalefestival.blogspot.com
Whale Images - http://www.kimberleystockphotos.com.au
Whale Images - http://www.kimberleymedia.com.au

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Kimberley Whale Watching conducts research and charters between Broome and Camden Sound on Western Australia's Kimberley coast.

Camden Sound to be Declared a Marine Park

In October last year, the Western Australian Minister for the Environment, Donna Faragher, declared that Camden Sound, on the mid north Kimberley coast and the maternity ward and nursery for the Group lV population of Humpback Whales, is to be declared a Marine Park in 2010.  The boundaries are yet to be detemined.

Kimberley Whale Watching's 2010 "Whale and Reef" Research Cruises

Kimberley Whale Watching is offering an exciting opportunity to join us in 2010 on one of five extended "Whale & Reef" research expeditions, on The Great Escape Charter Company's vessel "MV Kimberley Escape".  Join us on one of five 7 or 8 days trips, between the 24th July and the 3rd of September 2010. 

Research expeditions will be limited to no more than 12 passengers, and will provide the opportunity to participate in photographing and recording whale numbers and behaviour, and to explore the remote Kimberley offshore islands and reefs. 

The 2010 trips will cover the area between Broome and Camden Sound, including The Lacepede Islands, Adele Island, Montgomery Reef (Australia's largest inshore reef), the iconic Horizontal Waterfalls, Wildcat Reef, Augustus Island and various places of interest not visited by many other charter boats.  You will enjoy swims in freshwater pools, reef walks, and learn about the wildlife of the Kimberley coast with local naturalists, whilst enjoying sumptuous cuisine and comfortable accommodation.

Participants will be making a valuable contribution toward our understanding of the way that the humpbacks are using the Kimberley coast.

We are currently taking enquiries.  Please email us for further information.

Kimberley Whale Watching