Southern Right Whales | Nature Documentary

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Giants of the Southern Seas: an interesting documentary about southern right whales that I made in the Valdes Peninsula, Argentina in September 2023.
The Valdes Peninsula is a Patagonian nature reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site located on the coast of Argentina.
At the beginning of September 2023, I traveled to this untamed area renowned for its unique wildlife to film the southern right whales, one of the most extraordinary and impressive ocean inhabitants that I have ever had the privilege of seeing.
The Valdes Peninsula is home to an important breeding population of the endangered southern right whales that from June to December migrate from the chilly waters of Antarctica to the warm and protected waters of the Peninsula to meet other whales, mate, give birth and take care of their calves. With more than 1.300 specimens visiting the area annually, the Valdes Peninsula contains the globally most important breeding grounds of the Southern Right Whale, a species that had severely suffered from commercial whaling.
Their mating system is polyandrous, meaning that several males participate in mating with one female. Whales gather in what is called a mating group. Groups are made up of a variable number of males seeking to mate with a single female. In a group the female can copulate with one or several males on the same day. Weighing more than 60 tons, male right whales have one of the largest penises in nature: 12 foot long and extremely flexible, making it easier to deposit their sperm very close to the egg, in the female's genital tract, during the brief copulation that only lasts a few seconds. It is one of the most impressive manifestations of nature. What the female does is escape, as if in a game, until the males achieve mating. Females give birth to a calf every three years on average, so in each season there are few females receptive to several males. Thus, they must compete intensely among themselves to be the parents of those calves.
The females that mated in the previous season approach the coasts of the
Valdes Peninsula, that are protected from the wind and storms, to give birth to their young. The gestation period of the whale calf is estimated between 12 and 13 months and births usually occur between the months of July and October. At birth, a calf can measure 13 to 20 feet long and weigh between one and three tons.
The relationship between a whale and its calf is very strong and lasting over time, since it depends on its mother for a full year. During the first weeks, the mother is very protective; there is a lot of physical contact. The calm waters that surround the Valdes Peninsula favor the care of the young. Sometimes the calves want to explore, play, get away and the mothers look for them, setting limits. During the first months, mother and calf remain in shallow waters very close to the coast. Starting in November, females with calves begin to leave the Valdes Peninsula, venturing on their routes to large feeding areas in the ocean.
Although most right whales are black with white spots on their bellies, some are born grey or white. This is because their cells produce less melanin. As they become adults, these animals' skin darkens to grey or grey with spots. They are known as grey-morphs.
Right whales have thicker, rougher patches of skin, called callosities. When the whale is born, these areas have a color like the rest of the body. These callosities generate a favorable environment for populations of small crustaceans, which will give them a white or orange color.
The body control these animals have in the water is impressive. There are places with very little depth, and they get very close without touching you. The whales decide whether to approach or not. Some are very elusive and others very sociable.
Finding yourself in the natural environment and at such a close distance from such a majestic, immense creature, feeling its breathing, locking eyes with it makes you reflect on how small we are. These enormous marine animals can measure 53 feet in length and weigh more than 60 tons, yet they have an exceptional grace and harmony when they move. The encounter with these gentle giants transmits a feeling of peace and humility; the humility that allows us to feel empathy towards the creatures with whom we share our planet and gratitude for having the privilege of witnessing these impressive manifestations of nature.
Location: Valdes Peninsula, Chubut, Argentina September 2023