RARE SIGHTING OF AN ENDANGERED SEI WHALE AT AGINCOURT REEF

January 2008: Guests aboard the Port Douglas-based dive and snorkel vessel Silversonic were recently witness to a rare sighting of what is believed to be a Sei Whale at Agincourt Reef.
 
The whale was first spotted about 200 metres from Silversonic in the channel between Agincourt 2B and Agincourt 2A where passengers were able to catch a glimpse of the rare whale. While the boat was stationary, the whale emerged in full view spending several minutes around the boat before swimming away.
 
Quicksilver marine biologist and Environmental Compliance Manager, Doug Baird, said the whale was approximately 16 metres long and due to its inquisitive nature several good photographs were taken as it circled Silversonic, which after consultation with experts at Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) enabled the identification.

The Sei ( pronounced “say” ) Whales are among the more elusive of the large whales and are rarely seen inshore preferring the deeper oceans.  They are one of the fastest whales with bursts of speed up to 55km/hr.  The Sei Whale is very similar in appearance to the Fin and Brydes whales being long, streamlined and having a V – shaped head which is flat on top.   

Growing up to 20 metres and 30 tonnes, they are the third largest of the baleen whales, after the Blue Whale and the Fin Whale.  Their body is dark grey with a paler underside.  It has twin blowholes with a low splashguard to the front.  A distinguishing feature is a single ridge extending from the blowholes to the tip of the upper jaw.

The Sei Whale is a filter feeder, feeding on small schooling fish, squid and crustaceans.  It feeds by swimming at a relatively high speed, opening its jaw which causes it to engulf up to 18,000 gallons of water. 

It then closes its jaw and pushes the water back out its mouth through the baleen, which allows the water to leave while trapping the prey.  They can consume up to 2 tons of food per day.

In general, the Sei whale migrates annually from cool and subpolar waters in summer to temperate and subtropical waters for winter, where food is more abundant and mating occurs.

The Sei Whale remains on the endangered species list with reports of less than 54,000 in the world.

*Images courtesy of Shane Down