News Release September 18, 2009
Split fin and killer whales visit Jervis Bay
A pod of killer whales including the orca known as Split Fin has been sighted in Jervis Bay this week.
The acting manager of the Jervis Bay Marine Park Frances Clements says it was a great thrill to see the pod, which has been known to experts since being sighted off the coast of Eden in 1996.
“The fins and other body markings are used as key identifiers of different whales in particular one in this group called Split Fin is readily identifiable because of the vertical split in its fin, resulting in most of the fin drooping to the left.”
Ms Clements said the pod made up of four whales, had been sighted on Monday between Point Perpendicular and Beecroft Head.
“The killer whales seem to turn up around this time of year maybe due to a combination of factors such as the prevalence of seals and Humpbacks. This pod did take an interest in seals hauled out at Drum and Drumsticks. The seals however engaged in some whale-watching from the safety of their rock platform and watched the whales head north.”
Jervis Bay Marine Park is approximately 180km south of Sydney and 20km southeast of Nowra in the Batemans marine bioregion. There are a variety of habitats represented in the park and it’s home to a mix of tropical and temperate species including the weedy sea-dragon, eastern blue devil fish, bottlenose dolphin, fur seal, little penguin and endangered grey nurse shark.Media Contact: Tonia Liosatos
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