Watching 50,000 Whales Migrate: a Beautiful Tribute to Conservation

Humpback whales have begun moving from Antarctica to warmer waters in the Great Barrier Reef for their annual migration.

“It’s just this feeling of awe to see this fat whale of that size get all that body out of the water. No matter how many times you see it, it always takes your breath away,” says Carrie Davis of Go Whale Watching in Sydney.

An estimated 50,000 whales are expected to migrate, giving many Australians a lifetime performance during this whale-watching season. Commercial whaling was banned in the region in the 1960s when only 300 humpback whales remained, and the population has since boomed. This, coupled with their annual migration, is a testament to the success of the conservation work done to protect the species in the region.