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Story: Whales

Southern right whales breaching

This film shows the energetic leaping of the right whale. There are now a number of right whales at Campbell and Auckland islands, but they are rarely seen around the New Zealand mainland. In the early 19th century they were common winter visitors until commercial whalers decided their slow speed and their oil-rich blubber made them the ‘right’ whale to catch.

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Natural History New Zealand

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How to cite this page:

Gerard Hutching. 'Whales', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 24-Sep-11
URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/whales/3/4