Queensland whale migration season ends with crucial – and slightly gross – monitoring progress

Queensland's humpback whale migration season has ended, marking the end of a period of significant progress in monitoring these majestic creatures along Australia's shores. 

Researchers deployed tags on 10 whales this season to record their movements, behaviour, and habitat use, providing valuable insights into their lives.

In a rare occurrence for the region, scientists also successfully collected samples of humpback whale faeces. 

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"It's very important because we can compare it with samples that we have from Antarctica, and other regions from South Africa, and that will give us a good understanding about how important is that whale poo for the ocean," Griffith University's Dr Olaf Meynecke said.

However, the season was not without its challenges. Four whales were found caught in shark nets along the Gold Coast coastline, and more further afield.

Researchers also observed an increase in skin conditions among the whales.

"That's usually an indication of some health issues and maybe less feeding success during the summer months," Meynecke said.

The whales are now continuing on their migration towards Antarctica, where they are expected to spend approximately 2-3 months feeding on krill. 

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This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.