Please sign the petition to protect our Encounter Bay Whale Nursery

Once a year, majestic and endangered Southern Right Whales travel up from Antarctica to give birth in Encounter Bay. If we’re lucky, these mothers and their new born calves stay in our warmer waters for many weeks within viewing distance from shore, delighting thousands of on-lookers.

But the local community is reporting that the regular presence of boats nearby may be unintentionally disturbing the mother whales and their calves. Sign the petition to make sure their nursery is safe and protected from disturbance when sheltering off our coastline.

Yes, I want to help keep these whales safe.

As well as the threat of vessel strike (particularly a risk for calves), these mothers are easily spooked by noise and other disturbance – at a time when they’re at their most vulnerable.

As this endangered species continues to recover from near extinction, we need to make sure these pregnant whale mothers have a safe place to rest, give birth and raise their young. You can help by signing the petition today.

The South Australian Government needs to ensure that the Southern Right Whales and their calves seeking sanctuary every winter in the Encounter Bay whale nursery between Port Elliot and Goolwa are always safe and free of disturbance.

The local community is rightly proud of our Southern Right Whales and the great benefits they bring to our region. We need to do all we can to keep these whales safe and returning to our waters. Please sign the petition today:  www.saveourmarinelife.org.au/encounter

For our whales and our local community,

Craig Wilkins
Chief Executive, Conservation Council of South Australia
For the Save Our Marine Life alliance
www.saveourmarinelife.org.au