Cape Town - While it may not be whale season in the Western Cape, a group of more than 100 humpback whales has been spotted along the Cape coast.
The group of 116 whales was spotted by renowned environmental photographer Jean Tresfon just over a week ago.
Peak season for whales in the province is from July until December and it is guaranteed that southern right whales can be spotted between August and November.
Speaking to News24, Dave Hurwitz from the Simon’s Town Boat Company said humpback whales traditionally feed in the Antarctic regions during summer months and migrate northwards during winter.
He said they do this to give birth to their young, mate or just get away from the Antarctic’s frozen conditions during winter time.
Hurwitz told the publication that the group of whales recently spotted by Tresfon had suspended their migration to feed on local krill, which came as a bonus as the Western Cape is not in its whale season.
Krill are tiny, shrimp-like crustaceans that live throughout the Earth's oceans and contain a significant amount of iron – a scarce nutrient in the open ocean.
According to Hurwitz, who has been operating as a marine tour guide for 23 years, he has never had super-groups in the Cape Point-False Bay area before.
He said the annual southward migration back to their (whales) traditional feeding grounds means the humpback whales have not eaten for approximately seven months and described the krill as a “bonanza” for the group.
Hurwitz told News24 that the number of whales visiting the Cape coastlines are increasing annually and they are staying longer.
He was optimistic that perhaps in future the whales won’t even move south.