Overview

• Thousands of humpback whales are migrating from Antarctic feeding grounds to breeding waters along Australia’s east and west coasts this season.
• A pod of three to four whales entered Sydney Harbour on Monday, pausing Freshwater ferry services for about five minutes.
• Interactive maps released by the WWF and global research groups reveal shipping lanes, fishing nets and noise pollution as hazards along the migration route.
• Researchers report shifts in migration patterns with calves now being born further south off Tasmania and New Zealand due to rising sea temperatures.
• Conservation initiatives are trialling modified fishing gear and calling for stronger marine protected areas to reduce entanglements and vessel strikes.