People are urged to keep clear of southern right whales and their calves as they pass the Illawarra, after photos and videos emerged of some coming within metres of the endangered species.
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Two pairs of southern right whales and their calves have travelled along the Illawarra coastline in recent days, prompting excitement among wildlife lovers keen to get a glimpse of the rare species.
But some people appear to have breached the legally enforceable exclusion zones that apply to the whales and other marine wildlife, with images showing swimmers and people with jet skis and surfboards close to the animals.
Some have posted these images on social media themselves, while others have caught the attention of concerned whale watchers.
Among the latter group is Ashley Sykes, who shared footage of two people with surfboards coming within metres of a southern right whale and her calf off Port Kembla on Monday, August 21, with the adult whale seen flapping her tail towards the pair.
"It beggars belief, really. They're an endangered species - keeping them protected in these waters is vital to the survival of the species," Jessica Fox, secretary for the Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA), said.
Ms Fox said it was "really disturbing" to see people apparently going out of their way to "harass" the whales.
National Parks and Wildlife Service marine wildlife team member Andy Marshall said on Friday that the biggest threat to the survival of the species in NSW waters came from people getting too close.
"Approaching the pair in a boat, with a drone or on a jet ski, kayak or surfboard not only compromises a calf's ability to nurse and get the sustenance it needs to grow, but it can also drive the whales away from their shallow resting places and out into deeper waters, where they are exposed to predation by orcas and sharks," Mr Marshall said.
People on watercraft - including surfboards - must not come within 300 metres of a whale and its calf, and must not approach from the front or the back.
Meanwhile, swimmers and divers must not come within 30 metres, while drones must stay at least 100 metres from a whale in all directions, and not hover above them.
The NPWS confirmed it had received reports of "interference" with the mother and calf pair and it would try to collect evidence to determine whether these events were deliberate breaches of the rules.
There are less than 270 southern right whales in the population off south-east Australia, and the two calves are the only young seen this season.
Their mothers are among just six adult southern right whales spotted.
ORRCA is helping NPWS to identify and track southern right whales under a government research project called Right Whale ID, which aims to better understand the whales' movements and improve protections for the species.
Southern right whales have a mostly black body with white patches on their head and lower jaw; they also lack a dorsal fin.
Anyone who sees a southern right whale is urged to call the NPWS on 13000PARKS or ORRCA on 9415 3333.
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