A KILLER whale has been spotted close to shore at Geographe Bay near Busselton along with numerous sightings of whales along the WA coast.
Senior marine wildlife officer Doug Coughran said the killer whale seen near Busselton was swimming close to shore, away from its pod, which is unusual for its species.
“The young whale was closely monitored but eventually moved out to deeper water without the need for Parks and Wildlife staff to intervene,” he said.
“While killer whales and humpback whales don’t usually swim close to the shoreline unless their health is compromised, it is normal behaviour for southern right whales to swim close to breakers to rest and give birth in the shallows, especially on the south coast.”
Whale sightings off WA should continue to increase in the coming months with more than 30,000 humpbacks travelling from Antarctic waters to calving grounds in the Kimberley.
Mr Coughran said the whale season has started earlier than expected indicating a busy year for whale migrations.
