Deeply scarred Humpback calf spotted in Algoa Bay
By Lloyd Edwards

On Sunday morning in perfect weather and sea conditions, we set off in search of whales. Just outside port we came across a school of around 200 Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins. Saw a few gannets feeding but otherwise pretty quiet.

Checked out the few remaining penguins on St Croix Island and then had to come up with a plan. Headed all the way to Cape Recife and eventually came across a Humpback calf, a cow (mother) and an escort. What a show the calf gave us . . . much to the delight of the (for once) mostly PE tourists!

What was quite disturbing was how deeply scarred the calf looked. I contacted some experts in the field and their reactions were quite different.” Could be barnacle scars from males or mom when the calf rubbed against them. The calf’s skin is soft and sheds off quickly so will soon heal. It looks large but the coloring and soft skin is indicative of a pretty young calf”. “Some look like killer whale tooth rakes and a bit deep for barnacles”. Someone said entanglement. Personally I would say barnacles, what do you guys think?