South Africa

South Africa, Our Burning Planet

Whale superhighways along the West Coast — a conservation success story

Deceased Humpback on Long Beach 15.10.2024 hauled up from the sand as the City’s teams prepare to transport it (Photo by Gunnar Oberhosel)

By Gunnar Oberhosel

16 Feb 2025

South Africa’s West Coast is fast becoming a destination of global significance for whale activity, offering researchers, conservationists and tourists a unique opportunity to observe these giants of the ocean. With year-round sightings of humpback whales, southern right whales and Bryde’s whales, the West Coast has become a key region along whale migratory routes.

Since the international ban on whaling in 1986, whale populations have steadily increased, making their comeback as one of the world’s greatest conservation success stories. And now, right here along our coastline, we have what can only be described as superhighways for whales – an extraordinary natural phenomenon happening in our waters.

Alex Vogel, southern Africa’s data manager for Happywhale, has been documenting these supergroups, where hundreds of humpbacks gather to feed. Vogel notes that in just one month a supergroup spotted on the West Coast included an astonishing 297 individuals.

A deep history of whaling in the Western Cape

Whales in the Western Cape have long been part of a story that began with exploitation, but it now unfolds as a celebration of nature, recovery and growing tourism opportunities.

In the 19th century, South Africa’s coastline had several whaling stations. Whalers primarily targeted southern rights, which were slow moving and floated after death, making them easy to catch. Whale oil was one of the most traded commodities in the world, used in lamps, lubricants and industrial machinery during the early stages of the Industrial Revolution. Baleen, the stiff, comb-like structures in a whale’s mouth that help it filter food, was valued for its strength and flexibility, functioning much like an early version of plastic. It was widely used in corsets, umbrella frames and other everyday items before synthetic materials replaced it.

In False Bay, for example, whaling activity began in the early 1800s and by the 1820s had become one of the Cape Colony’s largest industries after agriculture and winemaking. Evidence of this history remains today. Along Jager’s Walk in Fish Hoek a weathered ring set into the rocks marks where whales were once hauled ashore, and a fence post made of whale bone still stands, well hidden among the surrounding vegetation.

Sir John Herschel, visiting the Cape in 1835, captured the impact of whaling on the landscape:

“On the sand along the coast were abundant ribs, jaws, and vertebrae of whales, whitened by the weather. It is a desolate scene. Fish Hoek and the road between it and Kalk Bay is skirted with houses of the whale fishers, and a terrific display of skeleton shapes it exhibits. Ribs, jaws, etc, form great fences and enclosures – nay, houses, roofs, walls, etc.” (Stories of the South Peninsula, Chapter 5, 2014, referencing Tredgold, 1985)

whale whaling A southern right whale hauled onto Boulders Beach during the height of Cape Town’s whaling era. (Photo: Supplied by Simon’s Town Museum)

Mr Jenkins, a Simon’s Town resident, with a traditional pot once used to render whale blubber into oil. (Photo: Supplied by Simon’s Town Museum)

An archival photo labelled as a ‘shark caught’ actually shows a southern right whale being hauled onto the beach. (Photo: Supplied by Simon’s Town Museum)

The Simon’s Town Museum has preserved many artefacts of this whaling history and will soon expand its exhibitions to include additional tools, relics and documentation of the era.

A first-hand account of whaling in False Bay was captured by Abdullah Moses, a Simon’s Town resident born in 1884, who described how the whole town rushed to watch as the hunts unfolded:

“When a whale was spotted, they would light a smoke fire and guide the whaler to the whale. On a Saturday morning, a whale was sighted in Jaffer’s Bay (Cole Point). All the people ran along the coast roads and paths following the whale hunt. I ran, and ran, and ran, following the chase as far as Miller’s Point. From there, we watched the whale towing the boat out in the direction of Smitswinkel Bay.

A Whale Superhighways infographic showing global whale migration routes and key conservation areas (WWF).

Screenshot from Happywhale showing 482 individual humpback sightings along the West Coast between 1 January and 14 February 2024. (Happywhale.com)

“A whale boat harpooned a mother whale and her calf. When the calf sank to the bottom, the mother went to lift it. Seeing it was dead, she gave a scream, jumped out of the water, and charged the boat. She bit the bows clean off, throwing the crew into the water. The whale continued her charge and disappeared out to sea, never to be seen again.” (Stories of the South Peninsula, Chapter 5, 2014, referencing Brock, 1975)

Much has changed since the days of harpoons and blubber pots. The ban on commercial whaling in 1986 has since led to a steady increase in whale populations, a truly extraordinary comeback.

Historically, whaling wasn’t the only practice in False Bay. Great white sharks were also caught and pulled ashore in Simon’s Town ca 1914. (Photo: Supplied by Simon’s Town Museum)

A Fence of bones and wood marking the boundary of a property in Fish Hoek, photographed ca 1910. (Photo: Supplied by Fish Hoek Valley Museum)

Seasonal sightings across the Western Cape

Chris Wilkinson of the Mammal Research Institute’s Whale Unit provides insight into the region’s year-round whale activity:

January to April: Bryde’s whales dominate the scene, following sardine migrations along the East Coast;

March to May: Killer whales, though present year-round, are most active during these months as they hunt dolphins and other prey;

May to November: Humpback whales are at their peak, migrating along the Western Cape’s coastline in large numbers;

June to November: Southern right whales arrive for calving season, particularly visible in Hermanus and De Hoop; and

November to February: Humpback supergroups form, showcasing dramatic feeding behaviours.

Alex Vogel and the Happywhale initiative

Conservation efforts have flourished alongside rising whale numbers, with platforms like Happywhale playing a crucial role in documenting these animals. Alex Vogel, a key contributor for southern Africa, has worked tirelessly to expand on the database of identified whales.

By photographing the unique patterns on a whale’s tail fluke, contributors can upload images to Happywhale, which uses these “fingerprints” to track whales globally. Since Vogel began his efforts in 2019, the number of individuals cataloged in southern Africa has grown from just 70 to more than 12,000.

Anyone can contribute to Happywhale by submitting whale tail photographs, adding to an ever-growing database that deepens our understanding of these animals. While whale journeys cannot be tracked in real-time, the platform offers detailed insights into their movements over time.

The activity in South Africa, particularly in Cape Town, stands out as exceptional. As Vogel puts it:

“Personally, I would choose Cape Town over Hermanus. We have whales all year round. Happywhale lets anyone connect with these incredible animals and understand their journeys in a new way.”

A whale bone still stands out from the vegetation along Jager’s Walk in Fish Hoek, once marking property boundaries. (Photo: Gunnar Oberhosel)

Whale mortality and whale fall

As whale populations grow, the number of recorded deaths has also increased. In recent months, three humpbacks – two juveniles and one adult – and a pilot whale washed ashore near Simon’s Town. All were transported to landfill, since towing them back to sea was not viable.

The dangers whales face aren’t limited to natural causes. Ship strikes, entanglement in crayfish traps and fishing nets remain serious threats, especially with sightings of whales venturing perilously close to Cape Town’s busy shipping lanes. While full necropsies were not conducted on the recent strandings, Wilkinson and his team often collect blubber and skin samples from deceased whales for future research projects. These samples are critical for understanding whale health, environmental conditions and long-term population trends.

Wilkinson points out that more deaths are expected in areas with higher whale densities, much like a growing town sees a rise in mortality simply due to numbers. Many whales die naturally at sea, where their bodies contribute to a remarkable phenomenon known as “whale fall”. When a whale carcass sinks to the ocean floor, it becomes a carbon sink and sustains a diverse ecosystem, feeding deep-sea life for decades.

An iron ring embedded in the rocks along Jager’s Walk, once used to pull whale carcasses ashore. (Photo: Gunnar Oberhosel)

A deceased humpback is secured for removal to landfill after washing ashore on Long Beach on 15 October 2024. Returning carcasses to sea is often impractical. (Photo: Gunnar Oberhosel)

The humpback whale, deceased on Long Beach on 15 October 2024, strapped onto the back of a truck, with its massive tail hanging over the edge. (Photo: Gunnar Oberhosel)

The dead humpback on Long Beach on 15 October 2024 is hauled from the sand as the City’s teams prepare to transport it. (Photo: Gunnar Oberhosel)

A future worth watching

The West Coast’s growing reputation as a whale-watching hotspot presents exciting opportunities for tourism, research and conservation. Simon’s Town, with its high success rate for sightings, is becoming a prime destination for marine enthusiasts.

Wilkinson points out an unanswered question: how many whales were there in the Atlantic before whaling began? The sheer size of the whaling station in Saldanha Bay suggests that supergroups of humpbacks might have been a common sight back then. But without records to compare, it’s a mystery we’ll never solve.

Still, there’s hope that whale numbers will keep climbing, giving us even more chances to see these incredible animals along our coastline.

Having these whale superhighways in the Western Cape is remarkable. It’s not just a win for scientists, it’s an experience everyone can share and marvel at. DM

Gunnar is a photojournalist who is deeply passionate about the intersection of nature, wildlife, and people. Through his photography and writing, he aims to inspire others to cultivate a deeper connection with the natural world. Living in Simon's Town, Gunnar dives in the kelp forest every day, capturing the beauty and wonder of the underwater landscape.
Special thanks to Chris Wilkinson, Alex Vogel and the dedicated teams at the Simon’s Town Museum and the Fish Hoek Valley Museum for their invaluable insights, historical records and ongoing efforts in marine and heritage preservation.

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