Niquel was the first whale to return to the continental shelf after feeding in the Antarctic seas. Traveling from north of the Golfo San Jorge, she followed the rim of the continental slope northwards, until she reached the mouth of the Rio de la Plata. Niquel is the first mother we have recorded this far north at the beginning of spring since we started the satellite tracking program of the Southern Right whales of Peninsula Valdés.

During the past month, Niquel continued traveling northwards over the Argentine continental shelf, bordering the continental slope. Having reached the latitude of southern Buenos Aires province, she made a 180° turn and retraced her route southwards. She is now about 460 kilometers (286 miles) east of Bahia San Blas.

After exploring the Antarctic Weddell Sea this female with calf spent more than three months feeding in waters close to the Islas Orcadas del Sur (South Orkney Islands). On May 17th she began traveling northwards continuously, crossing the Scotia Sea, the plateau to the east of the Malvinas (Falkland Islands), and then entered the Blue Hole area over the Argentine continental shelf. She is now at the latitude of the mouth of the Chubut River, by the continental slope and only about 300 kilometers (186 miles) from Peninsula Valdés.

Niquel is presently the southernmost whale for this season. She and her calf are feeding only 5 kilometers (3 miles) west of the coast of the Islas Orcadas del Sur (South Orkney Islands).

Niquel continues navigating in the Antarctic Weddell Sea and is now traveling slightly northwards. She is about 120 kilometers (75 miles) southeast of the South Orkney Islands. At this time this mother with calf is the southernmost of all currently tracked whales.

Niquel is the whale that traveled the most during this past month. This mother with calf covered 1,953 kilometers (1,214 miles) in only 19 days to arrive at the South Orkney Islands (Islas Orcadas del Sur). Bordering this archipelago along its northern coast and then traveling southeastwards, she entered the antarctic waters of the Weddell Sea.

Niquel, a female with calf, continues in an area of deep water next to the continental slope, where the cold and productive Malvinas (Falklands) Current flows. Her behavior patterns a few weeks ago seemed to indicate she was utilizing the marine eddies to feed.

In mid-December Niquel headed northeast over the continental shelf. When she arrived at the latitude of Peninsula Valdés, but in the deep ocean basin, she began traveling in an almost perfect clockwise circle. She may be feeding in an eddy, a circular ascending current that carries nutrients from the depths.

The follow-up team was getting ready to search for Niquel one more time in Golfo Nuevo, when she began her migratory travels. She left the quiet waters of the breeding grounds on November 7th, 59 days after being tagged. Upon departure, she traveled southeast, arriving at the limits of the Blue Hole.

Niquel and her active calf have been tracked for 54 days inside Golfo Nuevo. The last time the follow-up team was with them, for over an hour, the calf breached more than 20 times, while its mother submerged for periods of 10 minutes. The calf’s performance not only attracted the attention of the scientists, but also of the Puerto Pirámides whale watching boats with tourists on board, tourists who acclaimed her acrobatics with vigorous applause.

After spending some days exploring the coastal waters from the northern to the western sector of the gulf, Niquel and her calf traveled to deeper waters. This transition is usual in mothers with calves as the season advances.