• last month
A clip from my upcoming documentary Mammang: Southern Right Whales & the Noongar Makuru Season (Part 1)

The series documents part of the migration of the southern right whales along the coast of South Western Australia.

Each episode corresponds to one of the six Noongar seasons—Makuru, Djilba, and Kambarang—highlighting the intimate relationship between the whales and the environment, both ocean and land. By weaving together the cycles of the natural world and the stories of these whales.

In the first episode, we explore Makuru, the coldest and wettest season, stretching from June to July. As the temperatures drop and the rains arrive, the southern right whales begin their migration, traveling from the open ocean to the sheltered coastal bays.

Makuru is a time of renewal, as the whales seek these protected waters to calve and nurse their young in an ideal environment for the whales to find safety and nourishment.

After facing near extinction due to whaling in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the southern right whale population has been slowly recovering. The latest estimates suggest around 10,000 to 15,000 individuals are left in the world. Conservation efforts continue to be crucial in ensuring the survival of these magnificent whales.

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