ORRCA Annual Census Day 2013
Well it’s time again to sign up for ORRCA’s Annual Whale Census Day on Sunday June 30th
We would love people to sign up for a headland, lookout, on the water, or anywhere you can spot whales, as soon as possible so we know what locations are covered.
We have a list of locations we have viewed from in the past, but if you have a favourite spot you would like to go to, we are open to any new sighting locations.
Ideally we are looking at recording from dawn to dusk, but whatever time you can spare, is appreciated. The best is an early morning start around 7am, this is usually the ideal time for sighting as the mornings have less wind & it is easier to see the blows silhouetted against the rising sun. We try to go as late as we can, providing it is safe to do so.
It does not mean you have to stay all day, you can stagger shifts through the day with different people, dedicate a selected period, or just whatever time you can volunteer.
As we are trying to coordinate teams, Australia wide, we would appreciate your sighting location as soon as possible.
If you could phone the ORRCA Hotline on 02 9415 3333 or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. we can add you and your spot to our list, it will be greatly be appreciated.
You can download our sighting guide and sighting log from this website or go to http://www.orrca.org.au/marine-mammal-sightings-documentation
ORRCA
Australia is a country familiar with whale strandings.
ORRCA (Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia) works with the New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage and other government agencies at these events.
Effective rescue procedures took quite a long while to perfect. Even by the mid 1980s few animals could be saved. However, Australia now has a leading role in the development of whale rescue techniques and has an excellent success record at mass strandings.
ORRCA is leading the way in developing more effective ways to rescue whales and other marine mammals and is the most experienced and successful whale rescue organisation in Australia.
Every year ORRCA trains many members of government agencies (including the Office of Environment and Heritage) and its members in marine mammal rescue.
