Recent sightings of southern right and humpback whales along the Australian coast have highlighted serious risks to these species, ranging from local shipping hazards to larger regional population declines.

近期在澳洲海岸發現的南露脊鯨與座頭鯨，凸顯了這些物種面臨的嚴重風險，範圍從本地航運危險到更廣泛的區域性數量下降。

The recent appearance of a southern right whale and its calf near Port Botany and Bondi shows how vulnerable this small population is. Historical records show that commercial whaling, which continued in Australia until 1978, reduced the population to only 300 individuals. Although there are now between 10,000 and 15,000 whales, the species is still at risk if breeding females are lost. Current threats include collisions with ships, entanglement in abandoned 'ghost nets', and a decrease in krill—their primary food source—caused by climate change and commercial fishing.

近期在 Botany 港與 Bondi 附近出現的一頭南露脊鯨及其幼鯨，顯示出這個小型族群是多麼脆弱。歷史記錄顯示，澳洲直到 1978 年仍持續的商業捕鯨，將族群數量減少到僅剩 300 隻。儘管目前數量已回升至 10,000 至 15,000 隻，但若失去繁殖期的雌鯨，該物種仍處於風險之中。目前的威脅包括與船隻碰撞、被棄置的「幽靈網」纏繞，以及氣候變遷與商業捕魚導致其主食——磷蝦的數量減少。

At the same time, there has been a worrying drop in humpback whale sightings along the southwest coast of Western Australia. Data from Cape Naturaliste shows only 22 sightings, compared to 69 in 2025 and 62 in 2024. This 60% decline is much higher than the usual 20% variation expected by scientists. While the Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions claims these changes are due to breeding cycles or migration timing, other experts and commercial operators believe there is a more serious problem.

與此同時，西澳洲西南海岸的座頭鯨目擊數量出現令人擔憂的下降。來自 Cape Naturaliste 的數據顯示僅有 22 次目擊，而 2025 年為 69 次，2024 年為 62 次。這 60% 的降幅遠高於科學家預期的 20% 正常變異。雖然生物多樣性保育與吸引力部門 (Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions) 稱這些變化是由於繁殖週期或遷徙時間引起，但其他專家與商業經營者認為問題更為嚴重。

Some researchers are concerned that the H5 avian influenza (bird flu) may be affecting whale health. This theory is supported by confirmed H5 cases in seabirds and the deaths of many elephant seal pups on Heard Island. Experts Dr. Capri Jolliffe and Dr. Vanessa Pirotta have observed strange behaviors in whales, such as swimming in circles, which suggests the virus may have spread from birds to whales in the Antarctic. Consequently, experts are calling for more testing of dead whales to find the exact cause of these declines.

部分研究人員擔心 H5 禽流感可能會影響鯨魚健康。此理論得到了海鳥確認感染 H5 案例以及 Heard 島上大量象海豹幼鯨死亡的支持。專家 Dr. Capri Jolliffe 與 Dr. Vanessa Pirotta 觀察到鯨魚出現異常行為（如繞圈游泳），這顯示病毒可能在南極從鳥類傳播至鯨魚。因此，專家呼籲對死亡鯨魚進行更多檢測，以找出數量下降的確切原因。

While some whale species show strength in certain areas, the combination of human activities and potential disease outbreaks creates a difficult challenge for whale conservation in Australia.

雖然部分鯨魚物種在特定地區顯示出強韌的生命力，但人為活動與潛在疾病爆發的結合，為澳洲的鯨魚保育帶來了艱鉅的挑戰。