Bartolomeo Bove is a shark diver and underwater videographer. He captured spectacular footage of southern right whale mother and calf off the coast of Peninsula Valdes, Argentine Patagonia in September 2023. Filmed under Government permit.
Peninsula Valdes is a Patagonian nature reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site located on the coast of Argentina.
It is home to an important breeding population of the endangered southern right whales that from June to December migrate from the cold waters of Antarctica to the warm and protected waters of the Peninsula to meet other whales, mate, give birth and take care of their calves. At the beginning of September 2023, I traveled to this untamed area renowned for its unique wildlife to film the southern right whales. With more than 1.300 specimens visiting the area annually Peninsula Valdes contains the globally most important breeding grounds of the Southern Right Whale, a species that had severely suffered from commercial whaling. The females that mated in the previous season approach the coasts of Peninsula Valdes, that are protected from the wind and storms, to give birth to their young. The gestation period of the whale calf is estimated between 12 and 13 months and births usually occur between the months of July and October. At birth, a calf can measure 4 to 6 meters (13 to 19 ft) long and weigh between one and three tons. After birth, the calf remains with its mother for an average of 12 months.