A female southern right whale offshore of the Valdez Peninsula. It was chilly and moist today, but exceptional encounters with a dozen cows and calves made us feel toastier than Hades in summer! The Valdez Peninsula is the most important site in the world for breeding and calving of the southern right whale. An adult right whale is rather rotund and weighs over 30 tons, with females being somewhat larger than males. They are gregarious and known for their unique habit of "sailing" with their tail thrust skyward. They can be identified by their "robust" shape (they were the right whale to hunt because they floated when dead), lack of a dorsal fin, V-shaped blow, and the curious light colored callosities on their heads. At this time of year, only the cows and calves are found in the bays of the Valdez Peninsula, often in water as shallow as 15 feet. These amazing animals were almost hunted to extinction by the end of the 19th century, but since 1970 they have been protected through an international treaty. Since that time the population has increased in size by about 7% per annum, and the Valdez population is estimated to be over 1500 individuals.