Whale riding ‘fool’: Puckeys surfers sought after incident

A drone was also used to buzz close to the whale, which like the climber is a breach of the law.

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) wants to speak to the three surfers after the incident, which has resulted in Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton labelling the man an “irresponsible fool”.

Southern Rights are critically endangered, with as few as 300 surviving in our waters, NPWS said. The mother and calf had been making their way down the NSW coast slowly, taking shelter along the way back to their feeding grounds in the Southern Ocean.

Read more: Watch breathtaking footage of whale playing with paddle-boarder on South Coast

Ms Upton had strong words for the man who climbed on the whale’s back.

“This idiot not only endangered the mother and the calf and breached regulations, but he also put himself in danger,” she said.

“Whales are wild creatures and a mother will protect her calf. This man is lucky he was not seriously hurt.

“Southern Right whales can weigh in at 80 tonnes and when they decide to move they can be lethal to people and boats that are too close.

“The NPWS wants to talk to them about the incident and I encourage anyone who can identify them to pass on details to the environment line on 131555.”

Ms Upton said Southern Right whale numbers may be as low as 300.

“This mother and her calf have been continually harassed over the last two weeks as they attempt to travel along the coast of NSW,” she said. “I am appealing to people who see whales being harassed to take photos and identify these people who are showing a blatant disregard for the law and the wellbeing of the whales.”

Boats are not allowed within 100m of a whale and 300m if there is a calf.  Swimmers and board riders must not enter the water within 100m of a whale and must actively move away from whales in the water.  Drones are not allowed closer than 100m from a whale. Fines for breaching these regulations can be as high as $3,300.