Aloe House Guest Lodge Nature & Wildlife

Bed & Breakfast, Guest House in Hermanus, Western Cape   

Rates From: R480

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Nature & Wildlife

Southern right whales visit Walker Bay from July to November where they mate and give birth. The whales are so plentiful many are seen close to shore, only metres from the well-known cliff paths of Hermanus. From December to June the whales spend their time in the cold polar regions of the southern hemisphere. The southern right whale was so named because it was considered to be the 'right' whale to catch.

Rich in oil and baleen (the large food filter plates which hang from the roof of its mouth) and a whale which floated in the water when killed, this slow-moving leviathan became one of the most ruthlessly hunted of all species of whales. Today, however, the only shots taken of these magnificent animals come from cameras and the whale population is slowly recovering.

Another impressive animal of the deep is found near Hermanus, namely the Great White shark. Long considered a “man-eater”, it is only now that these misunderstood predators are appreciated. Shark cage diving is an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime experience and most operators work from Gansbaai, only 40 km from Hermanus.