Seeing a whale up close is exciting and something you're likely to remember forever, but is it dangerous for you and the animal?

When a southern right whale swam up the River Derwent recently, people jumped in their boats, paddleboards and kayaks to get a closer look.

Some admitted they got closer than whale-watching guidelines recommend but thought no harm had been done.

Dr Mike Double, a senior research scientist with the Australian Antarctic Division, often gets up close and personal with whales as part of his work.

"I go close to whales in boats to study them and to deploy tracking devices," he told Louise Saunders on ABC Radio Hobart.

"But I also know how dangerous they can be."

The Australian National Guidelines for Whale and Dolphin Watching 2017 was designed to provide a best-practice guide for commercial operators and the public, but it does not override local legislation which can vary state to state.

Recommended whale-watching distances Allowable vessels should not get closer than 100 metres to an adult whale and not approach it from in front or behind them. Allowable vessels include motorised, paddle and sail craft such as motorboats, yachts, kayaks, canoes, surf skis and inflatable crafts. For whales with calves, allowable vessels should not get closer than 300m and not approach from in front or behind the mother or calf. Personal motorised watercraft, including jet skis, underwater scooters, parasails, remotely operated craft (drones), wing-in-ground effect craft and hovercraft should not get closer than 300m to any whale or dolphin.

Whales and dolphins 'hard to read'

The guidelines state that no-one should approach a whale or dolphin that is injured or distressed and should instead call the relevant state authority for help.

But Dr Double said it was often very hard to know if a whale was distressed or injured as they did not always behave as a human would expect.

"People like to think they have a connection with some of these animals, but I think it's very hard to read them," he said.

"Some of the species trumpet very loudly when they're becoming more aggressive or more stressed and some become more docile."

Dr Double said the death of a fisherman in Canada earlier this year demonstrated how unpredictable the animals could be; the man died after the whale flipped its tail after he had detangled it from fishing nets.

Accidents happen

A number of species frequent Australian waters, from the common dolphin to humpback whales.

The peak times to see whales is between May and November when large species like the humpback and southern right breed before migrating south to feed.

Spotting a mother with a calf is an extra special treat for whale watchers but brings with it extra danger.

Dr Double said a mother whale with a calf should be given extra space and caution as they would be protective and more aggressive to anything they perceived as a threat.

Recommended dolphin watching distances Allowable vessels should not get closer than 50 metres to an adult dolphin and not approach it from in front or behind them. For dolphins with calves, allowable vessels should not get closer than 150 metres and not approach it from in front or behind the mother or calf. Sometimes dolphins love to bow ride, playing about around a boat of their own accord. If they do this, the vessel should not change course or speed suddenly and if they need to stop, stop gradually.

"Essentially there's three reasons why something might approach a whale," Dr Double said.

"It's to fight with it, to frolic with it or to feed on it. Generally speaking, whales don't like things coming towards them."

The national guidelines also state not to approach a whale from directly in front or directly behind the animal, but to keep to the sides of it so it does not feel trapped.

Dr Double said most whales could not see very far and relied on their hearing to make to their way around and sense threats.

Extra noise from vessels, drones and excited humans added audio clutter to the whales' world and could potentially put them in danger.

Despite the risks, Dr Double said he wanted to encourage people to enjoy whale watching and get to know the creatures.

"They are awe inspiring," he said.

"They're fantastic animals and if it does encourage enthusiasm and a love for these animals, that's fantastic — I don't want people to turn their backs.

"It is important that humans have a relationship with these animals as well, otherwise we won't value them, but we can do that from a reasonable distance."

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