 The techniques that initially Roger Payne, and later on Victoria Rowntree and Instituto Conservacion de Ballenas, pioneered are now well-established among cetacean science programs worldwide.So called because they were the ‘right’ whale to kill, Southern right whales were brought to the verge of extinction during the early 20th century.Their enormous blubber reserves caused the animals to float after being killed, whilst their slow-moving nature made them easy targets.