Southern right whales eye. The southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) gained its name as it was the right whale to hunt. Its eyes are set far back on its head and far apart, which results in a double view, as opposed to the human binocular view. Although its eyes are relatively small, it has good eyesight both in and out of water, but it is unlikely that it is in colour. It feeds on plankton, which it gathers by swimming into plankton rich areas near the ocean floor. The southern right whale can grow up to 17 metres in length and weigh over 100 tonnes. Photographed off the coast of Argentina.