Giants of the Deep
The majestic creature in this footage is thought to be a southern right whale. It was given this name because it was the ‘right’ whale to catch for a high yield of meat and oil. It is a baleen whale and belongs to the Eschrichtiidae family. Baleen whales do not have teeth. Instead, they have keratin-based plates that grow in rows in the gums of the upper jaw and can be many different colors. They are smooth on the outer edge but have frayed inner edges in which small creatures get trapped as the water filters out. These small creatures can be zooplankton, phytoplankton, algae, and small fish such as krill. This places them quite low in the foodchain, even though they are huge in size.
Is it Normal for Whales to Interact with Humans?
Most species of whales are not aggressive toward humans and some, such as the small Beluga and Orcas, seem to bond with caretakers while in captivity. There have been many incidences captured in the media of whales displaying interest and curiosity towards people – but it is rare for a whale in the wild to interact with a human.
Slow Moving Southern Right Whales
Southern rights are actually quite easy to spot, even if you are not a whale expert. They move very slowly (much like a paddle board) and this is sadly why they were almost hunted to extinction last century. These majestic creatures are large and stocky – they can grow up to 17 m long and reach 80 – 90 tonnes weight. They are the only large whale that does not have a dorsal fin. In this vid you can clearly see the blunt paddle-like flippers and the broad head which has callosities that form unique patterns. Their habitat is the southern and sub-antarctic oceans but breeding always takes in warmer temperate waters found around southern Africa, South America and Australia. They tend to live a solitary life, although a second whale can be spotted towards the end of this clip. Perhaps they wanted to play with the paddle boarders too! Next up: The 8 Largest Animals that Have Lived Since Dinosaurs Went Extinct Gorgeous Drone Footage Shows Some Enormous Great Whites Near California Coast Real Life Jaws Spotted – 30ft Great White Shark By Boat
