If you ever doubted the overwhelming intelligence of whales this will prove you wrong – a baby whale is clever enough to get the attention of a boat of divers so that they can save its mother who’s in a life or death situation.
The Baby Whale Fighting For Attention
When Captain Faizel and his crew set off for their second dive of the day, they spotted a humpback whale calf leaping in and out of the water in distress. This is is highly unusual behavior for a baby whale, they figured something was up and decided to investigate.
Entangled in Danger
Although it’s a detour for them, the team steers the boat towards to the jumping baby whale and get into the water. Once in the water they are blown away by what they see: it’s a massive humpback whale mother entangled in a massive fishing net.
A 1,5 Hour Long Fight Before She Tastes Freedom
Determined to help, the divers sprang into action. Using knives and sheer determination, they worked diligently to cut away the heavy net. The process was challenging and required careful precision to avoid harming the whale further. All in all, it took 1,5 hours to get her completely free!
Half a Ton Worth of Net
Once they’d cut of the net they brought it back to shore to make sure no other innocent animals wold get stuck in it. They estimate that the net weighed just over half a ton and that the poor mother had been trapped for days judging by her bruises.
Release into the Wild
Following the mother whale’s rescue, she and her calf quickly swam off, a sight that brought relief and joy to the rescue team. The discarded net, weighing nearly half a ton, was a stark reminder of the dangers marine life faces from human activities.
Whale Social Structures
Whales are highly social creatures, with species like orcas and sperm whales exhibiting complex social behaviors and deep family bonds that can last a lifetime.
Giants of the Deep
The blue whale, the largest animal on the planet, can reach lengths of up to 100 feet and weigh as much as 200 tons—about the weight of 33 elephants.
Whale Song Mysteries
Whales are famous for their vocalizations, which they use for communication and navigation across the vast oceans. These songs can be incredibly complex and are as unique as human fingerprints among individuals.
The Breathing Giants
Unlike fish, whales are mammals and must breathe air. They can hold their breath for impressive lengths of time—sperm whales can submerge for up to 90 minutes.
Deep Dive Champions
Cetaceans hold records for some of the deepest dives known to science. The Cuvier’s beaked whale can dive more than 9,800 feet below the ocean’s surface, remaining submerged for over two hours.
Migratory Marvels
Many whale species undertake lengthy migrations, traveling thousands of miles between feeding and breeding grounds each year. This journey is crucial for their survival, impacting their reproductive success and access to food.
Whales: The Ocean’s Gardeners
Surprisingly, whales play a crucial role in ocean ecology by helping to regulate the distribution of phytoplankton through their movements and excretions.
A Whale’s Mighty Heart
The heart of a blue whale, the largest animal on the planet, can weigh as much as a small car and is the size of a golf cart.
Whale Calves: Bigger Than You Think
At birth, a blue whale calf can measure up to 25 feet long, which is about the length of an adult great white shark.
Do Whales Sleep?
Whales are conscious breathers, so they have to be awake to breathe. They rest one half of their brain at a time, allowing them to sleep without drowning.
Whales’ Built-In GPS
Whales migrate thousands of miles with precision. They rely on Earth’s magnetic fields to navigate, much like a natural GPS.
Whales in Folklore
Across different cultures, whales have often been revered as gods or seen as omens. Their appearances in folklore are both mysterious and majestic.
Benefits of Whale Poop
In an interesting twist, whale poop is beneficial for the environment as it provides essential nutrients for marine plants, which in turn absorb carbon dioxide.
How long do whales live?
Some whale species, like the bowhead whale, can live over 200 years, making them some of the longest-living mammals on Earth.
Why do whales breach?
Whales might breach to clean parasites off their bodies, communicate with other whales, or just for fun. The exact reasons are still a subject of research.
Baby Whale Helps Diver Save Its Mother: Conclusion
We love a good rescue story, and this one definitely tugs at our heart strings! It seriously highlights the intelligence of whales (even in baby whales) while also reminding us of a very urgent issue: marine life becoming entangled in human fishing nets.
Thank you for reading this beautiful story of a baby whale who gets the attention of divers allowing them to save its mother. For more whale news, take a look here:
- Divers Pull Off Incredible Whale Rescue Just Off the Sicily Coast
- Remastered Footage of When They Used Dynamite to Blow Up a Stranded Whale in Oregon in the 70s
- Nearly 100 Whales Die After Being Stranded on Australian Beach Despite 250 Volunteers Joining Rescue Mission
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