A giant of the sea
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Measuring up to thirty metres and tipping the scales at 190 tonnes, this marine giant is a true wonder of the seas. Even a brief glimpse of one of these creatures requires an incredible amount of luck, and even more still when calves are involved.
That kind of luck just so happens to have been on the side of an amateur sailor who, with the help of a drone, was able to film a blue whale calf from above as it passed directly under his tiny vessel.
The baby animal glided calmly under the boat before briefly surfacing for air. Then, for a brief but unforgettable few minutes, the inquisitive calf stopped. Visibly intrigued by this new object in the water, it took some time out to play.
The gentle giant eventually disappeared back into the depths, but not before leaving us some breath-taking images.
A big baby
It’s worth remembering that, while this calf was, of course, a baby, new-born blue whales weigh around two tonnes and are already close to seven metres long. These mammals form very tight-knit family units, with calves remaining with their mothers for the first nine months of their lives.
Before long, our calf will have doubled in size thanks to the 570 litres of milk, he or she drinks every day, putting on a grand total of 90 kilos per day.
A threatened species
Throughout the 20th century, this majestic mammal was a major target for hunters and came perilously close to extinction before international regulations were introduced for its perception.
Today, blue whales still find themselves on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s 'red list' and are classified as 'critically endangered'. Persistent illegal hunting and the ever-increasing risk of collision with boats continue to threaten these incredible animals.
