A baby pygmy blue whale, possibly only a few weeks old, was photographed near the Western Australia coast.
This calf is the smallest ever seen in Australian waters, measuring about 6 meters long, roughly one-third the size of its mother.
Very little is known about pygmy blue whales’ breeding habits.
Michele Thums from the Australian Institute of Marine Science explained that scientists are still uncertain about where these whales give birth. However, it’s believed they breed and calve at the end of their northward migration off Western Australia’s coast.
Wildlife photographer Tiffany Klein spotted the calf while participating in a research project aimed at tagging these elusive creatures. During the trip, six other pygmy blue whales were tagged. These tags will transmit data on the whales’ movements via satellite when they surface to breathe.
Tagging pygmy blue whales is challenging due to their quick movements and long dives. They usually dive for 15 to 20 minutes, resurfacing briefly before diving again. Thums expressed excitement over the successful tagging, saying it will provide valuable information about the whales’ movements.
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