Whale watching operators in San Diego in the US were astounded by an incredible sighting of Cuvier’s beaked whales recently. These animals are widely distributed throughout the world, but not often seen up close.
‘You’ve heard of Blue Whales, you’ve heard of Gray Whales, you’ve probably even heard legends of White Whales, but have you ever heard of a Yellow Whale!?’ Gone Whale Watching San Diego said on Facebook. ‘A weekend of incredible sightings on our 8hr trips was capped by a remarkable encounter with Cuvier’s Beaked Whales: one of the most elusive and mysterious cetaceans on earth!’
‘This is some of the only drone footage ever taken of this species, and it was an amazing moment for everyone involved! Initially, 12 of these yellowish-brown whales appeared as we were waiting for one of the many Blue Whales that we had been observing to surface 70 miles offshore!’ the operator continued. ‘After a 30-minute dive, half a dozen Cuvier’s returned to the surface with chunks of squid right next to our boat! The water depth was over 6,000 feet (around 1828.8m) in this location, which is nothing for a Cuvier’s as they are the deepest diving animal on earth, capable of reaching depths nearly TWO MILES (3218.69m) below the surface!’ they concluded.
These whales are not considered threatened and are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. throughout their range.
According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, they are known to occur in areas such as British Columbia, Canada, the Gulf of California, the Gulf of Mexico, Massachusetts, and the Shetlands, among others. In the Southern Hemisphere, they are known to occur near New Zealand, South Africa, and Tierra del Fuego.
Take a look at the incredible encounter:
Video by Captain Domenic Biagini via Gone Whale Watching San Diego
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