Blue whale seen nursing calf in one of the ‘first ever’ recorded instances, video shows

One might think that, given their massive size, blue whales would be hard to miss and easy to study.

But despite being the largest animals on Earth, surprisingly little is known about how they reproduce and rear their young.

Now, new video footage, in addition to other research, pulls back the veil on their mysterious life cycle.

The video — captured off the coast of Timor-Leste — shows a female whale nursing a calf, providing some of the “first ever” evidence of their reproductive habits, according to a July 4 news release from the Australian National University (ANU).

In the grainy video, the calf can be seen swimming beneath its mother before rising to the surface alongside a snorkeler.

The footage was recorded during a decadelong study by ANU researchers off the small Southeast Asian island nation. The research was presented to the International Whaling Commission in April for the first time.

“It’s very exciting,” Karen Edyvane, a marine ecologist at the university, said in the release. “From newborn calves and nursing mothers to amorous adults in courtship, the waters of Timor-Leste really are providing blue whale scientists with some of our first glimpses into the private lives of one of the world’s largest but most elusive animals.”

The waters around Timor-Leste, located several hundred miles north of Australia, are known to be a hot spot for pygmy blue whales. Each year, the animals travel over 3,000 miles to reach its tropical coastline, which serve as a crucial migration corridor.

Since 2014, more than 2,700 blue whales have been spotted in the area.

“On a global level, these numbers are truly extraordinary,” Edyvane said.

“This evidence suggests that these waters are not only important foraging areas for blue whales, but also are critical for reproduction,” Elanor Bell, a researcher at the Australian Antarctic Division, said in the release.

The findings indicate that steps should be taken to protect the waters off Timor-Leste to safeguard the whales, researchers said.

“For this, we urgently need cooperation and support from Australia and the wider international community,” Jose Quintas, the national director for environment and research at Timor-Leste’s Ministry of Tourism, said in the release.

Blue whales, which can measure up to 110 feet long and weigh up to 330,000 pounds, are found in every ocean except the Arctic, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Their populations significantly decreased as a result of whaling activities, and they are now considered endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

This story was originally published July 8, 2024 at 11:33 AM with the headline "Blue whale seen nursing calf in one of the ‘first ever’ recorded instances, video shows."