Inhabiting all the world's oceans, the humpback whale is one of the largest animals on the planet. Their striking size and showmanship have made them a fan favorite among whale watchers worldwide, as not only will they jump out of the water and showcase their massive bodies, but they'll also offer up intricate songs for spectators to marvel at. The chance to see a humpback in the wild is something to cherish attracts countless curious eyes to witness their one-of-a-kind behavior in the areas they congregate. In the following video out of Australia, we see a group of whale watchers anxiously awaiting such a performance. They first spot a group of humpbacks surfacing to breathe far off in the distance, but they could've never anticipated the surprise that came shortly after. The video is only two minutes long, so do yourself a favor and ride along for the entire journey.
Those tourists never saw that one coming! It isn't often that humans find themselves in the splash zone of a leaping whale out on the open ocean like this. Talk about a once-in-a-lifetime experience! This video also helps showcase just how large these whales can get. Typically, humpback whales anywhere from 40 to 50 feet in length, but larger ones have been recorded. For the curious, the weights of these animals can be 20-40 short tons. Surprisingly, however, they only eat small fish and krill despite their monstrous size. They hunt in teams using a technique scientists call "bubble netting," where they trap a school of prey in a net of bubbles they create when forcing air out of their blowhole, allowing the whales to feast on the disoriented prey. It's no wonder these whales are so popular, as they're as smart as they are giant.
We sure are jealous we weren't on that boat to get such and up-close-and-personal encounter with one.
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