On 1/7, several fishermen saw a mother whale and her calf hunting near the shore at Vung Boi, An Luong commune, Gia Lai province (formerly My Thanh commune, Phu My district, the former Binh Dinh province).
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A mother whale and her calf hunt near the shore of Vung Boi, Gia Lai. Photo: Hieu Nghia |
A mother whale and her calf hunt near the shore of Vung Boi, Gia Lai. Photo: Hieu Nghia
The mother whale measured about 10 meters long, while her calf was 6-7 meters long. As they surfaced, a flock of seabirds circled above, taking advantage of the whales' hunting to catch their own prey, creating a spectacular sight. The image of the whale pair has captivated many.
The same day, at Mui Dien, Dak Lak (formerly Dong Hoa, Phu Yen province), 32-year-old Nguyen Kim Phung captured footage of a large whale surfacing to hunt in the early morning. "Although I only saw it for about 5 minutes, I was very surprised because this was the first time I witnessed a whale hunting so close to shore," Phung said.
According to the Center for Biodiversity and Endangered Species (CBES), the whales sighted in this area are Bryde's whales (Balaenoptera edeni), a rare marine mammal. Unlike many whale species that live in pods, Bryde's whales tend to hunt alone or in small family groups.
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Seabirds snatch prey from the mouth of a whale off the coast of Gia Lai. Photo: Hieu Nghia |
Seabirds snatch prey from the mouth of a whale off the coast of Gia Lai. Photo: Hieu Nghia
From 2022 to the present, Bryde's whales have frequently been seen swimming along the coast of the former Binh Dinh province, including Vung Boi (Phu My), De Gi (Phu Cat), Hon Seo (Quy Nhon city), and Mui Ganh (Hoai Nhon town). Since June of this year, the whales have returned and have been consistently hunting in Phu My and Nhon Hai.
Vu Long, a CBES expert, explained that whales are environmentally sensitive and only appear in areas with abundant food sources. During the summer, warm currents from the south bring plankton and small fish, the whales' preferred food.
"The repeated appearances of Bryde's whales in recent years is a positive sign, indicating the recovery of the marine ecosystem," Long said.
Following the merger, Gia Lai and Dak Lak now have coastlines of 134 km and 189 km respectively, inherited from the former Binh Dinh and Phu Yen provinces.
Pham Linh
