Emily Chan
For the first time, a pygmy blue whale has been spotted nursing its calf underwater. The moment was caught on camera off the coast of Timor-Leste in Southeast Asia as part of a research program led by the Australian National University (ANU). Since 2006, the ANU has been studying the blue whales in these waters.
The footage shows a young calf receiving milk from its mother as they prepare to embark on their yearly migration between southern Australia and the Banda Sea near Indonesia. The journey is 3,100 miles long.
All manner of cetaceans pass through the part of the sea where the video was filmed, including blue whales, beaked whales, melon-headed whales, short-finned pilot whales, and six species of dolphin.
Sharks and turtles also frequent the area. This region is 9,800 feet deep and serves as a route for marine creatures to travel from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean.
“Timor-Leste’s deep, nearshore waters, particularly in the narrow Ombai-Wetar Strait along the north coast of the country, provide one of the most accessible and best locations for blue whale research in the world,” said Karen Edyvane, an associate professor at ANU and a senior research fellow at Charles Darwin University.
The new footage has contributed to the success of the project, marking a major milestone in marine biology. It has provided new insights into blue whale behaviors that have eluded researchers for so long.
Not only do the waters of Timor-Leste act as an important migration path for blue whales, but they also play a critical role in their reproduction and early life. According to Dr. Elanor Bell, a researcher at the Australian Antarctic Division, it has been a mystery as to when, where, and how blue whales reproduce — until now.
Blue whales can grow up to 108 feet long, making them the biggest animal in existence on Earth. Pygmy blue whales are slightly smaller, reaching up to about 79 feet. Still, it’s an impressive size that is nothing to scoff at.
Scientists estimate that over 350,000 blue whales lived in the ocean hundreds of years ago. However, whale hunting in the 19th and early 20th centuries reduced their population to sparse numbers.
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