Three blue whales were caught in a mating battle in the waters off the southern Australian town of Port Macdonnell.
A female whale tries to escape from two males. Photo: Blue Whale Study
Two male whales chased and rammed each other in a competitive effort to attract females. The rare behavior was captured by members of the local Blue Whale Study during an aerial survey, Newsweek reported on April 4.
During the survey, three blue whales were observed engaging in chase behaviour, with an adult female being pursued at high speeds by two potential mates. This was confirmed by researchers in Canada, the Blue Whale Study said. Researchers have only observed such a phenomenon once before in the area, in 2003. In the Bonney Upwelling region, a cold, nutrient-rich current of water rises to the ocean surface during the summer months, bringing with it a wealth of plankton and attracting whales.
"The female whale constantly changed speed and direction while the two males tried their best to keep up with her, while trying to take each other's place. It was a magnificent display of strength. We circled around for about 15 minutes, then left them to continue the race," the research team said.
The blue whale is the largest animal that has ever lived on Earth, reaching lengths of over 30 metres and weighing 200 tonnes. Its heart alone weighs as much as a car. Blue whales are filter feeders, feeding primarily on krill and plankton. They gulp down huge gulps of water, then use their baleen plates to filter out the krill. The species was heavily hunted throughout the 20th century, causing its population to decline significantly. It is now listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List.
Blue whales likely swim from their feeding grounds in the Southern Ocean to their breeding grounds off Indonesia, pairing up in preparation for mating. The whales can travel at great speed during chases, and males are prone to colliding with each other while chasing females.
An Khang (According to Newsweek )
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