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Happy sign for 2019: Family of Baleen whales sighted at Racha Island.

The visitors of Andaman sea were surprised by a family of whales that approached there boat near the waters of Racha Island in Phuket province on the 30th of December, 1 day before the last day of 2018. The passengers on the boat captured the amazing moment on their phones while stating that the whole family of whales came to visit them including the mother, father, and the whale Calve, visitors were extremely happy as sightings of whales are not as common in the past when the environment was at a better stage than today.

 

Credit: Sanook

 

Patcharaporn Kaewmong a sea life specialist from the Phuket Marine Biological Center reported that after seeing the pictures, she estimates that the whales belong to a group of Baleen whales or as some call them Toothless whales. They might be Omura’s whale but it has not yet been confirmed. The officials were sent to explore the waters in which the picture was taken, but no whales were sighted.

 

The sighting will require fisherman in the area to notify the Phuket Marine Biological Center if the whales are sighted again, this is to study there habits in the waters to properly educate the locals and fisherman in the area on which actions to take when the whales are spotted in order to not disturb the family of whales.

 

The Baleen or Toothless whales are large mammals living in the ocean. They have no sharp teeth that give them the name “Toothless” whales; instead, their teeth are similar to a large comb or the head of a toothbrush. These group of teeth are called “baleen plates” and are used to filter the water from the ocean, only small animals such as planktons and tiny fish can pass through.

 

The Omura whale is smaller than the Bryde’s whale that also belongs to the Baleen family. The Male Omura whale will grow to about 10 meters and the female will grow to about 11.5 meters with higher back fins and smaller curves than the Bryde’s whale. Humans do not have a clear answer to there nature due to the fact that they are so rare.

 

FB Caption: The passengers on the boat captured the amazing moment on their phones while stating that the whole family of whales came to visit them including the mother, father, and the whale Calve

 

Source: Sanook

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