According to The People, tourists on a recent whale-watching trip near Monterey Bay, California (USA), witnessed a spectacular scene. It resembled a giant sea monster suddenly emerging from the water, as if poised to swallow those on the boat, much like scenarios in science fiction movies.
However, this was entirely real as a humpback whale named Murph approached their vessel. Murph, a 4-year-old female whale, performed a breathtaking breach, with her massive body towering over the boat carrying numerous whale-watchers, each with cameras ready.
In one photo, Murph appears to be just a few steps away from the tourist boat, her colossal body almost touching the vessel. After the impressive display, Murph waved her tail and submerged, leaving behind a trail of foamy white water.
This awe-inspiring moment was captured by 74-year-old photographer Jodi Frediani, who was on another boat and had the opportunity to witness the event. Frediani, from Santa Cruz, California, has been swimming with and photographing humpback whales for 18 years. She described how these whales are skilled at navigating around stationary boats in the water, emphasizing that they do not intentionally pose a threat to humans.
“People usually scream when a whale suddenly approaches the boat,” Frediani said. “We try to follow guidelines, staying at least 100 meters away, but their feeding activities are very flexible, and sometimes a whale might unexpectedly swim under the boat. Then, other whales might suddenly approach.”
Frediani hopes her photos inspire people to protect humpback whales, their food sources, and our oceans. Humpback whales are listed as “threatened” under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, and they can often be spotted in Monterey Bay from April to December before migrating to warmer waters off Mexico in winter. Humpback whales typically feed on crustaceans such as shrimp or krill and small fish.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the United States has classified humpback whales as “species at risk of extinction” under the Endangered Species Act of 1970.
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