Nature
PUBLISHED
Taking a break from cruising the depths of the Antarctic oceans, a blue whale and her calf came up for a breath of air in this incredible video.
The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.The footage was shot from a drone flown by crew members aboard the Sea Shepherd Society's ship “Steve Irwin.” The wildlife conservation activists are currently sailing their ship around the Antarctic as part of “Operation Icefish 2015-16” to search the Southern Ocean for illegal hunting activities.
It’s difficult to get a sense of perspective against the open expanse of the ocean, however these whales are known to grow up to 30 meters (98 feet) long. Hunting these gentle giants has been illegal since the 1960s under an international treaty. Despite this, blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) still remain an endangered species.
