Off of the coast of Auckland, New Zealand, swims a Bryde’s whale and its young calf, two of what’s believed to be 200 remaining in the land of the Kiwis.
At sea and at peace, the mouth of Balaenoptera brydei stretches to inhale an aggregation of passive plankton, which settle nicely into its jumbo-sized jaws.
Thanks to drones and the Auckland University of Technology, an aerial view of this image is a reality. The footage shown above is thought to be the first displaying Bryde’s whales feeding taken by an unmanned aerial vehicle.
Lorenzo Fiori and Ticiana Fetterman from AUT found the whales in the Hauraki Gulf with the help of a drone and its powerful zoom feature.
Dr. Barbara Bollard-Breen, research supervisor at AUT, calls the captured behavior “lunge feeding,” which is common, but rarely seen until now.
By using the drone to fly high above the whale and by keeping the research boat at a safe distance, the creatures can be observed without feeling threatened.
Usually, trouble can occur when container ships are moving at high speeds. These ships can impale and kill the Bryde’s whales, which are seen as a critically endangered species in New Zealand waters. There is an estimated population of 100,000 left in the world; the whales can be found typically in the northern portions of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans.
Want to see more? Check out this video with playful sea lions, and our 10 favorite things about diving in New Zealand.
