< img src="https://savageventures.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/pygmy-blue-whale-calf-2.jpg?w=1200" alt ="" > A pilot identified a newborn pygmy blue whale calf swimming with its mom and caught some beautiful photographs that have the scientific neighborhood (and animal lovers) delighted. The pilot, Tiffany Klein of Ningaloo Air travel, was looking for this species as part of a research task to tag and track pygmy blue whales. The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) and the Centre for Whale Research (CWR) are heading up the research study project.
Scientists think this calf, which is likely simply weeks old based on its size, is the youngest pygmy blue whale documented in Australian waters. Klein saw the mother and calf pair swimming side by side offshore from the Ningaloo Reef.
According to NOAA, pygmy blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) live mostly in waters off Australia, Madagascar, and New Zealand. Pygmy blue whales are a subspecies of blue whale. They grow to a max of about 80 feet long, compared to other subspecies, like the Antarctic blue whale, which can grow to be 110 feet long.
Blue whales are the largest animals on Earth. They’re also the largest animals that have ever survived on Earth, as far as researchers understand.
Check out some images of this huge package of pleasure here:
Researchers identified a newborn pygmy blue whale calf swimming with its mother and caught some lovely photos.