Divers from a Hong Kong company called XIX Diving captured a 50-second clip of the creature.- PHOTO: XIX DIVING/ FACEBOOK
HONG KONG's Sai Kung peninsula has been making a splash in local media after a rare sighting of a Bryde’s whale in the area.
The mammal was initially sighted in mid-July and seemed to have disappeared for a week after the arrival of Typhoon Talim.
But local media reports said it resurfaced last Friday when some residents saw it feeding in waters near Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Dim Sun Daily reported.
The whale has been spotted again several times since then.
On Sunday, divers from a Hong Kong company called XIX Diving captured a 50-second clip of the creature.
The video was uploaded to Facebook, and showed the whale opening its mouth and swallowing a school of fish.
A similar word of caution was issued by the Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society (HKDCS).
In a Facebook post, it said the whale was probably passing Hong Kong for a brief meal.
And while it was understandable that people would like to get a closer look, the conservation society urged residents and visitors to be “friendly and considerate” towards the mammal.
Surrounding the whale with boats “could potentially startle or distress it, causing unnecessary stress and potentially affecting its ability to find its way back to the open sea”, it said.
“Keep in mind that whale-watching requires keeping a greater distance compared to dolphin-watching, and an unfamiliar whale needs even more space and tranquillity,” the group added in its post.
The whale is named after Johan Bryde, a Norwegian who helped develop the whaling industry in South Africa in the early 20th century.
According to HKDCS, Bryde’s whales can be found worldwide in tropical to temperate waters. When fully grown, they can reach lengths of up to 15m.
The company said it was glad its divers witnessed the event, and reminded onlookers not to swim, dive or navigate their boats too close to the whale. - The Straits Times/ANN
