Amazing pilot whale footage by Rafa Herrero 
Last Update: 03 August 2010 10:39 PM
5 comment(s) | discuss in forums
Author: Adam Hanlon ( adamhanlon )
Related Link: Vimeo
Rafa Herrero of Aquawork has shot some amazing footage of a male pilot whale carrying a dead new-born calf. This behaviour has, until now, only been observed in females. The male carried the calf for several days. The footage was shot around Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
Vidal Martin, a scientist who has been working with the whales in the area for 25 years explains:
"Although infrequent, it is sometimes possible to observe mothers taking their dead calves in their mouths for days or even weeks. The interesting thing in this case is that it is a mature male who transports the body of the calf and to date this behavior had not been documented. Pilot whales live in family groups and the majority of the groups' members remain together for life. These groups, of sometimes up to 14 animal, have a matrilineal structure, with several females and their lineage making the social nucleus. In these groups, there often are one or two adult non-breeding males whose function is not clear, but due to their bigger size may be for defence." (Translated from the original Spanish.)
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Comment(s):how sad.
Stew
PS great footage though, and very brave to be in the water with them.
Posted by stewsmith on 08/03 at 11:32 PMHauntingly beautiful…
Images of the whole pods being rounded up & killed appeared in my mind…Posted by xariatay on 08/04 at 01:35 AMIs special permission needed to snorkel with these amazing animals?
Posted by RWBrooks on 08/05 at 10:09 PMYes, since 1996 you need a special permission to snorkel with whales in the canary islands. The permission is quite expensive & difficult to get.
Posted by Kansti on 08/06 at 01:49 AMSadly beautifull
Posted by ForDivers.com on 12/09 at 10:15 AM
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