Baby Blue Whale Nursing (Exclusive Drone Footage) | National Geographic

we believe this is the first time that

we believe this is the first time that there’s been any aerial footage of

there’s been any aerial footage of

there’s been any aerial footage of nursing of a baleen whale and especially

nursing of a baleen whale and especially

nursing of a baleen whale and especially in a blue whale I do believe it’s the

in a blue whale I do believe it’s the

in a blue whale I do believe it’s the first we are cutting blue whale

first we are cutting blue whale

first we are cutting blue whale population in the South carried by

population in the South carried by

population in the South carried by region of New Zealand and along the west

region of New Zealand and along the west

region of New Zealand and along the west coast of New Zealand that has been

coast of New Zealand that has been

coast of New Zealand that has been recently documented we’re trying to get

recently documented we’re trying to get

recently documented we’re trying to get some baseline information about the

some baseline information about the

some baseline information about the population what they’re doing there and

population what they’re doing there and

population what they’re doing there and their behavior we came across a pair

their behavior we came across a pair

their behavior we came across a pair that we could see from the vessel we are

that we could see from the vessel we are

that we could see from the vessel we are about a hundred meters away that we

about a hundred meters away that we

about a hundred meters away that we could tell by the size difference

could tell by the size difference

could tell by the size difference between the two animals that one was a

between the two animals that one was a

between the two animals that one was a mother and one was a cat a bit of a

mother and one was a cat a bit of a

mother and one was a cat a bit of a guess how old the calf is but we think

guess how old the calf is but we think

guess how old the calf is but we think the calf is probably about four to six

the calf is probably about four to six

the calf is probably about four to six months old whales and dolphins have to

months old whales and dolphins have to

months old whales and dolphins have to coordinate breathing with lactation and

coordinate breathing with lactation and

coordinate breathing with lactation and what we can see in this video is the

what we can see in this video is the

what we can see in this video is the calf is alternating between coming to

calf is alternating between coming to

calf is alternating between coming to the surface to breathe and then going

the surface to breathe and then going

the surface to breathe and then going under its mom for a period suckle the

under its mom for a period suckle the

under its mom for a period suckle the animals are basically stationary so we

animals are basically stationary so we

animals are basically stationary so we don’t think that this is sort of a

don’t think that this is sort of a

don’t think that this is sort of a position that would help locomotion once

position that would help locomotion once

position that would help locomotion once lactation is done that what’s estimated

lactation is done that what’s estimated

lactation is done that what’s estimated to be about five or seven months the

to be about five or seven months the

to be about five or seven months the calf is considered weaned and then it

calf is considered weaned and then it

calf is considered weaned and then it should go off on its own at that point

should go off on its own at that point

should go off on its own at that point so these animals are generally solitary

so these animals are generally solitary

so these animals are generally solitary they can aggregate on feeding grounds

they can aggregate on feeding grounds

they can aggregate on feeding grounds seeing this activity this nursing

seeing this activity this nursing

seeing this activity this nursing activity as well as the five mom calf

activity as well as the five mom calf

activity as well as the five mom calf pairs in this region definitely shows us

pairs in this region definitely shows us

pairs in this region definitely shows us that this population is reproducing and

that this population is reproducing and

that this population is reproducing and it’s an important area for moms to come

it’s an important area for moms to come

it’s an important area for moms to come and raise their young

and raise their young

and raise their young the South Carnegie byte has a fair bit

the South Carnegie byte has a fair bit

the South Carnegie byte has a fair bit of industrial activity from oil and gas

of industrial activity from oil and gas

of industrial activity from oil and gas development and there’s also vessel

development and there’s also vessel

development and there’s also vessel traffic through the area though there

traffic through the area though there

traffic through the area though there are a number of human uses there that we

are a number of human uses there that we

are a number of human uses there that we just need to be able to manage

just need to be able to manage

just need to be able to manage appropriately in terms of protection of

appropriately in terms of protection of

appropriately in terms of protection of these blue whales in their habitat