SEATTLE (AP) — Fortunately for seals, they don’t typically fall prey to humpback whales. However, a curious incident occurred recently when a seal was unexpectedly caught in the mouth of a humpback whale off the coast of Anacortes, Washington.
Last Thursday, while on a whale-watching excursion with Blue Kingdom Whale and Wildlife Tours, Captain Tyler McKeen noticed birds hovering over a school of fish and a humpback whale approaching. The whale attempted to feed using a lunging technique, swallowing small fish and water. Instead of remaining submerged to filter its meal through its baleen, that particular whale made an abrupt ascent, opening and closing its mouth as it surfaced.
After the whale submerged once more, the passengers on board quickly reviewed their photographs and videos from the encounter. “In just a couple of seconds, everyone was zooming in on their frames,” McKeen recalled. “That’s when we discovered the seal. It was a hilarious moment for all of us, though I can’t imagine it was very amusing for the seal.”
Photographer Brooke Casanova captured a striking image of the seal, which appeared to be seeking fish itself before finding itself in the whale’s mouth. McKeen also recorded a video showing the seal being expelled from the whale.
“I would bet this kind of thing occurs from time to time,” McKeen remarked. “There are many predators vying for those fish.”
These whales usually migrate to the Salish Sea, the waters nestled between British Columbia and Washington state. Historically, humpback whales faced local extinction due to whaling, but their population has rebounded significantly over the last 25 years, rendering them a common sight during whale-watching tours.
Interestingly, the humpback whale that ingested the seal is affectionately called “Big Mama,” as she has been observed raising seven different calves throughout her life.
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This story has been updated to accurately reflect part of the whale-watching company’s name, correcting it from “Wildfire” to “Wildlife.”
