Joe Kahlo
This is the amazing moment where an Eden whale implements its unique feeding strategy.
The moment was caught on camera via a drone flying by off the Gulf of Thailand. It shows how the whale traps fish in its mouth.
The behavior, that has been described as ‘extraordinary,’ consists of the Eden whale treading water and keeping its mouth open which creates a flow that pulls fish into its mouth.
This is unusual as instead of lunging for their prey, the whale maintains an upright position. This allows for it to keep its head above the surface where it holds its mouth open, drawing prey in.
This footage was part of the BBC documentary ‘A Perfect Planet’ and was captured by Bertie Gregory, a wildlife film maker, he went on to explain:
“By treading water and keeping the corners of their mouth below the surface, a flow is created pulling the fish into the whale’s mouth. In the panic, some of the fish also seem to jump out the water and into the whale’s mouth!”
Eden whales only reside in the Indo-Pacific coastal waters and can grow an enormous 38 feet in length.
“Sewage outflows from the land have caused all the oxygen in the water to be used up, except at the surface. This means the whale’s fish prey can only live in this surface layer,” he wrote.
“By treading water and keeping the corners of their mouth below the surface, a flow is created pulling the fish into the whale’s mouth. In the panic, some of the fish also seem to jump out the water and into the whale’s mouth!” he said.
