Humpback whales, scientifically known as Megaptera novaeangliae, derive their name from the distinctive hump located in front of their dorsal fin. These massive creatures can weigh up to 40 tons and measure up to 60 feet in length, making them hard to overlook. While their bodies are mostly black, humpback whales can exhibit white markings on their bellies, pectoral fins, and the underside of their tails, known as flukes. In the video above, you can observe that the whale displays numerous white markings, a common trait among humpbacks in the Southern Hemisphere.
These majestic whales can be found in all major oceans and undertake extensive migrations spanning thousands of miles. The whale featured in the recording likely belonged to one of the seven humpback populations in the Southern Hemisphere, with additional populations in the North Pacific and North Atlantic regions. Unfortunately, all humpback populations have suffered severe depletions due to commercial whaling, as well as threats like vessel collisions, climate change, entanglement in fishing gear, and disturbances from boats.
Similar encounters to the one experienced by Adrian Simancas have been documented, with some captured on film. For instance, in 2023, physical therapist Julie McSorley had a comparable experience while kayaking in California’s San Luis Obispo Bay, likening it to body surfing on a wave. Previous reports without visual proof were met with skepticism, leading to disbelief of the victims. Lobster diver Michael Packard claims he was “swallowed” by a humpback whale off Cape Cod’s Herring Cove Beach in June 2021, describing the experience as everything going “completely black.” While he sustained soft tissue injuries requiring hospitalization, he luckily suffered no broken bones. Wildlife photographer Rainer Schimpf had a similar encounter while diving off the South African coast in 2019, even capturing a photo of his helmet protruding from the whale’s mouth.
Despite these startling encounters, humpback whales do not prey on humans. Their diet primarily consists of small crustaceans like krill and small fish such as sardines, juvenile salmon, and herring. Humpbacks, as mysticetes, lack teeth and use baleen, a hair-like structure, to filter their food. When feeding, humpback whales gulp large amounts of water, filtering out food particles with their baleen before swallowing them.
While reports of individuals being “swallowed” by humpback whales refer to being engulfed by the whale’s mouth, it is crucial to note that the esophagus entrance, where food is actually ingested, is quite small. Humpbacks possess elongated pleats along their throat that allow it to expand to accommodate more water. Although a human could fit inside their mouth, the narrow passage to the esophagus limits the possibility of
A human fist. Even when it stretches, it only reaches around 12 inches. It is very unlikely to allow a human to pass through. Why Did the Whale Swallow the Kayaker?
So, if humpbacks are not trying to eat humans, why do they swallow us? The answer is that they do it by accident. Humpback whales can be highly energetic and often jump above the surface of the water with their mouths wide open when they are feeding in a behavior called breaching. Humans are simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Also, as the whale’s enormous mouth distends, they are not able to see in front of them and don’t know that they have scooped up a human until they feel it in their mouth. Then, they promptly spit it out!
Do Any Other Animals Get Accidentally Swallowed?
Seabirds can get swallowed by humpbacks. 2009fotofriends/Shutterstock.com
Yes! Humpback whales also accidentally swallow other creatures that get in the way when they are feeding. Scientific studies of humpback whale poop have shown that they swallow sea birds. Sadly for the birds, they are small enough to pass into the whale’s stomach. However, this only happens very occasionally. Also, a wildlife photographer captured the moment in 2019 when an unlucky sea lion ended up inside a humpback whale’s mouth in another incredibly rare event. The sea lion was soon released and swam away.
Do Humpback Whales Kill People?
When a creature as large as a humpback whale hurls itself out of the water, it is a potentially dangerous situation — whether they have their mouths open or not. Sadly, there are reports of people being killed by breaching whales. In March 2015, a breaching humpback landed on a tour boat off the coast of Mexico, killing one woman.
Even though these events are very rare, they serve to remind us of the extraordinary power of these incredible creatures and the need to take great care when we enter their habitats.
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