Nature Features

Humpback whale breeching. Photo by Ross Newham

The spectacular sighting was photographed by wildlife enthusiast, Ross Newham from Maidstone, Kent, a visiting birdwatcher, who managed to capture images of the whale breeching and the after-splash.

Ross says: "I was fortunate enough to be on the boat The Sapphire when a lucky few of us saw the humpback whale on the evening of Saturday 30 August."

Humpback whale splash - Photo Ross Newham

The skipper of the boat, Paul Smith says it's unusual to see the whales jumping out of the water so near the Isles of Scilly.

Paul says: "We were on the way out, a mile and a half away from the islands. The whale came clean out of the water. It was impressive to see. You don't get to see it very often.

"I don't know if he was just showing off or if I was a bit close and he wanted me to go away."

Humpback Facts

Humpback whales are one of the most regularly spotted whales and they are very distinctive with their humped back, their knobbly heads and their large, white pectoral fins. They are often seen breaching or lunging near tourist boats.

Humpback whales are found worldwide but they like to feed in cold water. They adults range in length from 12–16 metres and may weigh up to 30 tonnes.  Even when they are born they may weigh as much as 2 tonnes - the equivalent of 2,000 kilogrammes -  two thousand bags of sugar.

They typically migrate up to 25,000 kilometres each year and feed only in summer, in polar waters, migrating to tropical or sub-tropical waters to breed and give birth in the winter.

According to earthtrust.org, humpbacks have become renowned for their various acrobatic displays. In fact, the common name "humpback" refers to the high arch of their backs when they dive. One of the humpback's more spectacular behaviours is the breach.

Breaching is a true leap where a whale generates enough upward force with its powerful flukes to lift approximately two-thirds of its body out of the water. A breach may also involve a twisting motion, when the whale twists its body sideways as it reaches the height of the breach. Researchers are not certain why whales breach, but believe that it may be related to courtship or play activity.

Unusual Marine Mammals Washed Up

On Monday 1 September two highly unusual marine mammals washed up on the western shores of St Agnes within days of one another. Sadly, both animals were already dead but this provided a unique opportunity for local scientists to examine them.

A very rare female Sowerby’s beaked whale washed in at Periglis. These are normally deep water species, feeding on squid and cuttlefish.

Risso's dolphin washed up on Scilly

At nearly 12 feet long, this animal was too big to be taken for postmortem. However, members of Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s Marine Strandings Network were able to collect measurements, photographs and skin samples that will be analysed. This whale is extremely rare to see one here in the south west.

St Agnes Coastguard Mike Hicks, who found the animal, said, "It was sad to see such an impressive animal out of her natural environment but I’m pleased we were able to help gather information from her and at the end of the day it was a privilege to see something that most people never will".

Later the CWTMS was alerted to another, smaller animal a quarter of a mile away from the Sowerby’s whale. The animal was identified as a baby Risso’s dolphin that was young enough to still be dependent on its mother for nourishment. It was then brought back for postmortem at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency in Truro.

Risso’s dolphins are often seen around Cornwall, although not as frequently as bottlenose and common dolphins. What was particularly interesting about this baby was that initial observations suggested it had been killed by bottlenose dolphins.