VIDEO: Largest Animal in the World Comes in for a Closeup

From Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari in Dana Point:

Whale watchers aboard Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari in Dana Point, had a very up-close and personal encounter with a juvenile blue whale nicknamed “Hitch.”

While the boat was in neutral and not moving, “Hitch” swam over to check out the people on board. This is called a mugging. Muggings occur when a whale becomes curious and takes a special interest in a boat.

“Hitch” swam around and under Captain Dave’s high-tech catamaran within very close proximity to whale watching passengers. Everyone on board was very excited to be so close to the largest animal on earth!

Southern California hosts the largest concentration of blue whales in the world during the summer months. Between June and October these endangered animals are populating Orange County waters to feed on krill, a very small shrimp-like crustacean. Blue whales can consume four tons of krill every day.

After nearly being hunted to extinction in the early 1900s, endangered blue whales are now protected worldwide. However, while whaling is no longer considered a threat to blue whales, ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear are ongoing hazards. Nearly 1,000 dolphins and whales die every day, worldwide, in fishing gear entanglement.

PHOTO A blue whale, courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.