By Pete Thomas
Humpback whale sightings are on the rise off Mexico’s west coast, and on Tuesday spectacular footage surfaced showing a mother and week-old calf beneath the surface off Cabo San Lucas.
“The first video footage taken this season of a mother and baby humpback whale. Very exciting!” writes Whale Watch Cabo on Facebook. “As you can see the baby is very small, very light in color and only about 1 week old.”
The underwater footage, captured by a guide named Nacho, shows the mother keeping the calf just above her head at the surface, in close proximity to a small boat.
Humpback whales that migrate to Mexico each winter – from a region spanning from California to British Columbia – are part of the North Eastern Pacific Population. Primary breeding and nursing areas are off mainland Mexico – notably, Puerto Vallarta’s Banderas Bay.
But Cabo San Lucas, at Baja California’s tip, is a prime viewing location during the winter.
Whale Watch Cabo logged its mother-and-calf sighting Monday, and released the video Tuesday.
Humpback whale newborns typically measure 13-15 feet, and can weigh up to a ton. While nursing, calves can gain as much as 100 pounds per day. Adult humpback whales typically measure 45-50 feet and can weigh as much as 40 tons.
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