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Watch: Incredible video shows curious humpback whale following kayaker off Australia’s coast

The whale kept swimming metres away from the kayaker and followed him from Tamarama to Coogee Beach, according to reports

Published: Tue 27 Jun 2023, 4:21 PM

Updated: Tue 27 Jun 2023, 4:24 PM

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Photo: Instagram/dronesharkapp

Photo: Instagram/dronesharkapp

A drone footage of a humpback whale swimming alongside a kayaker in Australia is going viral on the internet.

Currently, it is the whale-watching season in Australia. During this time, thousands of humpback whales migrate to the country from Antarctica.

In the video, which was shared on Sunday, a kayaker can be seen paddling in the ocean as a magnificent humpback whale swims beside him just below the surface.

According to The Guardian, the rare sight was witnessed near Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia.

The whale kept swimming metres away from the kayaker and followed him from Tamarama to Coogee Beach, reported The Sydney Morning Herald.

The footage was shared by drone pilot Jason Iggleden who has been filming other marine creatures like seals and sharks off Australia’s coasts.

“The whales are always a treat as they cruise up the coast during migration season,” Iggleden was quoted as saying by CNN.

Jason Iggleden added that “there’s a wondrous world in the deep blue and I have had the ability to share it with audiences. Human and sea life interactions are always so fascinating and it’s a reminder to all of us to appreciate, respect and coexist with our oceans.”

Humpback whales swim great distances during migration every year. They begin their trip in Antarctica and cover up to 10,000 kilometres swimming in large groups. The mammals then reach Queensland in northeastern Australia, which has become one of the famous spots for whale watching in the country, according to the report. This year, around 5,000 humpback whales have been sighted in Australian waters during the annual migration, the report said quoting Organization for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans (ORRCA), a conservation group involved in the rescue, research, conservation, protection and welfare of Whales and other marine creatures.

“The numbers are healthy and have definitely increased. We’ve never seen so many of them so early in the season and we strongly believe it’s because of the better weather. We’ve also seen them swimming closer to shore,” Steve Trikoulis, vice president of ORRCA, told CNN.

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