The post A Humpback Whale Took a Wrong Turn Into a California Harbor, and the Rescue Was Incredible appeared first on A-Z Animals.

Quick Take

• A lost humpback whale stunned boaters by swimming through Ventura Harbor before responders guided it safely back to open water.

• Though humpbacks migrate through coastal waters, entering a marina is rare and can quickly become dangerous for the whale.

• The dramatic rescue ended on a hopeful note when underwater whale calls helped lure the animal back out to sea.

Navigating around a marina can take quite a lot of skill, but one obstacle you don’t expect to have to sail around is a humpback whale! This extraordinary clip shows the whale cruising past the berths in Southern California’s Ventura Harbor. It may look like a wonderful sight in the aerial drone footage, but this sea creature was in trouble. It had got stuck in the harbor and had no idea how to get out. However, this story has a happy ending. We learn from the video notes that it was later lured back out to sea using underwater broadcast whale calls.

Watch the Magnificent Sight Now

Where Do Humpback Whales Normally Live?

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) live in oceans around the world, migrating between colder feeding grounds and warmer breeding grounds. They get their common name from their habit of rounding their backs when diving. You may spot them in the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Southern, and Arctic oceans, depending on the population and season. They spend most of their time in deep oceanic waters, but as you see in this clip, they sometimes venture closer to the coast.

How Do Humpback Whales Normally Behave?

This is a migratory species of whale. They travel between northern and southern latitudes according to the season. They spend spring, summer, and fall in colder waters but spend the winter near shallow, tropical banks. It is during these migrations that they move through coastal waters and are most likely to be spotted from the shore.

Humpbacks are often seen alone or in small, temporary groups, though they may gather in larger numbers in feeding or breeding areas, including around shallow banks. In feeding areas during spring and summer, humpbacks may gather where prey is concentrated, especially in productive colder waters.

What Do Humpback Whales Eat?

Humpbacks are baleen whales and are generalist feeders. They move around a lot, looking for food, and take their opportunities to feed wherever they can. Their diet consists of plankton and fish. The exact fish species, however, varies by location. For example, humpbacks in the North Pacific eat krill and small schooling fish, while humpbacks off the U.S. Northeast may feed on prey such as sand lance and herring.

To feed, the whales open their large mouths, taking in water and food. The ventral grooves in their throat allow them to take in large volumes. Then, they shut their mouth, and the water is forced out through the baleen plates. Plankton and fish stuck on the plates are swallowed, helped along by the tongue!

The post A Humpback Whale Took a Wrong Turn Into a California Harbor, and the Rescue Was Incredible appeared first on A-Z Animals.