Footage of a large whale surfacing near Hon Kho Island in the southern-central province of Binh Dinh has attracted public attention.
Dang Van Hai, a 31-year-old photography enthusiast from Phu Cat District, was surprised to see a whale breaching the surface to hunt on Wednesday afternoon.
The whale spotted near Hon Kho Island (Photo by Dang Van Hai)
Hai recorded the scene and shared it on social media.
The clip suggests the whale is likely a Bryde’s Whale, identified by three prominent ridges on the top of its head and its distinctive feeding behaviour, lunging vertically with its mouth wide open to catch prey.
The whale is likely a Bryde’s Whale (Video by Dang Van Hai)
According to Vu Long, Director of the Centre for Biodiversity Conservation and Endangered Species, the Bryde’s Whale seen off Binh Dinh is a filter feeder that hunts small fish, krill, and shrimp, and poses no danger to humans. These whales typically prefer calm, food-rich waters for resting and raising their young.
A local tour operator also saw a large whale breaching the surface to feed off the coast of My A Commune in Phu My District earlier, on June 7.
Whales were also reported in the De Gi-Vung Boi waters of Phu Cat District in 2022 and 2023.
