Where to watch whales in China?

This journey is purely fictitious

But the knowledge points are genuine

Due to the scarcity of cetacean imaging data in China

This article uses a lot of video footage shot abroad.

Just as an indication of the corresponding species

Hope you know

Did you know?

There are about 90 known species of whales in the world

About 40 of them are found in

Chinese waters

They not only

Huge, romantic, poetic

Transformed into an isolated island, accompanied by fish and birds

(In the waters of Gerash Strait, Antarctica, an adult humpback whale jumped out of the water. Source: Visual China)

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They also not only

From the end of the world or historical legends

Always with us

Separated by water and sky, looking at each other from afar

(Two humpback whales swim among the icebergs of Ilulissat in Disko Bay, Greenland, source: Visual China)

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They also have

Dolphins are cute

The close proximity of finless porpoises

(The "whales" or "whales" mentioned in this article refer to all species in the order Cetacea under the superorder Artiodactylus in taxonomy, that is, "whales", including the two suborders of baleen whales and toothed whales. Baleen whales refer to various whales that use baleen to filter feed, including humpback whales, blue whales and right whales; toothed whales refer to various whales with teeth, including sperm whales, killer whales and various dolphins; the difference between baleen whales and toothed whales, map by @Han Qing & Wang Shenwen/Planetary Research Institute)

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Cetaceans in China

There are "rare national treasures" such as the Baiji dolphin and the Yangtze River dolphin.

There are also many "international stars" such as spinner dolphins and humpback whales.

(Spinner dolphin [Stenella longirostris], source @Wikimedia Commons)

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This time we took

Planetary Institute whale watching ship

From the Yangtze River to the South China Sea, from finless porpoises to humpback whales

Let’s find China’s “whales” together

(Near the Tonga Ha'apai Islands in the South Pacific, two humpback whales looked at humans curiously a few steps away from the boat, source @Visual China)

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Get to know each other

These low-key cetacean friends

Let’s understand together

How to say hello to them scientifically?

How to help stranded whales?

Let's enjoy the Chinese whale color

Set off!

1st Voyage

From the Yangtze River to the East China Sea

Yichang, Hubei

On the broad Yangtze River

The Three Gorges Dam quietly protects the vast land and water downstream

This whale watching trip starts from here

After setting off, we went down the river

Whenever I pass by the river where boats are crisscrossed

Tributary estuaries, curved river sections, and riverside sandbars

I will pay extra attention to the river surface

(The busy shipping traffic on the Yichang section of the Yangtze River, photographer @李理)

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suddenly

Ripples of light

There are 1 to 5 lead-gray figures

Accompanied by a faint "sneezing" sound

Flickering

(Yichang Gezhouba Dam is located 38 kilometers downstream of the Three Gorges Dam. Yangtze River dolphins are active in the water near it. Source: Visual China)

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See it!

Yangtze River Porpoise

Neophocaena asiaeorientalis

National level

It is an endangered small whale species unique to my country.

Average length: 1.4 meters, weight: 43.6 kilograms

It is the "Jiang Pig" in the eyes of local people.

(The Yangtze River porpoise's naturally upturned mouth corners seem to have an "angelic smile"; the porpoise is in captivity at the Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China. Photographer: Xu Shuchun)

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If I were luckier

It happened that heavy rain was coming and the weather was changing.

It is very likely that you will get to see the finless porpoise "Zhuifenghou"

Affected by hot weather and other factors

The finless porpoise can jump out of the water nearly 1 meter high

The ancients called it "worshiping the wind"

(The finless porpoise "worshipping the wind" in Poyang Lake, photographer @廖士清)

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If it is

Late spring and early summer

Catching up with the Yangtze River dolphin just after giving birth

You will see mother dolphins swimming with their calves.

Even carried the baby dolphin on his back to teach it how to swim and breathe.

Floating and sinking, quite warm

(A mother dolphin and her baby dolphin swim together in the Yichang section of Hubei Province, source: Visual China)

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now

Under the influence of human activities

In this 1,600-kilometer section of the river

Only 1,000 Yangtze River dolphins left

Meeting is all luck

(The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs' "2017 Yangtze River Porpoise Ecological Scientific Survey" estimated that the number of Yangtze River porpoises is about 1,012, including about 445 in the mainstream of the Yangtze River, about 110 in Dongting Lake, and about 457 in Poyang Lake; Yangtze River porpoises in the waters of the Tian'ezhou Baiji National Nature Reserve in Hubei Yangtze River, photographer @Cheng Bin)

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However, despite this

The fate of the Yangtze River dolphin is also enviable enough

Baiji

Lipotes vexillifer

National level

It is a close friend of the Yangtze River dolphin

Living in the same river sections, river bends and sandbanks

It is also a small whale species unique to my country.

But they look obviously different

Long snout, light body color, and triangular dorsal fin

(The Baiji was once called "white-fin dolphin" or "Baiji dolphin". It belongs to the family Baiji, but in the past when molecular morphological classification was not mature enough, it was always classified as sub-Phodonidae. In 2001, Qiqi, a Baiji dolphin, was eating in the Baiji Pavilion of the Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan. Photographer: Zhou Guoqiang)

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More than 1,000 years ago

The annotation in Er Ya says: "There are many of them in the river."

1950s

The baiji dolphin is still found in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and even in the Qiantang River.

But since the death of Qiqi from the Institute of Aquatic Biology in 2002,

After that, we never saw the river again.

Seeing the clear face of the baiji dolphin again

(Qiqi is the male baiji dolphin best known to humans. He was caught by local fishermen with an iron hook at the mouth of Dongting Lake on January 11, 1980. Two scars on the back of his neck caused by the iron hook are clearly visible. Since then, Qiqi has been kept in captivity at the Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Wuhan for scientific research until he died of natural causes on July 14, 2002 at the age of 23. Qiqi is the only baiji dolphin that has been kept in captivity for a long time. Source: Visual China)

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although

In 2007, some scholars believed that

The Baiji dolphin is as extinct in the wild as the South China tiger.

But then the hazy figures that occasionally appeared in the Yangtze River

Let the Baiji dolphin be included in the IUCN Red List

It remains in a critical condition

(IUCN refers to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which was established in 1948 and is headquartered in Gland, Switzerland. It is the world's largest and oldest global non-profit environmental protection organization. In 2001, experts from the Institute of Aquatic Sciences were conducting a regular physical examination for Qiqi. Photographer: Zhou Guoqiang)

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Longing for the Baiji Dolphin

While encouraging us to continue searching on the river

It also became our motivation to protect the Yangtze River dolphins

suddenly

A burst of whistles on the river

Draw our attention from the Baiji dolphin back to the present

The small group of porpoises that just swam with the boat

Disappeared without a trace in the blink of an eye

(Compared to the "shy" Baiji dolphin, the Yangtze River porpoise is much more "bold" and can occasionally be found not far from the boat. Photographer @李心宽)

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The excitement caused by the finless porpoise has not yet subsided

We have arrived at Shanghai Chongming Island

Yangtze River dolphins and Baiji dolphins have stopped here

In the vast ocean ahead

The Yangtze River dolphin has two twin brothers

East Asian finless porpoise and Indo-Pacific finless porpoise

(The two finless porpoises in the sea are more numerous and more widely distributed, and both are national second-class protected animals. The East Asian finless porpoise [Neophocaena sunameri] mainly lives in the Yellow Sea, Bohai Sea and East China Sea, while the Indo-Pacific finless porpoise [Neophocaena phocaenoides] mainly lives in the southern East China Sea and the coast of the South China Sea; Schematic diagram of the distribution of finless porpoise species in Chinese waters, map by @陈志浩, Hanqing/Planet Research Institute)

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Yangtze River dolphins have the company of the Baiji dolphin

The porpoise brothers in the sea also have a friend in white

Chinese white dolphin

Sousa chinensis

National level

The average length of an adult Chinese white dolphin is about 2.35 meters

It is a rare small coastal toothed whale.

(The Chinese white dolphin is also known as the "Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin". The body color of the newly born white dolphin is gray, and the body color gradually becomes lighter and whiter as it grows older; Chinese white dolphins in the waters of the Pearl River Estuary, photographer @颜景龙)

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They are usually found in coastal estuaries.

There are also cases of chasing fish upstream

The world's largest population of leopards is found along the Pearl River Estuary.

About 2,000

(Distribution range of the Chinese white dolphin, map by Chen Zhihao, Hanqing/Planet Research Institute)

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Looking for white dolphins

Usually just follow the double trawler

Years of experience

Let the Chinese white dolphin find a shortcut to catch fish

They often live alone or in small groups of several.

Following behind the fishing boats to hunt down any fish that have escaped the net

When you are in high spirits, jump out of the water

(The light white skin of the Chinese white dolphin appears pink against the background of the blood vessels under the skin, and the degree of pink changes as the blood vessels expand and contract. This feature is common to all whales with lighter body colors, such as the Amazon River Dolphin [Inia geoffrensis], known as the "pink river dolphin"; a Chinese white dolphin jumping out of the water, photographer @Ying Wu/Wild Wonders of China)

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End of the first day of sailing

Subject to factors such as environment and resources

Cetaceans in rivers and seas

We can only see small local whales

They are far from the impression of "big whales"

Of course, our trip is much more than that.

We continue sailing

With dolphins and "big whales"

Getting closer

Second Voyage

From the East China Sea to the South China Sea

Next day

We went south from Zhoushan Fishery

The sky is blue and the waves are like jade

(Because Zhoushan waters are located on the vast East China Sea continental shelf, near the Yangtze River estuary and at the intersection of cold and warm ocean currents, the nutrients in the seawater are sufficient, it is a large fishing ground with rich resources, attracting many marine life; the "sea ranch" of Zhoushan Shengsi Islands, photographer @张扬的小强)

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On the bow

A group of dolphins appeared in the water

Glancing around with joy

We were surrounded by dolphins.

(Spinner dolphins by the boat, photographer @梁震凯)

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The water here is more than 180 meters deep

In winter, large schools of fish migrate here.

Dolphins from the ocean also come here to hunt for prey

In order not to disturb or injure the dolphins

We maintain our direction and speed

And be as quiet and restrained as possible

(Some dolphins like to play in the waves on the bow of the ship, source @Visual China)

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In the waves beside the boat

A dolphin suddenly jumped nearly 2 meters

At the same time, spin your body back into the water

This iconic juggling move belongs to

Spinner dolphin

Stenella longirostris

National Level 2

They chase schools of tuna and other fish.

(The spinner dolphin is also called the long-beaked spinner dolphin, named because it likes to spin its body and jump out of the water. Source: Visual China)

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Dolphins are famous social beings

Prefers to gather in large groups or mix with other species

This large group of dolphins is likely to be more than one species.

(Dolphins appear in mixed groups, photographer @Shang Rui)

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After careful observation

We actually found

True dolphins, bottlenose dolphins

Striped dolphin, spotted dolphin

They follow mackerel, herring, sardines and squid

Meet for a winter feast in this sea area

(A group of real dolphins following a school of sardines, source: Visual China)

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dolphin

Extroverted and social

Causes them to develop complex

Social structure and cognitive ability

In other words, dolphins are smart.

The best among them are

Bottlenose dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

National Level 2

(Bottlenose dolphins are also known as "bottlenose dolphins" and are the most common type of dolphin we have. Source: Visual China)

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Its brain is very similar to ours

Large cerebral hemispheres

Its surface has even more grooves than humans.

The brain volume is comparable to that of great apes such as gorillas

It is the second largest species in the animal kingdom after humans.

(Bottlenose dolphins have smart minds and can learn many sign languages ​​and complex body movements; bottlenose dolphins performing in the oceanarium, source @Wikimedia Commons)

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However

"Too clever is too clever"

Their brilliant minds made them

The most popular whale show in the aquarium

Lost freedom

(Beluga whales [Delphinapterus leucas], like bottlenose dolphins, are common performing animals in aquariums. Unlike bottlenose dolphins, beluga whales are not naturally distributed in Chinese waters. They are a common toothed whale in the Arctic Ocean and are completely "migrant workers"; a beluga whale performing in an aquarium with an "air ring" on its head, photographer @陈刚)

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The dolphin brain has another feature

Possessing a well-developed auditory processing area

This is a specialty that is related to their jobs.

Underwater

Light decreases with depth

Plus the parallax of distance in the water

Dolphins have evolved a sonar system

Hunting prey solely by echolocation

Maybe I'm tired of surfing games

The dolphins followed the boat for a while and then dispersed.

Let's continue south.

When we went around to the east of Taiwan

Taitung and Hualien are blown by the wind from the western Pacific Ocean

This is one of the most ideal areas for whale watching in my country.

(A group of dolphins not far from the shore of Hualien, photographer @胡添龙)

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Distant water

Suddenly, several towering dorsal fins appeared.

The head is accompanied by a 1~2 meter high spray

The "big whale" in my impression finally appeared

That is the biggest dolphin.

Killer Whale

Orcinus orca

National Level 2

(Killer whales are the largest species in the dolphin family, so they are also called "the largest dolphin"; male killer whale T19B Galiano born in 1995, photographer @Yifan Ling)

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Follow whale watching regulations

We looked from the side of the killer whale

Slowly approach them in the direction they are swimming.

Keep a safe distance of 100 to 300 meters from them

Keep the boat speed below 6 knots

Walk slowly and observe quietly

(Illustration of whale watching activities, drawn by @Hanqing/Planet Research Institute)

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Through the telescope

We saw that adult killer whales are 5 to 10 meters long.

The black and white body color is like a white-collar worker wearing a suit.

They travel in almost all the sea areas of our country.

It is one of the most widespread whales.

(Although killer whales are widely distributed in my country's waters, they are rarely seen nowadays; Schematic diagram of killer whale distribution, drawn by @陈志浩, Hanqing/Planet Research Institute)

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Global

Killer whale populations in different waters

There are obvious differences in behavior and appearance

Just like human races with different cultures

(A killer whale family, photographer @张康年)

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Coastal resident killer whales

Usually in groups of 5 to 25

The tip of the dorsal fin is blunt and rounded, and it often makes sounds.

The dive time usually does not exceed 4 minutes

Feeds mainly on fish

(The dorsal fin morphology of killer whales is an important feature for individual identification; dorsal fin comparison of an adult male killer whale - J26 Mike [above], a female killer whale - J22 Oreo [middle] and a calf - J58 Crescent [below] in a family of southern resident killer whales in the waters off the west coast of the United States, photographer @Yifan Ling)

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Pelagic killer whales

Usually 1 to 7 people in a group

The dorsal fin has a pointed tip and rarely makes sounds.

Diving time is 5 to 15 minutes

Feeds mainly on marine mammals

(Killer whales are also known as orcas. The towering dorsal fin is a sign of adult male killer whales; on the west coast of the United States, a 38-year-old male killer whale T68A Ken [front] and a 52-year-old female killer whale T68 Yakataga [back], the dorsal fins of the male and female are clearly different. Photographer @Yifan Ling)

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Two killer whales in front of us

Smaller group size and pointed dorsal fin

It is speculated that they may be transient species in the Pacific Ocean.

Wandering the sea, without a fixed place to stay

Try your luck in Chinese waters

(An adult male killer whale underwater, photographer @张帆)

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Killer Whale

Although it is called "the tiger among whales" or "killer whale"

It is a tyrant in the sea that even great white sharks have to stay away from.

But they also have a gentle side.

A female killer whale was recorded in 2018

Dragging his dead child

17 days

(A pair of killer whales in Antarctic waters, the female killer whale's dorsal fin is relatively round and blunt, photographer @徐征泽)

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The two killer whales may have spotted us.

Suddenly they changed direction.

Take a deep breath and dive into the water

Then disappeared

If you go

Whale watching in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea in winter

It is also possible to see the North Pacific and the Bering Strait.

They migrate south along the coast to overwinter and breed

Minke whale

Balaenoptera acutorostrata

National level

(The minke whale is the most numerous type of baleen whale and is the smallest species among baleen whales. The average length of individuals in the Yellow Sea is 6.14-6.93 meters, which is usually smaller than those in the Sea of ​​Japan, the North Pacific, the North Atlantic and the Antarctic. The minke whale has unique white markings on its body. Photographer @Tea-tia)

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If we go back decades ago

The world's second largest whale can still be seen in the waters near our country

Fin whale

and those who were deeply harmed by the whaling industry

Gray whales and North Pacific right whales

However, under the influence of whaling and environmental changes,

Populations of these large baleen whales are declining.

They have not been seen in Chinese waters for many years.

(The number of North Pacific right whales [Eubalaena japonica] is extremely rare. In contrast, its "twin brother" in the Southern Hemisphere, the Southern Right Whale [Eubalaena australis], is much more common. Both right whales have a signature light-colored skin callus on their heads, also known as a "whale cap", which can be used for individual identification. The skin callus is usually parasitic with a large number of whale barnacles and whale lice; the following are the Southern Right Whale, the Fin Whale [Balaenoptera physalus], and the Gray Whale [Eschrichtius robustus], source @Visual China, map @Hanqing/Planetary Research Institute)

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Right whales have

The baleen is more than 3 meters long and the blubber is tens of centimeters thick.

This makes them the most popular whale species in the whaling market.

Therefore, their English name is simply called "Right Whale"

That is, the "right whale" that whalers should choose

(Throughout the 20th century, nearly 2.9 million large whales [mainly baleen whales] were hunted worldwide. In 1986, the "Global Ban on Whaling" issued by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) officially came into effect, strictly prohibiting commercial whaling. Since then, the global whaling volume has dropped significantly. In the decade of the 1960s, the number of large whales hunted in global commercial whaling activities reached 700,000, but by the 1990s, it had dropped to about 7,000; now only a few countries such as Japan, Norway and Iceland are still carrying out whaling activities; in 2008, Japan's "Yushin Maru" whaling ship carried out whaling operations in the Antarctic waters, source @Visual China, map @Hanqing/Planet Research Institute)

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The end of the next day's voyage

We went around Kenting in the southern part of Taiwan

Arriving at the ocean with the richest whale resources in my country

South China Sea

In these warm waters

There is also the more legendary "Big Whale"

Waiting for us

Voyage 3

From Dongsha to Beihai

Early morning on the third day

Sailing to the sea area near Dongsha

A column of water suddenly rose from the sea in the distance.

It is estimated to be about 10 meters high.

(A blue whale's 10-meter-high spray, source: Visual China)

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Then several times

I couldn't help but feel happy

Because there can be such a large-scale squirting

No doubt only the largest whales

Blue Whale

Balaenoptera musculus

National level

(Blue whales are extremely rare in Chinese waters, and there have been no related records in Chinese waters since 1938. Globally, blue whales in the southern hemisphere are slightly larger than those in the northern hemisphere; distribution of blue whales, map by @Chen Zhihao, Hanqing/Planetary Research Institute)

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The largest blue whale ever recorded

Over 30 meters long and weighing about 160 tons

It is not only the largest baleen whale and cetacean

It is also the largest

mammal

(The number of cells in the giant blue whale is thousands of times that of humans, but their risk of cancer does not increase accordingly, and they can still live nearly a hundred years. This is Peto's paradox. Scientists' preliminary explanation for Peto's paradox is: 1. They have evolved tumor suppressor mechanisms, such as controlling cell apoptosis. 2. They have evolved super tumors, which are secondary tumors that have an inhibitory effect on the initial malignant tumor; blue whales underwater, source @Visual China)

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Because of its huge size

Its every move affects the ocean's nerves

Even excretion is vital to the ocean

Whales usually defecate in shallow water

So they can bring nutrients from deep-water prey to shallow waters.

A large amount of excrement feeds the plankton in the shallow sea

Plankton nourishes krill and other blue whales' main food.

(Antarctic krill as food for giant baleen whales, source: @Visual China & Xu Zhengze)

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Huge size

The death of whales is also romantic

“When a whale dies, everything comes to life”

Huge whale carcass

Can support many seafloor creatures

Thousands of years

(The animal communities of large whale falls usually go through four succession stages, which are, in order, the mobile scavenger stage lasting 3.6-18 months, the opportunist stage lasting 2-4.5 years, the chemoautotrophic stage lasting 40-80 years, and the reef stage lasting thousands or tens of thousands of years; the picture shows a sperm whale fall found in the Sulawesi Sea in Indonesia. The whale fall is already in the third stage of chemoautotrophy. A large number of heterotrophic and autotrophic bacteria are attached to the huge skull, and there are hundreds of mollusks in the bone sutures. The whale fall has a history of nearly a hundred years. Photographer @张帆)

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We continue west

Arrived in the waters near Wenchang, Hainan

The South China Sea is still warm and breezy in February and March

Relatively warm water temperatures plus plenty of food

This makes it an ideal breeding ground for whales.

(Curious humpback whale mother and child, source: @张帆)

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Thinking

A series of loud splashing sounds came from the sea in the distance.

Following the sound, I saw a huge tail leaf with white belly.

This is the world's best-known large whale.

Humpback whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

National level

(Humpback whales, also known as humpback whales, have been recorded in other waters in my country outside the Bohai Sea. In recent years, they have occasionally been spotted in the waters near Yantai, Shandong. A whale-watching ship in Icelandic waters encountered a huge humpback whale. Source: Visual China)

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Long flippers and a head full of knobs

Plus the tail leaf with white spots on the ventral surface and serrated posterior edge

These are unique features of the humpback whale.

They are lively and curious.

I especially like jumping in the water.

(A huge humpback whale soaring into the sky, source: Visual China, map: Hanqing/Planetary Research Institute)

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The most talked about humpback whale

And its melodious "singing"

Compared to the sounds of other whales

Humpback whales can make more complex sounds

Used for identification and communication between individuals

Humpback whales are like killer whales

There is also a rich "regional culture"

Different populations have different diets

Fish dominate in the northern hemisphere

The southern hemisphere is dominated by shrimp

(Humpback whales create circular "bubble nets" below schools of fish and shrimp, trapping frightened prey in them and then swallowing them whole. This is called the "bubble net hunting method" of humpback whales; a humpback whale using a "bubble net" to hunt, source: Visual China)

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Farewell Humpback Whale

We turn south

Leaving the South China Sea continental shelf

The ocean is more than 1,000 meters deep

In the waters near Xisha and Zhongsha

Several dark protrusions appeared on the sea surface in the distance

As we try to get closer

A beam of tilted spray sprays 2 to 5 meters high

This iconic squirt comes from the famous

sperm whale

Physeter macrocephalus

National level

(In the picture, you can see the unique slit-like breathing hole of the sperm whale located on the left side of the top of the head; a group of sperm whales are gathering on the sea surface in the waters of the Azores Islands in Portugal, source @Visual China, map @Hanqing/Planet Research Institute)

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Sperm whales are the largest toothed whales

The size difference between male and female whales is huge

Adult male whale

15~18 meters long, weighing about 50 tons

Three times the size of a female whale

(Sperm whale mother and calf, the size difference between male and female is similar to this, source @Visual China)

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Sperm whales usually live in deep oceans

It has been recorded in all sea areas of my country except Bohai Sea

They can hold their breath for more than 2 hours at a time.

Usually hunts at a depth of 300-600 meters

So it's lucky to meet them.

(The maximum diving depth of sperm whales is said to be thousands of meters, but there is no definite evidence so far, source @Visual China)

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Confronting sperm whales

We are extra careful

Keep a safe distance of 300 meters from them

Because they are said to have a temper as big as their size

This can be seen from Moby Dick and many whaling history materials.

Sperm whales are the only whales to deliberately sink ships.

It was the biggest challenge for American whalers from the 18th to the 20th century.

Known as the "whale among whales"

(Illustration from an early 1892 edition of Moby Dick, source @Wikimedia Commons)

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But no matter how bad the sperm whale's temper is

But people's demand for it is greater than

Whale oil extracted from their blubber

It was a superior lighting material in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The spermaceti oil obtained from their brains

Better quality than whale oil

(Compared with traditional vegetable oils and other animal oils, whale oil has advantages such as no black smoke, fragrant smell, and bright white flame, so it became a hot commodity; products such as whale blubber, whale blubber candles, and sperm whale brain oil, source @Wikimedia Commons, map @Hanqing/Planetary Research Institute)

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Ambergris

The most coveted thing on a sperm whale

Although it is a stone in the digestive tract of whales

But it has been coveted by humans for more than 1,000 years

Egyptians burned ambergris in temples

The Chinese consider it the most powerful aphrodisiac

The British regard it as the most precious food

The most common application of ambergris

As a fixative for perfume

(Some scholars believe that Marco Polo was the first to propose that ambergris came from sperm whales; Ambergris, source @Wikimedia Commons, map @Hanqing/Planetary Research Institute)

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We continue south to Nansha

The depth of the sea is more than 3000 meters

Measuring the water surface not far from the boat

Suddenly a white head flashed by

"Chinese white dolphin?"

"This isn't a shallow coastal sea. It shouldn't be."

Pick up the telescope with doubt

It turned out to be a rare visitor

An elderly male

Goose-beaked whale

Ziphius cavirostris

National Level 2

(The species names in the text are based on the 2021 edition of the "National Key Protected Wildlife List". The goose-beaked whale is also known as the "Cuvier's beaked whale". The color of its head will turn white with age. It usually moves in groups, and old male whales occasionally go alone; adult male goose-beaked whales have protruding teeth at the end of their lower jaws and their faces are light white. Source @Wikimedia Commons, map @Hanqing/Planet Research Institute)

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Beaked whales are deep-diving whales

Usually active in areas such as straits with depths of several thousand meters

Therefore, it is rarely observed alive.

The most low-key whale

The goose-beaked whale is the most famous of these.

Because it is widely distributed and relatively more numerous

But despite this

The people who have seen it are rare

(Distribution diagram of goose-beaked whales, drawn by @Chen Zhihao, Hanqing/Planetary Research Institute)

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Arriving at the Spratly Islands

Warm sea water, plenty of sunshine, etc.

The Nansha Sea area has developed a wealth of coral reefs and other resources.

Rich marine resources attract a large number of fish

Along came various whales

There is a person who has met me once in the East China Sea

True dolphins, spotted dolphins, etc.

There are also people I have never met

Fraser's dolphins, pilot whales, etc.

(Spotted dolphins rejoicing in the South China Sea, photographer @陈建伟)

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After greeting the dolphins

We turned north to the Beibu Gulf

There was a commotion on the sea far from the bow.

A group of red-billed gulls and other seabirds are hunting fish in the water

Suddenly, the water around the school of fish bulged up.

Then the three giant mouths slowly closed

There was a heavy snorting sound.

(Bryde's whales in the waters near Weizhou Island and red-billed gulls in the sky are attacking a school of fish. Photographer @陈默)

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We approached quickly and carefully

I saw the back of these three big mouths

There are three obvious ridges

This is 3 heads

Bryde's whale

Balaenoptera edeni

National level

(The naming in the text is based on the 2021 version of the "National Key Protected Wildlife List". In recent years, some Chinese scholars believe that only the ocean-going individuals are called Bryde's whales [Balaenoptera brydei], while the near-shore individuals active near Weizhou Island should be called anchovy whales [Balaenoptera edeni], and they should be divided into two species; several brown-winged terns are hunting with a Bryde's whale, photographer @张称心, map @汉青/星球研究院)

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We then stopped the boat 300 meters away.

These baleen whales can reach up to 13 meters in length.

In winter and spring

Often seen in the waters of Weizhou Island

(Distribution diagram of Bryde's whales, drawn by @Chen Zhihao, Hanqing/Planetary Research Institute)

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As the third day of the voyage came to an end

Our whale watching trip has come to an end.

When we just landed on a beach in Hainan

The scene before us

But unexpected

end

Stranded "Partner"

On the beach

Large crowds gathered

Through the crowd

Found on this flat beach

Hundreds of whales were lying in a mess.

(Pilot whales often get stranded in large groups due to their close group relationships; pilot whales stranded in the northern part of New Zealand's South Island, source @Visual China)

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Large individuals are about 5 to 7 meters long

Dark black body color, light chest and abdomen spots

The forehead is bulbous

A group of stranded

Short-finned pilot whale

Globicephala macrorhynchus

National Level 2

(Short-finned pilot whales in the waters of the Canary Islands, source @Visual China)

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Whale stranding

Happens all over the world

There are also records along the coast of our country

On the causes of whale strandings

There is still no consensus

It may be natural causes

First of all, it is due to poor condition.

Old and weak individuals are unable to withstand the tide and are stranded

Secondly, it is due to one's own mistakes.

Mistakes in operation when hunting near the shore or being chased

Or to save a stranded partner

There are also extreme weather disasters

Washed ashore by typhoons, tsunamis, etc.

(In a fjord somewhere in Norway, a small family of killer whales is experiencing a snowstorm. Source: Visual China)

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It may also be due to human factors

First, it is caused by underwater noise pollution.

Ships, engineering projects, etc. interfere with whale navigation and cause them to run aground

Secondly, it may be caused by marine pollution.

Human waste affects the health of whales and causes them to strand

(Plastic bags and other marine debris have been found in the stomachs of many stranded whales; a spinner dolphin has a plastic bag on its flipper in a tropical sea, source @Wikimedia Commons)

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Back to the shore

Rescue operations are against the clock

We will call you immediately

110. Fishery administration departments or local cetacean rescue agencies

In order to facilitate the other party to better prepare and carry out rescue work

We report in detail on the number of stranded whales

Characteristics such as body length, activity level, and injuries

(On April 9, 2018, local time, in Mar del Plata, Argentina, a humpback whale was stranded on a local beach and people were working together to rescue it. Source: @Visual China)

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Others were not idle either.

We quickly arranged staff and on-site volunteers

Keeping onlookers at a distance from stranded pilot whales

Keep the scene quiet and orderly

So as not to further disturb the frightened cetaceans

Cause further harm

(On April 9, 2018, local time, in Mar del Plata, Argentina, a humpback whale was stranded on a local beach. Volunteers had separated the onlookers from the stranded whale, but the rescue was not successful. The stranded humpback whale eventually did not survive the disaster. Source: Visual China)

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Before rescue arrives

We approach them carefully from the side first.

Avoid the head and tail to avoid being slapped or bitten

Straighten the body position with the dorsal fin facing upwards

Keep the breathing holes on the top of the head clear

To prevent suffocation

(On July 6, 2021, in Taizhou, Zhejiang, 12 pilot whales were stranded on the mudflats of Toumen Port. Hundreds of rescue forces including citizens, police and firefighters were on the scene for emergency rescue. Source: Visual China)

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Strong sunlight on shore

Whales are usually covered in thick blubber

Therefore, it is very easy to overheat and dehydrate on shore.

So sun protection, moisturizing and cooling are crucial

We put up a sunshade for them.

Cover their bodies with a wet cloth

Pour seawater on the cloth every 2 to 3 minutes

Especially the fins and tail blades

Because the blood vessels in these areas are shallow

Can effectively lower the body temperature through blood circulation

Until the rescuers arrived

(Humpback whale calf Gigi is stranded at SeaWorld in San Diego, California. Volunteers are covering its torso with a wet cloth to help it cool down. Source: Visual China)

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Hard work pays off

Rescued by rescue workers

Pilot whales return to the sea

Their gradually receding figures also set the tone for this whale watching trip.

A perfect ending

(A group of whales flying away, photographer @商睿)

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Marine phytoplankton

Profoundly affects the atmospheric environment through photosynthesis

Whales fertilize ocean phytoplankton with their feces

They indirectly affect the global atmospheric environment

According to a study published in 2021 on the food intake of baleen whales

Scientists speculate on whales' contribution to global carbon emissions and other indicators

It may be on the same scale as the entire forest ecosystem.

It can be seen from this

“Protecting whales” is far more than just protecting whales

It protects the entire ocean.

Protecting the entire planet

(Two humpback whales under the water, photographer @偷行家楠忘)

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On protecting whales

What else can we do?

Relative to rescuing stranded whales

Perhaps a low-carbon and environmentally friendly life is more practical

Because it will help slow global warming

Reduce the frequency of extreme weather

It can reduce underwater noise and ocean pollution

This will also reduce the frequency of whale strandings.

(An adult blue whale surfaces in the waters off the Kalpitiya Peninsula in Sri Lanka, source: Visual China)

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Our trip

From the Yangtze River to the East China Sea

From the Pacific Ocean to the South China Sea

Saw colorful whales

Seeing a different China

When we return to life

I hope you won't forget this trip

Next time you encounter a whale

Don't be surprised, don't be afraid, don't disturb

Proudly with them

Ask well

(An adult killer whale is floating and peeping. Is it peeping at humans or the future? Source: Visual China)

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This article was created by

Written by: Zuokou

Image: Pan Chenxia

Map: Chen Zhihao

Design: Han Qing, Wang Shenwen

Head Photographer: Cheng Bin

Cover Photographer: Freedom Lara

Reviewers: Quasimodo by the River, Ding Hao, Song Nan

Expert reviewer: Chen Mo, Guangxi Academy of Sciences

Main references of this article

[1] Annalisa Berta. Marine Mammals[M]. Translated by Liu Wei. Beijing: Ocean Press, 2019.

[2] Eric J. Dolin. Leviathan: A History of American Whaling. Translated by Feng Xuan. Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press, 2019.

[3] List of National Key Protected Wildlife[S], Beijing: National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 2021.

[4] Wang Pilie. Distribution of whales in China’s coastal waters[J]. Chinese Journal of Zoology, 1984(06): 54-58.

[5] Wang Pilie. Chinese Whales[M]. Beijing: Chemical Industry Press, 2011.

[6] [UK] Kavalding. Whales and Dolphins[M]. China Friendship Publishing Company, 1999.

[7] Fauna Sinica Committee, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Fauna Sinica: Theridia, Volume IX, Cetacea, Carnivora, Phocidae, Sirenia[M]. Beijing: Science Press, 2004.

[8] AustralianNational Guidelines for Whale and Dolphin Watching 2017, Commonwealth of Australia, 2017.

[9] Marc T , Jooke R , Webb AE , et al. Return to the sea, get huge, beat cancer: an analysis of cetacean genomes including anassembly for the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)[J]. Molecular Biologyand Evolution, 2019(8):8.

[10] Smith CR, Glover AG, Treude T, et al. Whale-fall ecosystems: recent insights into ecology, paleoecology, andevolution[J]. Annual Review of Marine Science, 2015, 7: 571-596.

[11] Savoca, MS, Czapanskiy, MF, Kahane-Rapport, SR et al. Baleen whale prey consumption based on high-resolution foraging measurements. Nature, 2021, 599: 85–90.

Planetary Research Institute

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