Whale Mae Thong Dee now a proud mother of her third baby
Mae Thong Dee, a Bryde's whale who lives in the Gulf of Thailand, on Saturday gave birth to her third baby whale.
Jirayu Ekkul, a wildlife photographer, explained that Mae Thong Dee had a ripped dorsal fin and severe eye injuries, adding that he and his team had been closely monitoring this whale's behaviour.
"We found Mae Thong Dee and her baby whales about two hours after taking a ship to the Gulf of Thailand. It may have been our destiny to meet these whales," he said.
He added that two years ago everyone was doubtful how Mae Thong Dee was going to survive after an incident in which she suffered an injury to her eyes. Now their doubts had been cleared.
"I finally realise why she ate so much and lived in the gulf for over nine months. It wanted to take care of its health to give birth to a baby whale," he said, adding that he admired its maternal instinct.
The Bryde's whale is a baleen whale, more specifically a rorqual belonging to the same group as blue whales and humpback whales.
They usually appear individually or in pairs, and occasionally in loose aggregations up to 20 animals around feeding areas. They are more active on the water surface than sei whales, especially in coastal waters.
Bryde's whale is listed on Appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals. It is listed on Appendix II as it has an unfavourable conservation status or would benefit significantly from international cooperation organised by tailored agreements.
In addition, Bryde's whale is covered by the Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and Their Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region.
