30 Jul 2016
Endangered Bowhead Whale Experience for Expedition
Just when we thought we couldn't exceed the already amazing experiences we have had during this expedition...
Today, on the penultimate day of our expedition, we made a landing on Kolyuchin Island where we were enjoying the extensive bird cliffs covered in nesting Guillemots, Puffins and Kittiwakes, one of the staff cried “BOWHEAD WHALES!" Bowhead whales are classified “endangered” by the IUCN and they are confined to the high arctic regions, where they are found around the ice. They are thought to be the cetacean with the longest lifespan with an estimation an individual may live up to 200 years of age. Historically they were hunted extensively both by the indigenous peoples of the North, and pelagic whalers.
The animals we spotted where too far offshore for zodiacs to follow, so once our landing was complete we took the ship out to where we had seen them and spent an amazing hour in the presence of these magnificent animals.
We have now seen all bar one species of cetacean that occurs in this region. We have seen and had some great encounters with Beluga, Orca, Humpback, Gray, and now Bowhead and we are currently looking out for Fin Whale... we will keep you posted.
© K.Ovsyanikova Bowhead Whale
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