Drone Footage Captures Rare Baby White Whale With Its Mother

— -- Drone footage shot off the coast of Australia captured a rare baby white whale with its mother, researchers said Monday.

Marine scientists working near Augusta in southwest Australia employed innovative new techniques to track the world's largest mammals undisturbed in their natural habitat.

The technologies used by the team include suction cup tags and drones that help the scientists assess "fine-scale movements, acoustic communications, ambient noise, calf suckling rates and body condition," of the whales. The team hopes to better understand the whales in their breeding and calving grounds, and how human activities may influence their health.

“Little is known about the three dimensional movements and habitat-use of southern right whales in their breeding and calving grounds in Australia, many of which are slated for development activity," said Professor Lars Bejder, from Murdoch University. "Our aim is not only to study the behavioral ecology of these amazing animals, but also to provide information to industry and management towards conservation.

The use of drones, working in tandem with tracking devices placed with the whales, allowed the researchers a closer look at the creatures, who identified each animal in the study by its distinctive markings and captured a detailed picture of its activity.

“Drones are allowing us to non-invasively measure the size and body condition of free living southern right whales, which in turn allows us to investigate important aspects of their health and reproduction,” said Dr Fredrik Christiansen, also from Murdoch University.

The video of the rarely-seen baby white whale begins at about the 2:44 mark, and shows the animal frolicking in the water and nuzzling its mother, who swims alongside and underneath the calf.

Southern right whales measure between 45 and 55 feet in length and can weigh up to 60 tons. The calves measure an impressive 13 to 15 feet at birth and nurse for one year. Female southern right whales give birth only every three to four years, making each offspring extremely valuable to the survival of the species.

Right whales are the rarest of all large whale species and among the rarest of all marine mammal species. One of the most widely hunted whales, they were nearly driven to extinction by the early 1900s, and have been protected as an endangered species since 1946.

Only a small fraction of right whales are born white, and the calves change color after their first year of life.