Staggering drone footage shows 24m giants speeding through Indonesian waters

Staggering drone footage shows 24m giants speeding through Indonesian waters

Wildlife watchers were lucky enough to be joined by three pygmy blue whales.

Marcus Blake


An underwater photographer in Alor, Indonesia, has shared mind-boggling drone footage of a group of pygmy blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) speeding through the water. 

“By far one of the coolest experiences I have had and some of my favourite drone shots of whales I have taken,” says underwater photographer Marcus Blake, who shared the awe-inspiring footage on Instagram.

Drone footage shows three pygmy blue whales cruising through the water. Credit: Videography by Marcus Blake onboard a Naga Biru Liveaboard on a snorkel venture trip.

Blake, co-founder of the Naga Biru Liveaboard, was on a Snorkel Venture tour in Alor when he spotted the whales on two separate occasions. “It’s truly a remarkable place,” he says. 

Despite their name, this subspecies of blue whale is still massive. They grow up to around 24 metres (longer than a cricket pitch), compared to the Antarctic blue whale’s 33 metres. 

A close-up shot of a pygmy blue whale. Credit: Videography by Marcus Blake onboard a Naga Biru Liveaboard on a snorkel venture trip.

Blake was surprised by how speedily these enormous animals zoomed through the water, adding: “It’s impressive the size of these animals and especially how fast they move.”

The wildlife watchers' boats are dwarfed by the pygmy blue whales. Credit: Videography by Marcus Blake onboard a Naga Biru Liveaboard on a snorkel venture trip

Video and image credit: Videography by Marcus Blake onboard a Naga Biru Liveaboard on a snorkel venture trip

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