Ukrainian polar explorers showed the first meeting with the fin whale – one of the largest whales in the world – News
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Ukrainian polar explorers at the “Akademik Vernadskyi” station for the first time documented a meeting with a fin whale that swam into the waters near the station.
As point out at the National Antarctic Science Center, this species of whale is the second largest on the planet. Its length can reach 26 meters, and its weight is 75 tons.
Polarists called the meeting unexpected, but long-awaited. It happened on March 6 in the Penola Strait near the Argentine Islands.
“Although the observation lasted a few minutes, our polar explorers managed to work with the animal. Biologist of the 28th UAE Vadym Tkachenko managed to photograph the giant, as well as take samples of skin and fat from it.
Their further laboratory studies will help determine the gender of the whale, learn more about its condition and better understand the population structure of this species in the Antarctic.”– said in the National Center of the National Academy of Sciences.
The unexpected, but long-awaited meeting of the polar explorers with the finval took place on March 6
Polar scientists recall that in the 20th century whaling caused the almost complete extermination of fin whales in the waters near Antarctica. However, in recent years, their population has been intensively recovering, and they are returning to where they used to live, scientists note.
“These whales are now regularly seen in the northern Antarctic Peninsula and in the Drake Passage. We can expect fin whale sightings to become regular near our station soon.” – they say in the 28th UAE.
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