An enormous whale made its presence felt during the Olympic Games surfing competition in Tahiti. The animal appeared during a semifinal race between Brazilās Tatiana Weston-Webb and Costa Ricaās Brisa Hennessey. In full view of the worldās cameras, the graceful giant jumped out of the water and flipped back in, allowing photographers to record a memorable and unusual moment.
The region is home to sizeable whale populations, and the opportunity to swim alongside them is a significant tourist attraction for Tahiti. Their numbers are particularly high there at this time of year. Across French Polynesia, where parts of the Paris Olympics are staged, whales are much admired and enjoy legal protections that recognize them as ālegal persons.ā
Tahitiās waters are populated by Humpback whales, also known as Megaptera novaeangliae. An adult measures between 46 and 56 feet in length and weighs around 44 tons. They are among the most playful of the giant whales, commonly jumping out of the water (breaching) and crashing their tails onto the water surface (bobtailing). Scientists are unsure why they do this, but estimate it is either a form of play, communication, or pest-removal.
Humpbacks are also known for their famous singing, which scientists also donāt fully understand. The vocalization is believed to have some connection to mating because it is usually heard in mating season, and there is some evidence that males āsingā to attract females. Some songs have been known to last for hours and can be heard at a distance of up to ten kilometers.
The breed has been hunted by humans to near-extinction, at one point dropping as low as just 5,000 globally. That number has recovered, and it is currently estimated that there are around 135,000 humpback whales in the worldās seas and oceans.
Meanwhile, the Olympic Games are proving to be a hugely successful event for the United States. As the Games entered their second week, the US gained a commanding medal toll lead of 86, with 24 gold medals, 31 silver medals, and 31 bronze medals. In second place was China, and in third place was Australia.