Do Whales Often Save Swimmers? Humpback whales have saved other creatures but this is the first documented case of them saving a swimmer.
In the modern day, the latest is a lobster diver named Michael Packard who, in 2021 was trapped inside a humpback whale's mouth for around 40 seconds off the coast of Cape Cod.
Whales play an amazing role in an ecosystem that keeps every creature on Earth alive, including you! Whales play a vital role in the marine ecosystem where they help provide at least half of the oxygen you breathe, combat climate change, and sustain fish stocks.
James Bartley (1870–1909) is the central figure in a late nineteenth-century story according to which he was swallowed whole by a sperm whale. He was found still living days later in the stomach of the whale, which was dead from harpooning.
It's important to remember that whales are wild animals. If they are threatened or become stressed then they may try to defend themselves. However, despite their size, whales don't see humans as something that they can eat so they aren't naturally aggressive towards us.
The whales are famous for the way they seem to really like humans. When they see boats, they often swim over. And if the people inside are lucky, the whales will come close enough to get patted, rubbed, or even kissed!
Gray whales also have the reputation of being the friendliest whales in the world. They are curious about boats and will often approach them and check out the humans aboard.
For starters, we are unlikely to end up in a whale stomach in one piece, but on top of that, we would not survive very long. First of all, there is no air or oxygen in their stomachs, so we wouldn't be able to breathe. Additionally, whales are carnivores, so we would be digested by the enzymes in their stomachs.
The man who disappeared for several days after he went overboard during bad storm has return to share his survival tale. The 56-year-old fisherman Luigi Marquez claims that a whale swallowed him. According to Marquez he stayed there for three days and nights.
56-year-old Luigi Marquez lived to tell the fascinating tale of his survival, as he came alive after spending 3 days inside a giant whale. The horrifying incident took place when Luigi went missing at sea, after a violent sea storm threw him off his vessel.
No one knows why, but dolphins have been saving people for thousands of years. Dating back to Ancient Greece, there are dozens of claims of dolphins rescuing people from sharks, helping drowning sailors, and guiding boats through rough waters.
Sharks are solitary predators, whereas dolphins travel in groups called pods. Whenever a member of the group is in danger from a shark, the rest of the pod rushes in to defend their buddy. Dolphins have even been known to protect humans in danger of sharks.
Without a population of whales, the krill on which they feed would multiply exponentially; in turn, krill will deplete the populations of phytoplankton and algae on which they feed, causing an imbalance in the marine ecosystem. Whales also play a role in carbon capture and help regulate the planet's climate.
MOST EXTREME ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS CAUGHT ON CAMERA IN 2022
Whale-watching passengers aboard vessels operated by Capt. Dave's Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari had a once-in-a-lifetime sighting off the coast of Dana Strands Beach in Dana Point, California, when they encountered a gray whale giving birth to a calf.
Whales have huge mouths, but...
Their throats are relatively small. A Blue Whale's throat is only as big as a basketball, so it can barely swallow something bigger than a grapefruit (but that's okay, it doesn't need to when it eats krill!).
Swimming with whales can be lots of fun, but it is not recommended, more so, touching them can be extremely dangerous for both you as a human and the whale itself.
A 17 day-long funeral
Several species of cetaceans have been observed behaving in ways that suggest they mourn their dead group members. Some dolphin mothers carry around their dead calves on their backs for hours or even days.
No, that would be physically impossible. No air, no breathing. But, remember, the story of Jonah inside the belly of a “big fish” refers to what happened to him after God had told him to preach to the people of Ninevah.
The average whale can hold its breath for about 60 minutes. The Sperm whale can hold its breath longer than the average whale, for about 90 minutes. The whale that can hold its breath the longest, however, is the Curved Beak Whale, who can take long dives underwater for about 138 minutes!
The video below by House of the Future points out that only one species of whale even has a throat big enough to fit a human. And yes, you would suffocate or be crushed or burned in acid if that happened. Thankfully, the likelihood of you ending up in a sperm whale's digestive tract is essentially zero.
Not only would the whale's stomach acid make quick work of you, but you'd experience a distinct lack of air on the inside [source: Eveleth]. Of course, you're much more likely to get eaten or maimed as you try to make it past the sperm whale's sharp teeth, which are roughly as long as a large steak knife.
Whales basically have two enemies: Orcas (killer whales, which in fact are not whales, but dolphins) and human beings. Only one type of Orca, the transient orca, is known to attack whales and other marine mammals. Transients Orcas are sometimes referred to as "wolves of the sea" as they will hunt in packs.
The bowhead whales
The bowhead whales are arguably the laziest whales you will find.
Dolphins have a reputation for being friendly, but they are actually wild animals who should be treated with caution and respect. Interactions with people change dolphin behavior for the worse. They lose their natural wariness, which makes them easy targets for vandalism and shark attack.