Bryde’s Whales by Kongsak Sumano

Bryde's Whales by Kongsak Sumano

The upper part of the Gulf of Thailand, near the shores of Samut Sakhon and Phetburi provinces, is the habitat of 80 Brydes whales. It's thrilling to watch these whales feed on anchovies by opening their mouths as wide as possible, trapping a large quantity of anchovies carried by the current. The whales unique feeding style also benefits gulls with similar diets. It's a common sight to see large flocks of gulls closely following the whales to get their share of anchovies. The attached images were taken on my previous whale-watching trips for comparison with the image from my most recent trip on Nov. 16, 2023, during which none of the three whales I spotted displayed their spectacular feeding due to the unsettled sea. Only one whales dorsal fin was visible.