Moment giant fin whale's huge mouth engulfs thousands of tonnes of water
Videographer Rhys Morgan captured footage of the worlds second largest whale lunge feeding on his drone.
In an astonishing moment, the world's second largest marine mammal, the fin whale, engulfed thousands of tonnes of water and krill during feeding off the coast of Wales. Rhys Morgan, a videographer from Pembrokeshire, captured the incredible sight while fishing with a friend. The fin whale, a close relative of the blue whale, can grow up to 24 meters long and weigh a staggering 70 tonnes.
Despite its massive size, the fin whale remains elusive, often surfacing briefly before diving beneath the waves. Morgan, who works in an oil refinery by day, became fascinated with marine life after using a drone to film sea creatures. He explained that the whale's expandable pleats can take in up to 18,000 gallons of water, highlighting the whale's unique feeding mechanism.
Dr. Marianna Chimienti, a marine ecologist, praised Morgan's fortunate encounter, noting that fin whales typically feed at the surface in coastal waters, making such sightings rare but beautiful. Fin whales primarily feed on krill, small schooling fish, and squid, consuming up to 2,000 kilograms of food each day.
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