In an extraordinary video captured by a passenger on a whale-watching boat in Mexico's Ojo de Liebre lagoon, a gray whale can be seen seeking assistance from a captain to have parasites removed from its head. The footage, which was shared on Facebook in March, showcases the remarkable interaction between the whale and the human observer.
A whale watcher touches a gray whale at Ojo de Liebre Lagoon in Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur state, Mexico on March 27, 2021.
Boat Captain Removes Lice From Gray Whale
A gray whale approaches a tiny tourist boat in Mexico, as the boat's skipper, Paco Jimenez Franco, begins the job of eradicating whale lice off its head. The whale stays close to the boat for a long time, whirling around to allow Franco to fully clean it, much to the delight of onlookers.
Franco, a seasoned whale-watching captain with two decades of experience, revealed to The Dodo that it took time for the whales to become comfortable enough around him to permit the lice removal process.
Recounting his initial encounter with the whale, Franco shared, "Once I removed the first one, she approached again so that I could continue to do so." He further expressed his excitement at being able to repeat this activity with the same whale and others.
Whale lice are external parasites that are usually seen in whale skin lesions, nostrils, and eyes, according to Insider. These parasites serve a beneficial purpose for the whales by consuming algae on their bodies and feeding on flaking skin. Mark Carwardine, a British zoologist familiar with the region, explained that gray whales have a "love-hate relationship with their whale lice."
The whales' sensitive skin and the presence of numerous lice gripping tightly or moving around with their sharp, curved claws can be bothersome and even painful, akin to tiny pinpricks.
Gray whales, known for their ability to fight back against whalers in the past, were given the nickname "devil fish." They frequently migrate along the North American coastline, making appearances in Baja California.
The interview with Franco coincides with reports of orcas ramming boats off the coasts of Spain and Portugal, adding to the ongoing discourse surrounding interactions between marine creatures and humans.
Animals Asking Humans For Help
A number of videos of animals asking humans for help have already been shared online, showing a heartwarming display of interspecies connection.
As per Earthfire Institute, an example of such interaction is when four young wild deer in Alaska approached a boat and bravely asked for assistance from humans who immediately board them, highlighting the beauty when boundaries are momentarily dissolved.
Another example is when a sick sea lion pup stranded in a local restaurant was rescued by SeaWorld San Diego's team and is now on the path to recovery. While it remains uncertain why these animals sought help from humans, their actions highlight the irony that many of the problems they faced were caused by human involvement.
Lastly, Huffpost shared an incident where a whale shark swimming in Sydney, Australia in 2003 approached a boat and waited for humans to help. Joe Sciberras bravely jumped into the water and discovered that the shark was entangled in a tight rope.
Astonishingly, the shark remained calm as Joe straddled its back for approximately twenty minutes, removing the rope. Once freed, the majestic creature peacefully swam away.
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