The instinct to protect one's child from harm is present in parents across species. An evidence of the same is a?rare video that has captured a humpback whale fighting to save her baby's life, by fending off three killer whales.?
There have been numerous accounts of humpback whales defending members of other species, including whales, seals, sea lions, and even fish, from killer whale attacks.??
This particular incident was caught on a drone camera by Fisherman Shane Stephen and a friend, off the coast of Ningaloo, Western Australia.
?Also Read: Video: Italian Coast Guard Rescues Sperm Whale Caught In Illegal Fishing Nets? ?
Described by Mr Stephen on Instagram as 'the craziest thing' he had seen all year, the video showed a portion of the rarely seen two-hour frenzy.
The footage shows the humpback and her calf swimming side-by-side, before they are blocked by three killer whales, also known as orcas.
In a series of synchronised attacks, the orcas took turns to swim at the mother and distract her while the third dived and tried to take the two-week-old calf.?
Also Read: 36 Feet Long Critically Endangered Sei Whale Washes Up Ashore At Bengal's Mandarmani Beach??
'So today a pod of orcas rolled right under the boat to show off and check us out before commencing an almost two-hour hunt for a humpback whale calf right in front of our eyes',? ?Shane Stephenwrote on social media.? ?
"I was marlin fishing and had the first orca shoot in and roll right under the boat, showing off and playing," said Shane Stephen, one of the fishermen who witnessed the attack.
"Shortly after, we saw splashing and a commotion and knew a hunt was underway. It is the first orca hunt and kill of a humpback whale this season and went on for almost two hours."
Stephen told Reuters that the humpback mother's calf was "taken" and separated from the mother after two hours.
Killer whales - also known as orcas - hunt in groups and seek out prey like fish, cephalopods, whales and sea turtles in shallower waters.
?Also Read: Believe It Or Not, This Shark Took Down A Whale About Thrice Its Size
All Inputs Reuters