A photograph shows a seemingly stunned seal in the mouth of a humpback whale, named Zillion, after the giant marine mammal accidentally scooped it up off the coast of Washington state.
A group of sightseers got more than they bargained for on an excursion with Blue Kingdom Whale and Wildlife Tours on Thursday, Sept. 12.
The tourists, who were traveling from Anacortes, Washington, were tracking Zillion during her feeding time in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and saw the mammal nearly swallow up a harbor seal that found itself between her razor sharp teeth.
“During our full day tour on Thursday, we had a wild moment when a humpback whale accidentally slurped up a harbor seal! Naturalist Brooke captured the moment,” Blue Kingdom Whale and Wildlife Tours wrote on their Facebook account.
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Zillion opened her jaw and lowered her head into the water, so the seal could swim away. (Brooke Casanova, Blue Kingdom Whale and Wildlife Tours /TMX)
The photos captured the seal lurking in Zillion’s mouth after the massive whale breached the water’s surface and the smaller mammal was suddenly caught up in the action.
“Fortunately, the seal did have *some* luck on their side, as Zillion quickly noticed the unwelcome dinner guest and released the seal accordingly,” the group noted.
The harbor seal was captured peaking its dwarfed head from the mouth of the humpback whale. (Brooke Casanova, Blue Kingdom Whale and Wildlife Tours /TMX)
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According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the seal would not be part of Zillion’s normal diet, with humpback whales preferring to filter-feed on small crustaceans (mostly krill) and small fish.
A tour group from Blue Kingdom Whale & Wildlife Tours from Washington state saw the spectacular sight. (Brooke Casanova, Blue Kingdom Whale and Wildlife Tours /TMX)
People on social media weighed in on the spectacular photos, with individuals praising the “once in a lifetime sight.”
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“Love this! Education with amazing photos. Thank you for sharing,” one person wrote.
“Wow! Once in a lifetime sight for your passengers and maybe for you too,” another wrote.
