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NSW National Parks and Wildlife says a recent sighting of a blue whale off the Sydney coastline could be only the third to be seen in the past 100 years.
The blue whale is the largest animal on the planet, but is very rarely spotted by even the most avid of whale watchers.
This particular creature is estimated to be over 25 metres in length and to weigh over 100 tonnes.
RELATED: 'Incredible' encounter between group of swimmers and adult humpback whale captured in breathtaking video
National Parks and Wildlife Service Project Officer Andrew Marshall said despite its huge size, the whale could easily have slipped past the Sydney coast unnoticed.
A blue whale has been caught on camera off the Sydney coastline in an "extremely rare" sighting. (Seansperception )
"Blue whales are largely 'invisible' even to the most avid whale watchers and researchers as the creature is very rarely seen around the world," Mr Marshall said.
"They tend to live very far out to sea, their populations are widely dispersed and we have very limited data on its migration and critical habitat."
There are unofficial accounts of blue whales near Sydney by whale watchers at Cape Solander in 2002 and 2013 but this recent sighting is the first verified record of such an event.
Unlike the humpback whale, which is showing signs of an annual population recovery of around 10 or 11 per cent, the blue whale population in NSW waters remains elusive, Mr Marshall said.
"That's why opportunistic sightings like this one are so incredibly valuable," he said.
"They improve our understanding of where these species live and suggest if there are measures we need to consider to try to protect them."
www.9news.com.au
The blue whale is the largest animal on the planet, but is very rarely spotted by even the most avid of whale watchers.
This particular creature is estimated to be over 25 metres in length and to weigh over 100 tonnes.
RELATED: 'Incredible' encounter between group of swimmers and adult humpback whale captured in breathtaking video
National Parks and Wildlife Service Project Officer Andrew Marshall said despite its huge size, the whale could easily have slipped past the Sydney coast unnoticed.
A blue whale has been caught on camera off the Sydney coastline in an "extremely rare" sighting. (Seansperception )
"Blue whales are largely 'invisible' even to the most avid whale watchers and researchers as the creature is very rarely seen around the world," Mr Marshall said.
"They tend to live very far out to sea, their populations are widely dispersed and we have very limited data on its migration and critical habitat."
There are unofficial accounts of blue whales near Sydney by whale watchers at Cape Solander in 2002 and 2013 but this recent sighting is the first verified record of such an event.
Unlike the humpback whale, which is showing signs of an annual population recovery of around 10 or 11 per cent, the blue whale population in NSW waters remains elusive, Mr Marshall said.
"That's why opportunistic sightings like this one are so incredibly valuable," he said.
"They improve our understanding of where these species live and suggest if there are measures we need to consider to try to protect them."
Blue whale spotted off Sydney coast in 'extremely rare' sighting
A recent sighting of a blue whale off Sydney's coastline could be only the third in the past 100 years, acc...
www.9news.com.au
